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Mating system evolution in sperm-heteromorphic Drosophila.

R R. Snook¹, T A. Markow

¹Department of Biological Sciences, University of Nevada at Las Vegas, 89154-4004, Las Vegas, NV, USA

Journal of Insect Physiology

|July 27, 2001

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

In Drosophila, males produce different sperm types. Longer sperm correlate with delayed maturity and fewer sperm, but not altered female behavior, in sperm-heteromorphic species.

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Area of Science:

Evolutionary Biology
Animal Behavior
Genetics

Background:

Sperm heteromorphism, the production of multiple sperm types by males, is observed in some Drosophila species.
The implications of sperm heteromorphism for mating system evolution, particularly trade-offs and female remating, are not fully understood compared to sperm monomorphism.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate the relationship between sperm length and mating system characteristics in three sperm-heteromorphic Drosophila species.
To test predictions regarding the costs of producing long sperm and their impact on male reproductive output and female remating behavior.

Main Methods:

Comparative analysis of three Drosophila obscura group species (D. pseudoobscura, D. persimilis, D. affinis) with varying long sperm lengths.
Assessment of male age at sexual maturity, sperm number, female remating frequency, and male reproductive output.

Main Results:

Drosophila affinis, possessing the longest fertilizing sperm, exhibited delayed sexual maturity and produced fewer long sperm, supporting the hypothesis of production costs.
Despite receiving fewer sperm, female D. affinis did not show increased remating frequency or reduced progeny per mating.

Conclusions:

The study highlights that mating system dynamics in sperm-heteromorphic systems differ from sperm-monomorphic systems.
These findings underscore the complex coevolutionary interplay between male and female mating traits in the context of diverse sperm production strategies.