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No evidence for extra‐pair paternity in the western gull
Author(s) -
GILBERT L.,
BURKE T.,
KRUPA A.
Publication year - 1998
Publication title -
molecular ecology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.619
H-Index - 225
eISSN - 1365-294X
pISSN - 0962-1083
DOI - 10.1046/j.1365-294x.1998.00488.x
Subject(s) - biology , mating , mating system , zoology , larus , ecology , evolutionary biology , fishery , herring , fish <actinopterygii>
The genetic mating system of western gulls Larus occidentalis breeding on Southeast Farallon Island, California, was determined using multilocus DNA fingerprints of 33 chicks from 22 broods. No extra‐pair paternity (EPP) was found, despite extra‐pair copulations (EPCs) occurring. This suggests that paternity guards are effective, and that females gain few genetic benefits from EPCs. The EPP in western gulls concurs with that of other seabirds, reinforcing the idea that seabirds generally have a monogamous genetic mating system.