Runaway sexual selection when female preferences are directly selected

Area of Science:

• Evolutionary Biology
• Sexual Selection
• Quantitative Genetics

Background:

• Coevolution of mating preferences and display traits is a key driver of sexual selection.
• Previous models often assumed limited direct selection on preferences or specific mate choice functions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop generalized models for runaway coevolution of female mating preferences and male display traits.
• To investigate the impact of direct natural selection on preferences and various mate choice scenarios.
• To analyze the genetic underpinnings and specific preference functions contributing to runaway evolution.

Main Methods:

• Development of mathematical models incorporating direct selection on female preferences.
• Inclusion of arbitrary mate choice functions and general genetic assumptions.
• Analysis of specific preference functions (e.g., open-ended, absolute) and comparison with existing models.

Main Results:

• Direct natural selection on female preferences reduces the likelihood of runaway coevolution.
• A significant phenotypic correlation between female preference and male trait in mated pairs can still lead to runaway.
• Open-ended preferences are highly susceptible to runaway, while absolute preferences require substantial female variation.

Conclusions:

• Generalized models reveal nuanced conditions for runaway coevolution.
• The interplay between direct selection, mate choice, and genetic correlations is crucial.
• Understanding specific preference functions is key to predicting evolutionary trajectories.