Effects of polyandry on male phenotypic diversity

Polyandry has the potential to affect the distribution of phenotypes and to shape the direction of sexual selection. Here, we explore this potential using Trinidadian guppies as a model system and ask whether polyandry leads to directional and/or diversifying selection of male phenotypic traits. In...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of evolutionary biology 2010-11, Vol.23 (11), p.2442-2452
Main Authors: BARBOSA, M, DORNELAS, M, MAGURRAN, A.E
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Analysis of Variance
Animal behavior
Animal reproduction
Animals
evolution
Evolutionary biology
Female
Fish
Genotype & phenotype
Male
Mating Preference, Animal - physiology
Models, Biological
Multivariate Analysis
Phenotype
phenotypic diversity
Pigmentation - physiology
Poecilia - physiology
Sexual Behavior, Animal - physiology
sexual selection
sexual traits
Trinidad and Tobago
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Summary:Polyandry has the potential to affect the distribution of phenotypes and to shape the direction of sexual selection. Here, we explore this potential using Trinidadian guppies as a model system and ask whether polyandry leads to directional and/or diversifying selection of male phenotypic traits. In this study, we compare the phenotypic diversity of offspring from multiply and singly sired broods. To quantify phenotypic diversity, we first combine phenotypic traits using multivariate methods, and then take the dispersion of individuals in multivariate space as our measure of diversity. We show that, when each trait is examined separately, polyandry generates offspring with a higher proportion of bright coloration, indicating directional selection. However, our multivariate approach reveals that this directionality is accompanied by an increase in phenotypic diversity. These results suggest that polyandry (i) selects for the production of sons with the preferred brighter colour phenotypes whereas (ii) enhancing the diversity of male sexual traits. Promoting phenotypic diversity may be advantageous in coping with environmental and reproductive variability by increasing long‐term fitness.
ISSN:1010-061X
1420-9101
DOI:10.1111/j.1420-9101.2010.02105.x