Multiple paternity is a shared reproductive strategy in the live‐bearing surfperches (Embiotocidae) that may be associated with female fitness

Abstract

According to Bateman's principle, female fecundity is limited relative to males, setting the expectation that males should be promiscuous, while females should be choosy and select fewer mates. However, several surfperches (Embiotocidae) exhibit multiple paternity within broods indicating that females mate with multiple males throughout the mating season. Previous studies found no correlation between mating success and reproductive success (i.e., a Bateman gradient). However, by including samples from a broader range of reproductive size classes, we found evidence of a Bateman gradient in two surfperch species from distinct embiotocid clades. Using microsatellite analyses, we found that 100% of the spotfin surfperch families sampled exhibit multiple paternity (Hyperprosopon anale, the basal taxon from the only clade that has not previously been investigated) indicating that this tactic is a shared reproductive strategy among surfperches. Further, we detected evidence for a Bateman gradient in H. anale; however, this result was not significant after correction for biases. Similarly, we found evidence for multiple paternity in 83% of the shiner surfperch families (Cymatogaster aggregata) sampled. When we combine these data with a previous study on the same species, representing a larger range of reproductive size classes and associated brood sizes, we detect a Bateman gradient in shiner surfperch for the first time that remains significant after several conservative tests for bias correction. These results indicate that sexual selection is likely complex in this system, with the potential for conflicting optima between sexes, and imply a positive shift in fertility (i.e., increasing number) and reproductive tactic with respect to the mating system and number of sires throughout the reproductive life history of females. We argue that the complex reproductive natural history of surfperches is characterized by several traits that may be associated with cryptic female choice, including protracted oogenesis, uterine sac complexity, and sperm storage.

Does polyandry really pay off?: The effects of multiple mating and number of fathers on morphological traits and survival in clutches of nesting green turtles at Tortuguero

“…This is due to mate choice 333 often being constrained by time, mobility, predation pressure and multiple males fighting over a single 334 female (commonly observed in green turtles). Thus the costs of comparing several potential mates can 335 be considerably high (Klemme, Eccard & Ylönen, 2006;LaBrecque et al, 2014). We find it more 336 likely that sea turtle female under breeding conditions might mate with the first male they encounter 337 and they will probably mate again if another male appears and so on.…”

“…While some 41 authors have argued that its prevalence is intriguing, due to the energetic fitness costs that such 42 behaviour incurs (Lee & Hays, 2004;Bilde et al, 2009), others have demonstrated how females may 43 gain indirect genetic benefits to offset the cost by mating with multiple males (Byrne & Roberts, 2000; 44 LaBrecque et al, 2014). For example, polyandry may provide genetic benefits by improving the 45 chance that females will acquire "good" genes or by enhancing the genetic diversity of their progeny 46 (Yasui, 1997 (Packer et al, 1991;Craighead et al, 1995;Keane, Dittus & Melnick, 1997;FitzSimmons, 1998; Uller 51 & Olsson, 2008) and enabling investigation into the genetic consequences of multiple matings.…”

Does polyandry really pay off?: The effects of multiple mating and number of fathers on morphological traits and survival in clutches of nesting green turtles at Tortuguero

“…Previous studies have demonstrated that the frequency of MP varies both between (Moore & Ball, 2002;Hoekert et al, 2002;Crim et al, 2002;Theissinger et al, 2008;Noble et al, 2013), and within species (Galbraith, 1993;FitzSimmons, 1998;Ireland et al, 2003;Jensen et al, 2006;LaBrecque et al, 2014). For green turtles, evidence of MP has been reported in several studies, but the proportion of clutches with MP varies among populations.…”

Polyandry pays off: The effects of multiple mating and number of fathers on morphological traits and survival in clutches of nesting green turtles at Tortuguero

“…While some authors have argued that its prevalence is intriguing, due to the energetic fitness costs that such behaviour incurs (Lee & Hays, 2004;Bilde et al, 2009), others have demonstrated how females may gain indirect genetic benefits to offset the cost by mating with multiple males (Byrne & Roberts, 2000;LaBrecque et al, 2014). For example, polyandry may provide genetic benefits by improving the chance that females will acquire "good" genes or by enhancing the genetic diversity of their progeny (Yasui, 1997).…”

“…This is the case in many species of insects, gastropods, fish, amphibian, birds and reptiles (FitzSimmons, 1998;Garcia-Vazquez, 2001;Jones & Clark, 2003;Garcıá-González & Simmons, 2005;Chandler & Zamudio, 2008;Beese et al, 2008;Noble, Keogh & Whiting, 2013;LaBrecque et al, 2014); or in progeny from the same brood in mammals (Clapham & Palsbøll, 1997;Shurtliff, Pearse & Rogers, 2005). Thus, sperm competition may be an important factor in the evolution of reproduction of many organisms, although the precise mechanism that determines sperm success is not fully understood (Jones & Clark, 2003).…”