10.5061/DRYAD.P0J5K
Travers, Laura M.
University of Western Australia
Simmons, Leigh W.
University of Western Australia
Garcia-Gonzalez, Francisco
Spanish National Research Council
Data from: Additive genetic variance in polyandry enables its evolution,
but polyandry is unlikely to evolve through sexy or good sperm processes
Dryad
dataset
2016
post copulatory female choice
female multiple mating
indirect benefits
Fisherian runaway selection
2016-06-10T16:57:21Z
2016-06-10T16:57:21Z
en
https://doi.org/10.1111/jeb.12834
45946 bytes
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CC0 1.0 Universal (CC0 1.0) Public Domain Dedication
Polyandry is widespread despite its costs. The sexually selected sperm
hypotheses (‘sexy’ and ‘good’ sperm) posit that sperm competition plays a
role in the evolution of polyandry. Two poorly studied assumptions of
these hypotheses are the presence of additive genetic variance in
polyandry and sperm competitiveness. Using a quantitative genetic breeding
design in a natural population of Drosophila melanogaster, we first
established the potential for polyandry to respond to selection. We then
investigated whether polyandry can evolve through sexually selected sperm
processes. We measured lifetime polyandry and offensive sperm
competitiveness (P2) while controlling for sampling variance due to male x
male x female interactions. We also measured additive genetic variance in
egg-to-adult viability and controlled for its effect on P2 estimates.
Female lifetime polyandry showed significant and substantial additive
genetic variance and evolvability. In contrast, we found little genetic
variance or evolvability in P2 or egg-to-adult viability. Additive genetic
variance in polyandry highlights its potential to respond to selection.
However, the low levels of genetic variance in sperm competitiveness
suggest the evolution of polyandry may not be driven by sexy sperm or good
sperm processes.
Female mating frequency, P2 and Egg-adult Viability dataSheet 1: Female
lifetime mating frequency, Sheet 2: Description of variables contained in
Sheet 1. Sheet 3: Focal male P2 and egg-to adult viability data, Sheet 4:
Description of variables contained in Sheet 3.sexy-good sperm.xlsx