Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 19, 2026
06:44
Induction and Evaluation of Inbreeding Crosses Using the Ant, Vollenhovia Emeryi
Published on: October 5, 2018
Pollen and sperm heteromorphism: convergence across kingdoms?
I Till-Bottraud1, D Joly, D Lachaise
1Laboratoire d'Ecologie Alpine, CNRS, Grenoble, France.
Journal of Evolutionary Biology
|January 27, 2005
Summary
Males in some species produce different sperm or pollen types, a phenomenon called heteromorphism. This evolutionary trait, seen in both animals and plants, likely arises from sexual selection and cryptic female choice.
Area of Science:
- Evolutionary Biology
- Reproductive Biology
- Sexual Selection
Background:
- Sperm competition theory typically predicts uniform sperm production.
- However, heteromorphism, producing diverse sperm or pollen morphs, occurs in animals and plants.
- This trait has evolved independently across various taxa.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare and contrast sperm and pollen heteromorphism.
- To discuss evolutionary hypotheses explaining heteromorphism.
- To explore the role of sexual selection and cryptic female choice.
Main Methods:
- Comparative analysis of sperm and pollen heteromorphism.
- Review of evolutionary hypotheses for heteromorphism.
- Examination of convergence across kingdoms.
Main Results:
- Animal sperm heteromorphism involves fertile and sterile morphs.
- Plant pollen heteromorphism involves multiple morphs, sometimes in different anthers.
- Hypotheses include facilitation, nutrition, blocking, filler, flushing, outcrossing, and bet-hedging.
Conclusions:
- Heteromorphism is likely an evolutionary response to sexual selection.
- It may enhance male reproductive success or mediate male/female interactions.
- Sperm and pollen heteromorphism represent convergent evolution across kingdoms.
Related Concept Videos
01:17Understanding Species and Reproductive Barriers
A species is a group of organisms that interbreed and produce fertile offspring. Typically, individuals of the same species appear similar and share common characteristics due to their highly similar genomes. However, not all organisms that look alike are members of the same species. Various mechanisms keep most species discrete. While some mechanisms prevent reproductive behavior and fertilization (pre-zygotic isolation), others prevent the production of fertile offspring after mating has...
01:31Formation of Species
Speciation describes the formation of one or more new species from one or sometimes multiple original species. The resulting species are discrete from the parent species, and barriers to reproduction will typically exist. There are two primary mechanisms, speciation with and without geographic isolation—allopatric and sympatric speciation, respectively.Allopatric SpeciationIn allopatric speciation, gene flow between two populations of the same species is prevented by a geographic barrier, like...
01:21Frequency-dependent Selection
When the fitness of a trait is influenced by how common it is (i.e., its frequency) relative to different traits within a population, this is referred to as frequency-dependent selection. Frequency-dependent selection may occur between species or within a single species. This type of selection can either be positive—with more common phenotypes having higher fitness—or negative, with rarer phenotypes conferring increased fitness.Positive Frequency-Dependent SelectionIn positive...
02:22Introduction to Plant Diversity
From Water to Land
02:40Pollination and Flower Structure
Flowers are the reproductive, seed-producing structures of angiosperms. Typically, flowers consist of sepals, petals, stamens, and carpels. Sepals and petals are the vegetative flower organs. Stamens and carpels are the reproductive organs.
02:16Genetics of Speciation
Speciation is the evolutionary process resulting in the formation of new, distinct species—groups of reproductively isolated populations.The genetics of speciation involves the different traits or isolating mechanisms preventing gene exchange, leading to reproductive isolation. Reproductive isolation can be due to reproductive barriers that have effects either before or after the formation of a zygote. Pre-zygotic mechanisms prevent fertilization from occurring, and post-zygotic mechanisms...