Asynchronous breeding in the socially monogamous prairie vole

2008 ◽  
Vol 86 (5) ◽  
pp. 339-343 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jerry O. Wolff ◽  
Alexander G. Ophir ◽  
Steven M. Phelps
Keyword(s):  
Paternal Care ◽  
Prairie Vole ◽  
Lifetime Reproductive Success ◽  
Adult Males ◽  
Prairie Voles ◽  
Mating Tactics ◽  
Breeding Synchrony ◽  
Monogamous Species ◽  
Socially Monogamous ◽  
Care Models

At least two hypotheses have been proposed for why animals should breed synchronously: (1) to swamp predators and reduce the probability of offspring being killed and (2) to promote monogamy when paternal care is important for offspring survival. Thus prey and monogamous species are likely candidates for synchronous breeding. We conducted an experiment to determine if a prey species, the monogamously breeding prairie vole ( Microtus ochrogaster (Wagner, 1842)), breeds synchronously. We conducted eight replicates in which we placed six nulliparous females and six adult males in semi-natural enclosures for 18–21 days to determine if they bred synchronously. The time of conception ranged from 2 to 18 days within replicates with no indication of breeding synchrony within any of the populations. Thus neither predator avoidance nor paternal care models were supported for prairie voles. We conclude that rodents in general are not good models for breeding synchrony and that females use alternative mating tactics to enhance their lifetime reproductive success. We discuss our results in the context of the prairie vole mating system.

scholarly journals Variance in within-pair reproductive success influences the opportunity for selection annually and over the lifetimes of males in a multi-brooded songbird

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ryan R. Germain ◽  
Michael T. Hallworth ◽  
Sara A. Kaiser ◽  
T. Scott Sillett ◽  
Michael S. Webster
Keyword(s):  
Reproductive Success ◽  
Reproductive Strategies ◽  
Male Reproduction ◽  
Lifetime Reproductive Success ◽  
Male Reproductive Success ◽  
Components Of Variance ◽  
Lifetime Fitness ◽  
Monogamous Species ◽  
Socially Monogamous ◽  
Opportunity For Selection

AbstractIn socially monogamous species, male reproductive success consists of ‘within-pair’ offspring produced with their socially-paired mate(s), and ‘extra-pair’ offspring produced with additional females throughout the population. Both reproductive pathways offer distinct opportunities for selection in wild populations, as each is composed of separate components of mate attraction, female fecundity, and paternity allocation. Identifying key sources of variance and covariance among these components is a crucial step towards understanding the reproductive strategies that males use to maximize fitness both annually and over their lifetimes. We use 16 years of complete reproductive data from a population of black-throated blue warblers (Setophaga caerulescens) to partition variance in male annual and lifetime reproductive success, and thereby identify if the opportunity for selection varies over the lifetimes of individual males and what reproductive strategies likely favor maximum lifetime fitness. The majority of variance in male reproduction was attributable to within-pair success, but the specific effects of individual components of variance differed between total annual and total lifetime reproductive success. Positive overall lifetime covariance between within-pair and extra-pair components indicates that males able to maximize within-pair success, particularly with double-brooding females, likely achieve higher overall lifetime fitness via both within-pair and extra-pair reproductive pathways.

Unique courtship and spawning behaviour in the wrinkled frog, Nyctibatrachus humayuni

2011 ◽  
Vol 32 (3) ◽  
pp. 333-339 ◽  
Author(s):  
Narahari P. Gramapurohit ◽  
Sachin M. Gosavi ◽  
Samadhan K. Phuge
Keyword(s):  
Paternal Care ◽  
Reproductive Behaviour ◽  
Northern Region ◽  
Adult Males ◽  
Spawning Site ◽  
Risk Of Predation ◽  
South West Monsoon ◽  
Western Ghats Of India ◽  
Spawning Behaviour ◽  
Wet Rocks

AbstractFrogs of the genus Nyctibatrachus (family Nyctibatrachidae) exhibit a unique reproductive behaviour. They may completely lack or have an abbreviated amplexus, deposit terrestrial eggs and even offer paternal care. We studied the courtship and spawning behaviour of Nyctibatrachus humayuni from Matheran located in the northern region of the Western Ghats of India. The breeding season of N. humayuni coincides with the onset of south-west monsoon. Adult males vocalise from their calling sites on wet rocks/dead logs that often harbour egg clutches and females approach the calling males, resulting in a loose cephalic amplexus that lasts up to 10 minutes. The male dismounts and sits aside; then the female deposits the eggs and moves away from the spawning site or into the water. The mean clutch size and the egg diameter are found to be 30.3 ± 1.89 and 2.44 ± 0.04 mm, respectively. Once the female moves away following spawning, the male slowly moves on to the eggs and fertilises them. The males of N. humayuni appear to be territorial and offer parental care by attending the eggs only during night. Paternal egg attendance most probably reduces the risk of predation by nocturnal predators.

scholarly journals Sexual Selection and Tail-Length Dimorphism in Scissor-Tailed Flycatchers

