The continuous public goods game and the evolution of cooperative sex ratios

Kamimura, Yoshitaka; Abe, Jun; Ito, Hiroshi C.

doi:10.1016/j.jtbi.2008.02.017

Cited by 13 publications

(32 citation statements)

References 56 publications

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“…Due to decreasing likelihood of long-term cooperation by all females in larger groups, the type of gradual response to foundress number that we have observed (Fig. 5) is also predicted48. While this theory provides a candidate alternative explanation for S. harmandi sex ratios, for it to operate foundresses would have to recognize the sex ratio of eggs on the host and to respond by adjusting their own sex allocation decisions (a form of policing against cheating by some foundresses laying higher proportions of male eggs48); hymenopteran parasitoids generally do not have this ability53 and the egg stage of S. harmandi clutches is short relative to the prolonged period of brood tending through the larval stages1617.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 67%

“…5) is also predicted48. While this theory provides a candidate alternative explanation for S. harmandi sex ratios, for it to operate foundresses would have to recognize the sex ratio of eggs on the host and to respond by adjusting their own sex allocation decisions (a form of policing against cheating by some foundresses laying higher proportions of male eggs48); hymenopteran parasitoids generally do not have this ability53 and the egg stage of S. harmandi clutches is short relative to the prolonged period of brood tending through the larval stages1617. Although the sex of developing larvae may be more readily detectable by tending foundresses53, offspring mortality was unrelated to foundress number in S. harmandi so it does not seem that infanticide is common (see also Hu et al 16…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 60%

“…Male–male combat interactions can intensify LMC and lead to greater female bias in some parasitoids4748, but combat is not observed in S. harmandi or its congeners. Furthermore, S. harmandi females are typically wingless (Fig.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Such foundress associations are predicted, by iterated public goods game expansion of LMC theory48, to select for strong female bias, due to cooperative sex allocation (whereby all foundresses benefit by the production of only the lowest number of males required for insemination, thus utilizing the maximum host resource for female production). Due to decreasing likelihood of long-term cooperation by all females in larger groups, the type of gradual response to foundress number that we have observed (Fig.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Mutually beneficial host exploitation and ultra-biased sex ratios in quasisocial parasitoids

et al. 2014

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Selfish interests usually preclude resource sharing, but under some conditions collective actions enhance per capita gains. Such Allee effects underlay early explanations of social evolution but current understanding focusses on kin selection (inclusive fitness). We find an Allee effect that explains unusual quasisociality (cooperative brood care) among parasitoid wasps without invoking or precluding kin selection effects. In Sclerodermus harmandi, individual females produce most offspring when exploiting small hosts alone. However, larger hosts are more successfully exploited by larger groups of females, with the per-female benefits outweighing the costs of host sharing. Further, the extremely biased sex ratios (97% female) are better explained by mutually beneficial female–female interactions that increase the reproductive value of daughters (local resource enhancement), rather than by the usually invoked local mate competition between males. Thus, atypical quasisocial behaviour in a parasitoid wasp directly enhances reproductive success and selects for very extremely female-biased sex ratios.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 67%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 60%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Mutually beneficial host exploitation and ultra-biased sex ratios in quasisocial parasitoids

et al. 2014

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“…Dramatically different evolutionary consequences are predicted depending on whether organisms are able to recognize opponents’ sex ratios (Abe et al. , 2003a; Pen & Taylor, 2005; Kamimura et al. , 2008).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Do female parasitoid wasps recognize and adjust sex ratios to build cooperative relationships?

Abe

Kamimura

2012

J of Evolutionary Biology

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Sex allocation theories provide excellent opportunities to investigate not only the extent to which individuals’ behaviour is adaptive, but also how they use relevant information for their decision‐making. Here, we investigated whether female parasitoid wasps recognize the sex ratios of other females and adjust their laying sex ratios accordingly. Specifically, we tested the prediction of reciprocal cooperation over sex allocation. Theory predicts more female‐biased (cooperative) sex ratios than in the interest of individual benefit, when a restricted number of ovipositing females interact for a long period and their offspring mate within the natal patch. This is because the female‐biased sex ratio reduces competition for mates among the male offspring of the females and increases the overall reproductive productivity of the patch. In this case, females would be expected to respond to more even (noncooperative) sex ratios by others and to retaliate by also producing a less female‐biased sex ratio to avoid exploitation by defectors. However, contrary to this prediction, our experiment using a sterile male technique showed that female Melittobia australica did not change their offspring sex ratios in response to the sex ratios produced by other females. This suggests that their extremely female‐biased sex ratios cannot be explained by reciprocity. A meta‐analysis of studies examining sex recognition ability in parasitoid wasps also did not support the predicted pattern of relevant sex ratio adjustment, suggesting that parasitoid females do not possess this ability. Here, we discuss the conditions necessary for the evolution of reciprocity linked to recognition ability.

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Extremely female-biased primary sex ratio and precisely constant male production in a parasitoid wasp Melittobia

et al. 2009

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The continuous public goods game and the evolution of cooperative sex ratios

Cited by 13 publications

References 56 publications

Mutually beneficial host exploitation and ultra-biased sex ratios in quasisocial parasitoids

Mutually beneficial host exploitation and ultra-biased sex ratios in quasisocial parasitoids

Do female parasitoid wasps recognize and adjust sex ratios to build cooperative relationships?

Extremely female-biased primary sex ratio and precisely constant male production in a parasitoid wasp Melittobia

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