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Updated: Jun 5, 2026
09:34
Assessing Differences in Sperm Competitive Ability in Drosophila
Published on: August 22, 2013
Experimental evolution of sperm competitiveness in a mammal
Renée C Firman1, Leigh W Simmons
1Centre for Evolutionary Biology (M092), University of Western Australia, 35 Stirling Hwy, Nedlands 6009, Australia. rcfirman@cyllene.uwa.edu.au
BMC Evolutionary Biology
|January 22, 2011
Summary
Sperm competition drives evolutionary changes in male house mice, enhancing sperm quality and leading to greater fertilization success. This study demonstrates that sperm competitiveness can evolve under selective pressures.
Area of Science:
- Evolutionary biology
- Reproductive science
Background:
- Female multiple mating leads to sperm competition.
- Sperm competition can drive the evolution of male reproductive traits.
- Evidence for selection on sperm competitive ability itself is limited.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate if sperm competitive ability evolves under sperm competition.
- To examine the impact of experimental evolution on male reproductive traits in house mice.
Main Methods:
- Experimental evolution in house mice (Mus domesticus) over 12 generations.
- Selection lines evolved under sperm competition versus relaxed selection.
- Competitive fertilization success assessed via in utero embryo genotyping.
Main Results:
- Males from polygamous selection lines showed increased sperm numbers and motility.
- Significant paternity bias favoring males evolved under sperm competition.
- Improved sperm quality correlated with enhanced fertilization success.
Conclusions:
- Sperm competitiveness is a phenotype that can respond to natural selection.
- Enhanced sperm quality in house mice translates to increased fertilization success in competitive scenarios.
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