Major-Histocompatibility-Complex-Associated Variation in Secondary Sexual Traits of White-Tailed Deer (Odocoileus Virginianus): Evidence for Good-Genes Advertisement

Ditchkoff, Stephen S.; Lochmiller, Robert L.; Masters, I Ronald E.; Hoofer, Steven R.; Bussche, Ronald A. Van Den

doi:10.1554/0014-3820(2001)055[0616:mhcavi]2.0.co;2

Cited by 133 publications

(28 citation statements)

References 64 publications

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“…This has already been proposed for several large herbivore populations (reindeer: Markusson and Folstad 1997;red deer: Schmidt et al 2001; white-tailed deer Odocoileus virginianus : Ullrey 1982;Rasmussen 1985;Ditchkoff et al 2001; moose Alces alces: Solberg and Saether 1993). Horn size has also been proposed to be an 'honest' signal of individual quality (Festa-Bianchet et al 2004;von Hardenberg et al 2004).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 69%

“…Finally, our analysis suggests that antler length is a phenotypic trait as good as live body mass for signalling individual quality for male and female reindeer, and that antler length is hence an indicator of viability (Kokko 1997;Ditchkoff et al 2001). This has already been proposed for several large herbivore populations (reindeer: Markusson and Folstad 1997;red deer: Schmidt et al 2001; white-tailed deer Odocoileus virginianus : Ullrey 1982;Rasmussen 1985;Ditchkoff et al 2001; moose Alces alces: Solberg and Saether 1993).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 81%

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Sexual dimorphism and intercorhort variation in reindeer calf antler length is associated with density and weather

et al. 2005

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We analysed intercohort variability of live weight and antler length of 5,123 reindeer calves. We further assessed the influence of climate and density on the interannual variation in antler length, and discussed sex-specific resource allocation and response to climate variability. Antler length varied significantly among years and between sexes, with interaction between year and sex. Body weight and antler length were highly positively correlated, showed similar intercohort variability, and had a strong allometrical link, suggesting that antler length could be an equally reliable measure of calf condition as live weight. We found a relative measure of antler length (i.e. antler length corrected for the allometric effect of body mass) to be positively influenced by increasing density and May-June precipitation, and also decreasing May-June temperature. We attributed the effect of early summer weather to its influence on forage availability and quality as well as the level of parasitic insect harassment. Gender difference in both the allometric exponents and the interannual variability suggest that young males and females may have different tactics for relative resource allocation towards growth of antlers as compared to body mass. Because antlers are costly to produce, they may be an honest signal of individual quality for both sexes. However, we found gender-specific allometry, as female calves more than males appear to prioritize their antler growth over body mass, especially when resources are limited. Thus, our results suggest that environmental variation may influence the extent of sexual dimorphism in antler length.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 69%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 81%

Sexual dimorphism and intercorhort variation in reindeer calf antler length is associated with density and weather

et al. 2005

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“…In humans, females have been found to prefer the smell of MHC-heterozygous males (Thornhill et al 2003) and faces of MHC-heterozygous males has been judged more attractive by woman than faces of man that are homozygous at the investigated loci (Roberts et al 2005b). Recent studies have revealed such mate choicerelevant traits such as antler size in white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) (Ditchkoff et al 2001), crown colour in blue tits (Paraus caerulus) (Foerster et al 2003) and song repertoire in sedge warblers (Acrocephalus schoenobaenus) (Marshall et al 2003). So far, such external traits have not been identified in C. medius.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

MHC-associated mating strategies and the importance of overall genetic diversity in an obligate pair-living primate

et al. 2007

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Mate choice is one of the most important evolutionary mechanisms. Females can improve their fitness by selectively mating with certain males. We studied possible genetic benefits in the obligate pair-living fat-tailed dwarf lemur (Cheirogaleus medius) which maintains life-long pair bonds but has an extremely high rate of extra-pair paternity. Possible mechanisms of female mate choice were investigated by analyzing overall genetic variability (neutral microsatellite marker) as well as a marker of adaptive significance (major histocompatibility complex, MHC-DRB exon 2). As in human medical studies, MHC-alleles were grouped to MHC-supertypes based on similarities in their functional important antigen binding sites. The study indicated that females preferred males both as social and as genetic fathers for their offspring having a higher number of MHC-alleles and MHC-supertypes, a lower overlap with female's MHC-supertypes as well as a higher genome wide heterozygosity than randomly assigned males. Mutual relatedness had no influence on mate choice. Females engaged in extra-pair mating shared a significant higher number of MHC-supertypes with their social partner than faithful females. As no genetic differences between extra-pair young (EPY) and intra-pair young (IPY) were found, females might engage in extra-pair mating to 'correct' for genetic incompatibility. Thus, we found evidence that mate choice is predicted in the first place by the 'good-genes-asheterozygosity hypothesis' whereas the occurrence of extra-pair matings supports the 'dissassortative mating hypothesis'. To the best of our knowledge this study represents the

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“…Not only are these secondary sexual characters important in intrasexual competition (CluttonBrock 1982;Goss 1983;Lincoln 1992), dominance (Bowyer 1986;Lincoln 1972), and possibly mate choice (Bartoš and Bahbouh 2006;Ditchkoff et al 2001a;Kruuk et al 2002;Lincoln 1992), but also rapid development of antlers (Goss 1983) should make them particularly sensitive to stress (Watson and Thornhill 1994). Swaddle and Witter (1997) suggested that rapid growth might prohibit compensational growth feedback between sides of a bilateral trait, thereby making it even more difficult for an individual to produce symmetrical traits.…”

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confidence: 99%

Assessing fluctuating asymmetry of white-tailed deer antlers in a three-dimensional context

Ditchkoff

deFreese

2010

J Mammal

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Fluctuating asymmetry, random departure from perfect symmetry in bilateral traits, has been proposed as an indirect indicator of individual quality. Sexually selected traits, such as deer antlers, are hypothesized to demonstrate decreasing level of fluctuating asymmetry with increasing trait size and decreasing level of fluctuating asymmetry with increasing age. These hypotheses have been previously tested for antlers using linear measurements to quantify fluctuating asymmetry. However, antlers are complex, 3-dimensional traits making it difficult to quantify all forms of visual asymmetry using traditional, linear measurements. It is this visual asymmetry that would be assessed by potential mates and rivals. Therefore, we created 3-dimensional computer models of white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) antlers to measure visual fluctuating asymmetry. Asymmetry measures of various antler traits were computed using the models by measuring distances from the trait to a vertical and horizontal plane created using coordinate points generated within the model. We found no association between degree of fluctuating asymmetry and trait size, nor was any association found between degree of fluctuating asymmetry and age using either the 3-dimensional measures of asymmetry or traditional, linear measures of asymmetry. Examination of these data suggests that fluctuating asymmetry of white-tailed deer antlers is not a reliable indicator of quality.

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Major-Histocompatibility-Complex-Associated Variation in Secondary Sexual Traits of White-Tailed Deer (Odocoileus Virginianus): Evidence for Good-Genes Advertisement

Cited by 133 publications

References 64 publications

Sexual dimorphism and intercorhort variation in reindeer calf antler length is associated with density and weather

Sexual dimorphism and intercorhort variation in reindeer calf antler length is associated with density and weather

MHC-associated mating strategies and the importance of overall genetic diversity in an obligate pair-living primate

Assessing fluctuating asymmetry of white-tailed deer antlers in a three-dimensional context

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