Factors that affect non-independent mate choice

For males, the behaviour of rival conspecifics can provide vital information about finding reproductively available females, and which have high-quality phenotypes. While valuable, this information represents sperm competition risk and even the potential for rejection by females. Thus, males should show flexibility in signalling behaviours towards females based on social information acquired with emphasis on the context of that information. We examined male meadow vole scent-marking behaviours and preferences for females based on previously obtained social information across different contexts. Social information context resulted in increased scent marking depending on the social odour pairing. Males scent marked more near a female whose odour had associated with three older rivals than one younger rival. But males marked equally toward a female whose odour had associated with three younger rivals and a female whose odour had associated with one older rival. This demonstrates that social odours are not of all equal value and that males can distinguish differences. Males then use these differences to tailor their signalling towards potentially high-quality phenotype females thereby maximizing their reproductive opportunities.

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“…The dataset supporting this article, including a description file, has been uploaded as part of the electronic supplementary material [36].…”

Section: Data Accessibilitymentioning

confidence: 99%

Do male meadow voles (Microtus pennsylvanicus) always prefer and signal to ‘popular’ females? The role of social information context

Scauzillo

Ferkin

2022

Biol. Lett.

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“…One approach to infer the strength of RI and understand the potential outcomes of hybridization is to quantify patterns of phenotypic diversity and assortative mating across a contact zone. Traits that evolved through sexual selection, such as advertisement calls, colour patterns and other courtship behaviours are particularly tractable and relevant (Detto & Backwell, 2009; Owen & Tucker, 2006; Scauzillo & Ferkin, 2019; Summers et al, 1999). Hybridization can manifest as two general patterns, a blending of parental forms (i.e.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…This approach can extend (or contrast with) findings from lab‐based mate choice studies, which generally test individual preferences, but do not always account for the myriad of other factors that affect choice. These factors include, but are not limited to, timing, predation, territoriality, mate choice of other sex and physiological state of the choosy sex (Scauzillo & Ferkin, 2019). Some species exhibit strong RI in a contact zone, such as tidepool copepods ( Tigriopus californicus ), which have a sharp reproductive divide between parental populations (Peterson et al, 2013) or fire‐bellied toads ( Bombina sp.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Sexual signal evolution and patterns of assortative mating across an intraspecific contact zone

Pascal,

Vega,

Akopyan

et al. 2023

Journal of Evolutionary Biology

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Contact zones provide important insights into the evolutionary processes that underlie lineage divergence and speciation. Here, we use a contact zone to ascertain speciation potential in the red‐eyed treefrog (Agalychnis callidryas), a brightly coloured and polymorphic frog that exhibits unusually high levels of intraspecific variation. Populations of A. callidryas differ in a number of traits, several of which are known sexual signals that mediate premating reproductive isolation in allopatric populations. Along the Caribbean coast of Costa Rica, a ~100 km contact zone, situated between two phenotypically and genetically divergent parent populations, contains multiple colour pattern phenotypes and late‐generation hybrids. This contact zone provides the opportunity to examine processes that are important in the earliest stages of lineage divergence. We performed analyses of colour pattern variation in five contact zone sites and six parental sites and found complex, continuous colour variation along the contact zone. We found discordance between the geographic distribution of colour pattern and previously described genomic population structure. We then used a parental site and contact zone site to measure assortative mating and directional selection from naturally‐occurring amplectant mating pairs. We found assortative mating in a parental population, but no assortative mating in the contact zone. Furthermore, we uncovered evidence of directional preference towards the adjacent parental phenotype in the contact zone population, but no directional preference in the parent population. Combined, these data provide insights into potential dynamics at the contact zone borders and indicate that incipient speciation between parent populations will be slowed.

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“…Laboratory studies permit a tight control over confounding variables potentially affecting mate choice (e.g., age, size, health status, mating history, personality, etc. ), but they may not always emulate all the factors influencing mate choice in the wild such as habitat structure or natural population density (Scauzillo & Ferkin, 2019). Moreover, the handful of model species from which our understanding of NIMC is derived may not represent the diversity of mating systems and environments that could influence the evolution and maintenance of NIMC in nature.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Free‐ranging male northern map turtles use public information when interacting with potential mates

2021

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Sperm competition is prevalent in animals, and many adaptations have evolved to reduce its risk. Males can reduce the risk of sperm competition by using public information when interacting with potential mates. Specifically, males can reduce sperm competition by avoiding females already affiliated with rival males. We tested this hypothesis in a population of wild northern map turtles (Graptemys geographica), a gregarious species with seemingly prevalent sperm competition. We used 3D‐printed decoys and underwater videography to record the response of free‐ranging males to female decoys affiliated or not with rivals. More visits were made by males to female decoys when rivals were present, suggesting a form of eavesdropping during mate selection. Males were more likely to interact with the female decoy, however, when rivals were absent, suggesting that they behave to reduce sperm competition. Moreover, the types of interactions differed between the accompanied and the unaccompanied female decoys, indicating an audience effect during male–female interactions. Finally, males interacted more with the male decoys than with the female decoys in the treatment with rivals, indicating a yet unclear form of male–male interaction. Collectively, our results suggest that free‐ranging male northern map turtles use public information for mate selection and to reduce sperm competition.

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Factors that affect non-independent mate choice

Cited by 15 publications

References 120 publications

Do male meadow voles (Microtus pennsylvanicus) always prefer and signal to ‘popular’ females? The role of social information context

Do male meadow voles (Microtus pennsylvanicus) always prefer and signal to ‘popular’ females? The role of social information context

Sexual signal evolution and patterns of assortative mating across an intraspecific contact zone

Free‐ranging male northern map turtles use public information when interacting with potential mates

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