SEX-LIMITED MUTATIONS AND THE EVOLUTION OF SEXUAL DIMORPHISM

Although the developmental and genetic mechanisms underlying sex differences are being elucidated in great detail in a number of species, there remains a breach between proximate and evolutionary studies of sexual dimorphism. More precisely, the evolution of sex-limited gene expression at autosomal...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Evolution 2000-02, Vol.54 (1), p.37-43
Main Author: Rhen, Turk
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Alleles
Animals
Biological Evolution
Evolution
Evolutionary genetics
Female
Female animals
Genetic loci
Genetic Variation
Genetics, Population
Genotypes
Male
Male animals
Models, Genetic
Mutation
Phenotypic traits
population genetics
Quantitative genetics
REGULAR ARTICLES
selection
Sex Characteristics
sex limitation
Sexes
Sexual dimorphism
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Summary:Although the developmental and genetic mechanisms underlying sex differences are being elucidated in great detail in a number of species, there remains a breach between proximate and evolutionary studies of sexual dimorphism. More precisely, the evolution of sex-limited gene expression at autosomal loci has not been well reasoned using either theoretical or empirical methods. Here, I show that a Mendelian genetic model including elementary details of sexual differentiation provides novel insight into the evolution of sex differences via sex limitation. This model indicates that the nature of allelic effects and the pattern of selection must be known in both sexes to predict the evolution of sex differences. That is, selection interacts with genetic variation for sexual dimorphism to produce unanticipated patterns of trait divergence or convergence between the sexes. Ultimately, this model may explain why previous models for the evolution of sexual dimorphism do not predict the erratic behavior of the sex difference during artificial selection experiments. Corresponding Editor: A. Caballero
ISSN:0014-3820
1558-5646
DOI:10.1554/0014-3820(2000)054[0037:SLMATE]2.0.CO;2