The investment into sperm depends on genetic compatibility between pair mates in a monogamous species

Sperm quality determines offspring fitness. However, investment into sperm being costly, it depends on the health or condition of males. According to the differential allocation hypothesis, males should decrease their investment into sperm when mated with a low-quality female. In this study, we show...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Leclaire, Sarah
Other Authors: Evolution et Diversité Biologique (EDB), Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD)-Université Toulouse III - Paul Sabatier (UT3), Université de Toulouse (UT)-Université de Toulouse (UT)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Fondation Fyssen
Format: Book Part
Language:English
Published: HAL CCSD 2023
Subjects:
Black-legged kittiwake
ejaculate
Major Histocompatibility Complex
Fitness
Differential Allocation
[SDE]Environmental Sciences
Black-legged Kittiwake
Online Access:https://hal.science/hal-04273466
https://hal.science/hal-04273466/document
https://hal.science/hal-04273466/file/Article%20Annales%20Fyssen%20English.pdf
Description
Summary:Sperm quality determines offspring fitness. However, investment into sperm being costly, it depends on the health or condition of males. According to the differential allocation hypothesis, males should decrease their investment into sperm when mated with a low-quality female. In this study, we show that, in the black-legged kittiwake, a monogamous seabird, sperm quality affects chick performance and that good-quality males produce a sperm of good quality. In addition, males mated with more genetically compatible females produce better quality sperm. This study suggests that the effects of sperm quality on offspring fitness may act as a natural selective pressure on males' differential allocation strategies.

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