The Auk ◽  
2001 ◽  
Vol 118 (1) ◽  
pp. 167-175 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jonathan V. Regosin ◽  
Stephen Pruett-Jones
Keyword(s):  
Sexual Dimorphism ◽  
Tail Length ◽  
Female Tail ◽  
Monogamous Species ◽  
Female Quality ◽  
Early Arrival ◽  
Socially Monogamous ◽  
Breeding Grounds ◽  
Clutch Initiation ◽  
Beak Length

Abstract Scissor-tailed Flycatchers (Tyrannus forficatus) exhibit elongated tails in both sexes, and sexual dimorphism in tail length. At Fort Sill, Oklahoma, during 1991 and 1992, Scissor-tailed Flycatchers exhibited sexual dimorphism (male–female) in tail length (1.48), with more moderate sexual dimorphism in wing length (1.09) and beak length (1.04). Based on an analysis of museum specimens, immature birds (<1 year of age) of both sexes in their first calendar year exhibited significantly shorter tails than adults (measured in the field). Furthermore, tail length was highly variable among both sexes relative to other morphological traits. Male tail length was correlated with early clutch initiation by the male's mate and, in 1991, with larger clutch size. Similarly, female tail length was correlated with early clutch initiation, and, in one year, larger clutches. Longer-tailed females also tended to arrive earlier on the breeding grounds in 1992, the only year for which such data were available. Assortative mating by tail length was observed. Those findings support the hypothesis that tail length is a sexually selected trait in this socially monogamous species, and that female tail length may be correlated with measures of female quality (e.g. early arrival and breeding, large clutches). However, confounding effects of age on tail length make it difficult to distinguish among various hypotheses for evolution of elongated tails in this species.

scholarly journals Fitness Benefits of Mate Choice for Compatibility in a Socially Monogamous Species

PLoS Biology ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 13 (9) ◽  
pp. e1002248 ◽  
Author(s):  
Malika Ihle ◽  
Bart Kempenaers ◽  
Wolfgang Forstmeier
Keyword(s):  
Mate Choice ◽  
Monogamous Species ◽  
Socially Monogamous ◽  
Fitness Benefits

scholarly journals Sex-specific differential survival of extra-pair and within-pair offspring in song sparrows, Melospiza melodia

2011 ◽  
Vol 278 (1722) ◽  
pp. 3251-3259 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rebecca J. Sardell ◽  
Peter Arcese ◽  
Lukas F. Keller ◽  
Jane M. Reid
Keyword(s):  
Female Offspring ◽  
Melospiza Melodia ◽  
Differential Survival ◽  
Major Life ◽  
Life History Stages ◽  
Song Sparrows ◽  
Survival Difference ◽  
Monogamous Species ◽  
Average Survival ◽  
Socially Monogamous

It is widely hypothesized that the evolution of female extra-pair reproduction in socially monogamous species reflects indirect genetic benefits to females. However, a critical prediction of this hypothesis, that extra-pair young (EPY) are fitter than within-pair young (WPY), has rarely been rigorously tested. We used 18 years of data from free-living song sparrows, Melospiza melodia , to test whether survival through major life-history stages differed between EPY and WPY maternal half-siblings. On average, survival of hatched chicks to independence from parental care and recruitment, and their total lifespan, did not differ significantly between EPY and WPY. However, EPY consistently tended to be less likely to survive, and recruited EPY survived for significantly fewer years than recruited WPY. Furthermore, the survival difference between EPY and WPY was sex-specific; female EPY were less likely to survive to independence and recruitment and lived fewer years than female WPY, whereas male EPY were similarly or slightly more likely to survive and to live more years than male WPY. These data indicate that extra-pair paternity may impose an indirect cost on females via their female offspring and that sex-specific genetic, environmental or maternal effects may shape extra-pair reproduction.

Intraspecific Variation in Courtship and Copulation Frequency: an Effect of Mismatch in Partner Attractiveness?

Behaviour ◽  
1993 ◽  
Vol 127 (3-4) ◽  
pp. 265-277 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marion Petrie ◽  
Fiona M. Hunter
Keyword(s):  
Theoretical Model ◽  
High Frequency ◽  
Mating Behaviour ◽  
Poor Quality ◽  
Pair Formation ◽  
The Poor ◽  
Monogamous Species ◽  
Socially Monogamous ◽  
Copulation Behaviour

AbstractThe aim of this paper is to present a verbal theoretical model that could account for the among pair variability in courtship and copulation behaviour that occurs both during and after pair formation in socially monogamous species. We assume that copulation acts to prevent mate loss, by reducing the availability of an individual to other potential partners. Variation in copulation and courtship frequency then arises as a result of variation in the risk of mate loss. Because of the constraints on free or ideal choice, pairs will form in which it may be possible for one individual to improve upon the quality of its partner. In a mismatched pair it will pay the poorer quality mate to guard the higher quality individual and prevent it from leaving to pair with a better quality mate. The poor quality individual will therefore solicit copulations at a high frequency while it's partner may not always respond. We predict that high levels of courtship and solicitation will relate to a high risk of mate loss and that a lack of response by a partner will relate to the potential opportunities it has to improve on partner quality. Our thesis is that variation in mating behaviour arises as a result of any deviations from assortative mating that may exist in a population.

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