Resolving conflict over within-pair mating rate in external fertilizers.

Area of Science:

• Evolutionary biology
• Behavioral ecology
• Reproductive strategies

Background:

• Females seek direct fitness benefits from males beyond fertilization, such as resources and care.
• Males often maximize fitness by mating with multiple females, distributing benefits and reducing individual female gains.
• Divergent interests between sexes create conflict over male fidelity and exclusive access to male-provided benefits.

Purpose of the Study:

• To theoretically model how females can achieve male mate fidelity in externally fertilizing species.
• To investigate the conditions under which females can secure exclusive access to male benefits.
• To identify the factors influencing the evolutionarily stable mating relationships.

Main Methods:

• Development of a theoretical model analyzing female mating strategies and male reproductive physiology.
• Simulation of female solicitation of copulations to limit male sperm availability.
• Analysis of condition-dependent evolutionarily stable strategies (ESS) for mating relationships.

Main Results:

• Three distinct evolutionarily stable mating relationships emerge based on mating rate control and negotiation.
• Female reproductive benefits from exclusive access and egg withholding can enhance male fidelity.
• Continuous sperm regeneration, rather than a fixed sperm store, facilitates multiple within-pair matings.

Conclusions:

• Female control over mating rate is a viable strategy to ensure male fidelity and exclusive benefits.
• Physiological (sperm regeneration), ecological, and behavioral factors significantly shape mating relationship outcomes.
• The study provides insights into the evolutionary dynamics of sexual conflict and cooperation in reproductive strategies.