Extrapair mating and the strength of sexual selection: insights from a polymorphic species
Year: 2018
Type: article
Abstract: ), to examine how extrapair mating affects the potential for sexual selection. In this species, the morphs employ distinct reproductive strategies, with white males pursuing extrapair mating at higher rates than tan counterparts. Social and extrapair mating is disassortative by morph, with paternity exchange occurring primarily between pairs composed of white males and tan females. Bateman gradients and Jones indexes indicated stronger sexual selection via mate numbers in white males than in females and tan males, and generally did not differ between females as compared with tan males. Extrapair mating contributed more to the Bateman gradient for white than tan males, and white males also had higher variance in annual reproductive success. However, variance in lifetime reproductive success did not differ between morphs or sexes. Moreover, extrapair mating did not increase variance in male reproductive success relative to apparent patterns, and within-pair success accounted for much more variance than extrapair success. Thus, extrapair mating by white males increases Bateman gradients and the potential for sexual selection via mate numbers. However, our latter results support previous research suggesting that extrapair mating may play a limited role in driving the overall potential for sexual selection.
Source: Behavioral Ecology
Language: English
Domain: Life Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W2912067544