ON THE EVOLUTION OF PSEUDOGAMY

A. density- and frequency-dependent model for the evolution and maintenance of pseudogamous females is developed and analyzed. Ecological as well as evolutionary aspects of pseudogamy are discussed. Criteria are described for the stable coexistence of sexual females and pseudogamous females under natural conditions. The conditions for invasion of a normal bisexual population by pseudogamous females are less stringent than the conditions for stable coexistence. Hence, we expect that some populations will be characterized by unstable sex ratios over time (with the resulting local extinction due to lack of males) while other populations will be characterized by stable sex ratios over time. If high population sex ratios (i.e., many females to few males) are to be stable, the net population growth rate must be large, and there can be no successful male preference for sexual females.