No evidence for female mate choice based on genetic similarity in the túngara frog Physalaemus pustulosus

In most sexually reproducing animals, the behavior of one or both sexes during courtship critically influences the success at mating of the opposite sex. This behavior is often interpreted as “mate choice,” and there is great interest in why such choices are exercised. The explanation for the evolut...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Behavioral ecology and sociobiology 2006-04, Vol.59 (6), p.796-804
Main Authors: Lampert, Kathrin P, Bernal, Ximena E, Rand, A. Stanley, Mueller, Ulrich G, Ryan, Michael J
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Amphibia and reptilia
Amphibians
Animal behavior
animal communication
Animal ethology
Animal reproduction
Anura
Biological and medical sciences
Evolution
Evolutionary genetics
Female animals
Freshwater
Frogs
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
Genetic diversity
Genetic effects
Genetic relationships
Inbreeding
Mate choice
Mating behavior
Microsatellite marker
Microsatellites
Physalaemus pustulosus
Preferences
Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry
Relatedness
Sexual behavior
Sexual selection
Siblings
Toads
Vertebrata
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Summary:In most sexually reproducing animals, the behavior of one or both sexes during courtship critically influences the success at mating of the opposite sex. This behavior is often interpreted as “mate choice,” and there is great interest in why such choices are exercised. The explanation for the evolution of mate choice that has received the most attention and generated the most controversy is based on assumed genetic effects. In this study, we investigated whether female túngara frogs, which choose mates based on acoustic cues, have a preference for genetically less related males. Specifically, we determine if there is disassortive mating based on microsatellite markers, if there is information in the advertisement call that could be used to assess genetic similarity, and if females exhibit acoustic-based mating preferences that would promote choice for genetic diversity. Using seven microsatellite markers, we found no correlation of male call similarity and male genetic relatedness. Female choice experiments showed no female preference for calls of less related males, and there was no evidence for inbreeding avoidance in the field. Our results do not support the hypothesis of mate choice based on information about genetic relatedness conveyed by acoustic signals in túngara frogs.
ISSN:0340-5443
1432-0762
DOI:10.1007/s00265-005-0125-5