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Precision in sex allocation is influenced by mate choice in Drosophila melanogaster
Author(s) -
FULLER B. A.,
MOUSSEAU T. A.
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
journal of evolutionary biology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.289
H-Index - 128
eISSN - 1420-9101
pISSN - 1010-061X
DOI - 10.1111/j.1420-9101.2007.01400.x
Subject(s) - biology , sex ratio , fecundity , biological dispersal , drosophila melanogaster , mate choice , sex allocation , selection (genetic algorithm) , operational sex ratio , sperm , evolutionary biology , offspring , drosophila (subgenus) , sexual selection , zoology , ecology , demography , genetics , mating , mating system , population , pregnancy , artificial intelligence , sociology , computer science , gene
Theory predicts that a 1 : 1 sex ratio is favoured in the absence of countervailing selection pressures. In an experiment with Drosophila melanogaster , we found significantly greater variation in the offspring sex ratios of freely mated flies than would be expected by the binomial distribution. In a surprise result, control flies given no mate choice exhibited significant under‐dispersal in their sex ratio variation, possibly from sperm limitation. Both treatments, however, produced populations with a 1 : 1 sex ratio. This supports the hypothesis that sexually antagonistic selection for reproductive success in sons, and fecundity in daughters, may overcome selection for an equal sex ratio. Such precision in sex allocation may allow for the maintenance of genetic variation underlying trade‐offs between male and female reproductive success.