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Sexual selection on the genital lobes of male Drosophila simulans
Author(s) -
House Clarissa M.,
Lewis Zenobia,
Sharma Manmohan D.,
Hodgson David J.,
Hunt John,
Wedell Nina,
Hosken David J.
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
evolution
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.84
H-Index - 199
eISSN - 1558-5646
pISSN - 0014-3820
DOI - 10.1111/evo.14158
Subject(s) - biology , sexual selection , sperm competition , selection (genetic algorithm) , mating , sex organ , mate choice , evolutionary biology , sperm , drosophila (subgenus) , zoology , genetics , gene , artificial intelligence , computer science
Abstract Sexual selection is thought to be responsible for the rapid divergent evolution of male genitalia with several studies detecting multivariate sexual selection on genital form. However, in most cases, selection is only estimated during a single episode of selection, which provides an incomplete view of net selection on genital traits. Here, we estimate the strength and form of multivariate selection on the genitalia arch of Drosophila simulans when mating occurs in the absence of a competitor and during sperm competition, in both sperm defence and offense roles (i.e., when mating first and last). We found that the strength of sexual selection on the genital arch was strongest during noncompetitive mating and weakest during sperm offense. However, the direction of selection was similar across selection episodes with no evidence for antagonistic selection. Overall, selection was not particularly strong despite genitals clearly evolving rapidly in this species.