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Related Experiment Videos

Timing between ejaculations changes paternity success.

Genaro A Coria-Avila1, James G Pfaus, Maria Elena Hernandez

  • 1Center for Studies in Behavioural Neurobiology, Department of Psychology, Concordia University, 7141 Sherbrooke W., Montreal, QC, H4B 1R6, Canada. coria75@neuroetologia.net

Physiology & Behavior
|February 27, 2004
PubMed
Summary
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In rats, the second male to copulate gains paternity advantage only if mating occurs within minutes of the first male

Area of Science:

  • Reproductive Biology
  • Animal Behavior
  • Mammalian Reproduction

Background:

  • The "last male advantage" in rodent copulation suggests the most recent male sires more offspring.
  • Understanding factors influencing paternity in multi-male mating systems is crucial for reproductive success studies.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the impact of time intervals between copulations by two males on paternity.
  • To determine if the order of copulation and time elapsed influence which male fathers more pups.

Main Methods:

  • Albino Wistar (W) and pigmented Long-Evans (LE) male rats were used in timed copulation trials with W females.
  • Three time intervals (T0: 0 min, T5: 5 min, T10: 10 min) were tested between the first and second male's copulation.
  • Paternity was assessed by observing pup pigmentation, distinguishing offspring from different male strains.

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Main Results:

  • The second male sired more pups in the T0 (0-min interval) group.
  • The first male sired more pups in the T5 (5-min interval) and T10 (10-min interval) groups.
  • Paternity advantage shifts towards the first male as the time interval increases beyond a few minutes.

Conclusions:

  • The "last male advantage" in rat reproduction is time-dependent, occurring only with immediate successive copulations.
  • A time interval of 5 minutes or more between copulations negates the second male's paternity advantage.
  • These findings highlight the critical role of temporal dynamics in sperm competition and reproductive outcomes in rats.