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Sexual perception does not modulate male short-term fitness components in Drosophila melanogaster.
  • Quentin Corbel,
  • Claudia Londoño-Nieto,
  • Pau Carazo
Quentin Corbel
University of Valencia Cavanilles Institute of Biodiversity and Evolutionary Biology

Corresponding Author:[email protected]

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Claudia Londoño-Nieto
University of Valencia Cavanilles Institute of Biodiversity and Evolutionary Biology
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Pau Carazo
University of Valencia Cavanilles Institute of Biodiversity and Evolutionary Biology
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Abstract

Phenotypic plasticity in reproductive behaviour can be a strong driver of individual fitness. For example, in species with high intra-sexual competition, changes in socio-sexual context can trigger quick adaptive plastic responses in males. In particular, a recent study in the vinegar fly (Drosophila melanogaster) shows that males respond adaptively to perception of female cues in a way that increases their reproductive success, but we ignore the underlying mechanisms of this phenomenon. Here, we aimed to fill this gap by investigating the short-term effects of female perception on male pre- and post-copulatory components of reproductive success: a) mating success, b) mating latency and duration, c) sperm competitiveness, and d) ejaculate effects on female receptivity and oviposition rate. We found that brief sexual perception increased mating duration, but had no effect on the main pre- or post-copulatory fitness proxies. These results tie up with previous findings to suggest that male adaptive responses to sexual perception are not due to a short-term advantage, but rather to fitness benefits that play out across the entire male lifespan.
27 Apr 2022Submitted to Ecology and Evolution
27 Apr 2022Submission Checks Completed
27 Apr 2022Assigned to Editor
04 May 2022Reviewer(s) Assigned
20 May 2022Review(s) Completed, Editorial Evaluation Pending
17 Jun 2022Editorial Decision: Revise Minor
08 Aug 20221st Revision Received
09 Aug 2022Submission Checks Completed
09 Aug 2022Assigned to Editor
09 Aug 2022Review(s) Completed, Editorial Evaluation Pending
18 Aug 2022Editorial Decision: Accept