Evidence that genetic compatibility underpins female mate choice in a monandrous amphibian

Byrne, Phillip G.; Keogh, J. Scott; O’Brien, Daniel M.; Gaitán‐Espitía, Juan Diego; Silla, Aimee J.

doi:10.1111/evo.14160

Cited by 7 publications

(6 citation statements)

References 67 publications

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“…We conclude that if females can choose their mate, they should avoid genetic similarity and ignore male coloration to achieve the highest genetic benefit from mate choice. Analogous negative effects of genetic similarity could recently be demonstrated in an amphibian (Byrne et al 2021), and analogous non-significant effects of male coloration on offspring viability were recently reported for three-spined stickleback (Gasterosteus aculeatus) (Chiara et al 2022).…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 66%

Genetic compatibility exceeds possible ‘good genes' effects of sexual selection in lake char

Wedekind,

Garaud,

Nusbaumer

et al. 2023

Preprint

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Mating is rarely random in nature, but the genetic effects of mate choice are still poorly understood. We sampled 47 wild lake charr(Salvelinus umbla) during two breeding seasons and used their gametes to investigate the genetic consequences of different mating scenarios. In a first study, 1,464 embryos that resulted from sperm competition trials were raised singly in either a stress- or non-stress environment. Offspring growth turned out to be strongly reduced with increased genetic relatedness between the parents while male coloration (which is known to reveal aspects of male health) was no significant predictor of offspring performance. To test the robustness of this finding, we did another experiment one year later, using block-wise full-factorial in vitro breeding to produce 3,094 embryos that were raised singly with sublethal exposures to a pathogen or water only. Offspring growth was again strongly reduced with increased genetic relatedness between the parents while male coloration was no significant predictor of offspring performance. We conclude that, in lake char, the genetic benefits of mate choice would be strongest if females avoided genetic similarity, while male breeding colors seem more relevant in intra-sexual selection.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 66%

Genetic compatibility exceeds possible ‘good genes' effects of sexual selection in lake char

Wedekind,

Garaud,

Nusbaumer

et al. 2023

Preprint

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…We conclude that if females could choose their mate, they would profit most from avoiding genetic similarity while ignoring male coloration to achieve the highest genetic benefit from mate choice. Analogous negative effects of genetic similarity were recently demonstrated in an amphibian (Byrne et al 2021 ), and analogous non-significant effects of male coloration on offspring viability were recently reported for three-spined stickleback ( Gasterosteus aculeatus ) (Chiara et al 2022 ).…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 64%

Parental kinship coefficient but not paternal coloration predicts early offspring growth in lake char

Garaud,

Nusbaumer,

Marques da Cunha

et al. 2024

Heredity

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The ‘good genes’ hypotheses of sexual selection predict that females prefer males with strong ornaments because they are in good health and vigor and can afford the costs of the ornaments. A key assumption of this concept is that male health and vigor are useful predictors of genetic quality and hence offspring performance. We tested this prediction in wild-caught lake char (Salvelinus umbla) whose breeding coloration is known to reveal aspects of male health. We first reanalyzed results from sperm competition trials in which embryos of known parenthood had been raised singly in either a stress- or non-stress environment. Paternal coloration did not correlate with any measures of offspring performance. However, offspring growth was reduced with higher kinship coefficients between the parents. To test the robustness of these first observations, we collected a new sample of wild males and females, used their gametes in a full-factorial in vitro breeding experiment, and singly raised about 3000 embryos in either a stress- or non-stress environment (stress induced by microbes). Again, paternal coloration did not predict offspring performance, while offspring growth was reduced with higher kinship between the parents. We conclude that, in lake char, the genetic benefits of mate choice would be strongest if females could recognize and avoid genetically related males, while male breeding colors may be more relevant in intra-sexual selection.

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“…Nevertheless, effects of genetic similarity between parents were always large and in the expected direction, with higher similarity leading to reduced embryo development rates. Analogous large effects of genetic similarity could recently be demonstrated in an amphibian [44,45]. Male yellowness never predicted offspring performance in the direction that would be expected from ‘good genes’ hypotheses of sexual selection.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 75%

Genetic compatibility exceeds possible ‘good genes’ effects of sexual selection in lake char

Garaud

Nusbaumer

Guttry

et al. 2022

Preprint

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Mating is rarely random in nature, but the effects of mate selection on offspring performance are still poorly understood, even in well-established models such as salmonid fish. We sampled wild lake char (Salvelinus umbla) and used their gametes to investigate the genetic consequences of different mating scenarios. In a first study, we used full-factorial breeding to experimentally separate additive genetic from maternal environmental effects. This led to 60 families and in total 1,073 embryos that were raised singly after sublethal exposures to the pathogen Aeromonas salmonicida, the common pollutant ethinylestradiol, or water only. Contrary to predictions of ‘good genes’ sexual selection, offspring of more yellow males were less tolerant to the pathogen than offspring of pale males, while male coloration did not predict offspring tolerance to ethinylestradiol. However, increased kinship between the parents had strong negative effects on embryo development in all treatment groups. In a second experiment, we monitored 1,464 singly-raised embryos that resulted from 70 pair-wise sperm competition trials. These embryos were raised in an environment that supports the growth of symbiotic microbes (sublethal stress) or in a clean environment. Offspring of yellow males were again less stress tolerant than those of pale males, and embryo development was again slowed down with increasing genetic similarity between the parents. We conclude that genetic benefits of mate selection would be strongest if females avoided genetic similarity during mate selection, for example based on MHC-linked signals, while male breeding colors seem more relevant in intra-sexual selection.

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Evidence that genetic compatibility underpins female mate choice in a monandrous amphibian

Cited by 7 publications

References 67 publications

Genetic compatibility exceeds possible ‘good genes' effects of sexual selection in lake char

Genetic compatibility exceeds possible ‘good genes' effects of sexual selection in lake char

Parental kinship coefficient but not paternal coloration predicts early offspring growth in lake char

Genetic compatibility exceeds possible ‘good genes’ effects of sexual selection in lake char

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