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Mate Choice

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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.
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Assortative mating in Ixodes scapularis Say, 1821 (Acari: Ixodidae).

Lorenza Beati1, Matteo Montagna2, Jean Tsao3

  • 1The U.S. National Tick Collection, Institute for Coastal Plain Science, Georgia Southern University, Statesboro, GA, USA.

Ticks and Tick-Borne Diseases
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Summary

Positive assortative mating (PAM) was detected in Ixodes scapularis ticks, despite the population appearing genetically homogeneous. This suggests underlying genetic factors influence mate choice in this species.

Keywords:
Ixodes scapularisMicrosatellite loci, Assortative matingPopulation geneticsReproductive mode

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Area of Science:

  • Evolutionary Biology
  • Population Genetics
  • Behavioral Ecology

Background:

  • Mate choice significantly impacts population genetic diversity and inbreeding levels.
  • Positive assortative mating (PAM) is known in Ixodes ricinus but unstudied in Ixodes scapularis.
  • Understanding mate choice in Ixodes scapularis is crucial due to its role as a disease vector.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the presence and extent of positive assortative mating (PAM) in Ixodes scapularis.
  • To analyze genetic relatedness within mating pairs of Ixodes scapularis.
  • To explore potential genetic mechanisms underlying mate choice in this tick species.

Main Methods:

  • Analysis of nine microsatellite loci from 30 female and 30 male Ixodes scapularis ticks.
  • Ticks were collected in copula from deer at the Savannah River Site, South Carolina.
  • Statistical analysis to detect assortative pairing signatures and assess genetic homogeneity.

Main Results:

  • A weak but statistically significant positive assortative mating (PAM) signature was identified.
  • The Ixodes scapularis population exhibited overall genetic homogeneity.
  • Observed mating pairs showed a significant difference in relatedness compared to all other possible pairs.

Conclusions:

  • Ixodes scapularis exhibits positive assortative mating (PAM), indicating non-random mate selection.
  • Non-coding microsatellite loci may be linked to genes influencing PAM through genetic hitchhiking.
  • The genetic architecture for PAM likely involves a combination of major and minor effect genes distributed across the genome.