Perception costs of reproduction can magnify sexual selection

2018

Proc. R. Soc. B.

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Understanding what factors modulate sexual selection intensity is crucial to a wide variety of evolutionary processes. Recent studies show that perception of sex pheromones can severely impact male mortality when it is not followed by mating (perception costs of reproduction). Here, we examine the idea that this may magnify sexual selection by further decreasing the fitness of males with inherently low mating success, hence increasing the opportunity for sexual selection. We use mathematical modelling to show that even modest mortality perception costs can significantly increase variability in male reproductive success under a wide range of demographic conditions. We then conduct a series of assays suggesting that, in Drosophila melanogaster , failure to reproduce early in life may, via perception costs of reproduction, significantly reduces the subsequent fitness of males ( ca 25%), due mostly to increased reproductive ageing. Altogether, our results strongly suggest that perception costs of reproduction can magnify sexual selection in a biologically significant way. Finally, we estimate that around 29% of available studies quantify sexual selection based on short-term fitness estimates that may fail to capture these effects (if they were present in their subject species), and suggest addressing the existence and impact of perception costs of reproduction across taxa should thus be a priority.

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 87%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Ageing via perception costs of reproduction magnifies sexual selection

García‐Roa

2018

Proc. R. Soc. B.

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“…Given that nature showcases a wide range of sophisticated adaptive plastic responses to diverse and complex types of reproductive cues, understanding why sexual perception accelerates ageing and whether it bears an adaptive value may be of particular evolutionary interest. In addition, it has been suggested that ageing via sexual perception can magnify sexual selection (22,23). Because ageing via sexual perception is contingent on a failure to mate, it will act to further decrease the fitness of males with inherently low mating success, thus potentially increasing the overall variance in male reproductive success (i.e.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…low probability of mating soon) males. Sexual selection is pivotal in driving male and female fitness, population viability, and evolvability (24)(25)(26)(27)(28)(29)(30)(31), hence the need to address the potential role of ageing via sexual perception as a magnifier of sexual selection (23).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Ageing via sexual perception is a by-product of male adaptive plasticity inDrosophila melanogaster

Corbel

García‐Roa

2021

Preprint

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Sensory perception of environmental cues can dramatically modulate ageing across distant taxa. For example, maleDrosophila melanogasterage faster if they perceive female cues but fail to mate (ageing via sexual perception). This finding has been a breakthrough for our understanding of the mechanisms of ageing, yet we ignore how and why such responses have evolved. Here, we usedD. melanogasterto ask whether ageing via sexual perception may be a by-product of plastic adaptive responses to female cues, and found that while long-term sexual perception leads to reproductive costs, short-term perception increases male lifetime reproductive success in a competitive environment. Simulations under a wide range of socio-sexual and demographic scenario suggest that such plasticity as a response to sexual perception might be a widespread strategy in nature. Finally, we show that sexual perception can significantly magnify sexual selection (15-27% average increase in the opportunity for selection).

Does perception of female cues modulate male short‐term fitness components in Drosophila melanogaster?

Corbel

Londoño-Nieto

2022

Ecology and Evolution

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Phenotypic plasticity in reproductive behavior can be a strong driver of individual fitness. In species with high intra‐sexual competition, changes in socio‐sexual context can trigger quick adaptive plastic responses in males. In particular, a recent study in the vinegar fly (Drosophila melanogaster) shows that males derive net fitness benefits from being shortly exposed to female cues ahead of access to mating (termed sexual perception), but the underlying mechanisms of this phenomenon remain unknown. Here, we investigated the short‐term effects of female perception on male pre‐ and post‐copulatory components of reproductive performance: (a) mating success, (b) mating latency and duration, (c) sperm competitiveness, and (d) ejaculate effects on female receptivity and reproductive rate. We found that brief sexual perception increased mating duration, but had no effect on the other main pre‐ and post‐copulatory fitness proxies recorded. This suggests that perception of female cues may not yield net fitness benefits for males in the short‐term, but we discuss alternative explanations and future avenues of research.