Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Mate Choice01:20

Mate Choice

8.0K
Mate choice—the decision about whom to mate with—is a type of natural selection, since animals must reproduce to pass down their genes. Mate choice is also called intersexual selection because the behavior occurs between the sexes.
8.0K
Natural Selection and Mating Preferences01:06

Natural Selection and Mating Preferences

91
The principle of natural selection posits that organisms better adapted to their environment are more likely to survive and reproduce. This principle is closely intertwined with mating preferences, a key aspect of sexual selection, which evolutionary psychologists believe is driven by instincts to propagate one's genes. Such instincts significantly influence mating behaviors and preferences between genders.
Females, due to their biological roles in conception, pregnancy, and nursing,...
91
Genetics of Speciation02:16

Genetics of Speciation

19.0K
Speciation is the evolutionary process resulting in the formation of new, distinct species—groups of reproductively isolated populations.
19.0K
Types of Selection01:46

Types of Selection

40.1K
Natural selection influences the frequencies of particular alleles and phenotypes within populations in several different ways. Primarily, natural selection can be directional, stabilizing, or disruptive. Directional selection favors one extreme trait and shifts the population towards that phenotype while selecting against individuals displaying alternate traits. Stabilizing selection favors an intermediate trait with a narrow range of variation. Deviation from the optimal phenotype towards an...
40.1K
Mutation, Gene Flow, and Genetic Drift01:09

Mutation, Gene Flow, and Genetic Drift

58.0K
In a population that is not at Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium, the frequency of alleles changes over time. Therefore, any deviations from the five conditions of Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium can alter the genetic variation of a given population. Conditions that change the genetic variability of a population include mutations, natural selection, non-random mating, gene flow, and genetic drift (small population size).
58.0K
Genetic Drift03:33

Genetic Drift

39.4K
Natural selection—probably the most well-known evolutionary mechanism—increases the prevalence of traits that enhance survival and reproduction. However, evolution does not merely propagate favorable traits, nor does it always benefit populations.
39.4K

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

From mating to sperm storage: density-dependent plasticity in pre- and post-copulatory shared mating traits.

Evolution; international journal of organic evolution·2026
Same author

Effects of storage conditions on oxidative stress biomarkers: methodological implications for ecological and evolutionary studies.

The Journal of experimental biology·2026
Same author

Understanding different types of repeatability and intra-class correlation for an analysis of biological variation.

Journal of the Royal Society, Interface·2026
Same author

Does a Father's Social Environment Influence Their Sons' Sperm Sex Ratio? Potential for the Epigenetic Transmission of a Sex-Allocating Mechanism.

Ecology and evolution·2025
Same author

Agent-based modelling reveals feedback loops and non-linearity between mating system evolution and disease dynamics.

PloS one·2025
Same author

Temperature can reverse sexual conflict, facilitating population growth.

Evolution letters·2025

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 5, 2025

Using the FishSim Animation Toolchain to Investigate Fish Behavior: A Case Study on Mate-Choice Copying In Sailfin Mollies
10:50

Using the FishSim Animation Toolchain to Investigate Fish Behavior: A Case Study on Mate-Choice Copying In Sailfin Mollies

Published on: November 8, 2018

10.7K

Unraveling mate choice evolution through indirect genetic effects.

Chang S Han1, Diana A Robledo-Ruiz2,3, Francisco Garcia-Gonzalez4,5

  • 1Department of Biology, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, Korea.

Evolution Letters
|December 16, 2024
PubMed
Summary

Mate attractiveness in field crickets is genetically based and influenced by multiple traits. Female attractiveness is linked to male testes size, potentially driving sexual selection.

Keywords:
attractivenessgenetic correlationindirect genetic effectmate choice

More Related Videos

Determination of the Mating Efficiency of Haploids in Saccharomyces cerevisiae
05:39

Determination of the Mating Efficiency of Haploids in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Published on: December 2, 2022

2.4K
Following the Dynamics of Structural Variants in Experimentally Evolved Populations
04:52

Following the Dynamics of Structural Variants in Experimentally Evolved Populations

Published on: February 3, 2023

917

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jun 5, 2025

Using the FishSim Animation Toolchain to Investigate Fish Behavior: A Case Study on Mate-Choice Copying In Sailfin Mollies
10:50

Using the FishSim Animation Toolchain to Investigate Fish Behavior: A Case Study on Mate-Choice Copying In Sailfin Mollies

Published on: November 8, 2018

10.7K
Determination of the Mating Efficiency of Haploids in Saccharomyces cerevisiae
05:39

Determination of the Mating Efficiency of Haploids in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Published on: December 2, 2022

2.4K
Following the Dynamics of Structural Variants in Experimentally Evolved Populations
04:52

Following the Dynamics of Structural Variants in Experimentally Evolved Populations

Published on: February 3, 2023

917

Area of Science:

  • Evolutionary biology
  • Behavioral ecology
  • Genetics

Background:

  • Sexual selection drives the evolution of traits that increase mating success.
  • Mate attractiveness is a complex trait influenced by multiple genetic factors.
  • Indirect genetic effects (IGEs) on mate choice reflect genetic variation in overall attractiveness.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To estimate genetic variation in overall attractiveness in *Gryllus bimaculatus*.
  • To determine genetic correlations between attractiveness and pre- and postcopulatory traits.
  • To investigate the role of IGEs in the evolution of mate choice.

Main Methods:

  • Studied the field cricket *Gryllus bimaculatus*.
  • Estimated genetic variation in attractiveness.
  • Assessed genetic correlations with traits like latency to sing, mounting, guarding, body mass, mandible size, and testis size.

Main Results:

  • A significant genetic basis for attractiveness was found in both male and female crickets.
  • Female attractiveness showed a genetic correlation with male testes size.
  • IGEs contribute to the genetic variation in mate choice.

Conclusions:

  • Attractiveness is a polygenic trait influenced by IGEs.
  • The genetic link between female attractiveness and male testes size may promote runaway sexual selection.
  • Understanding IGEs provides novel insights into the evolution of mate choice.