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Social pairing of Seychelles warblers under reduced constraints: MHC, neutral heterozygosity, and age
- Source :
- Behavioral Ecology, 27(1), 295-303. Oxford University Press, Behavioral Ecology
- Publication Year :
- 2015
- Publisher :
- Oxford University Press (OUP), 2015.
-
Abstract
- Lay Summary We manipulated factors that normally constrain the social mate choice of female Seychelles warblers to test if, when less constrained, these females chose partners based on variation at specific immune genes that have been linked to mate choice in other species. We found that older and more generally genetically diverse males were more likely to end up paired with females, but contrary to our predictions, variation at the immune genes did not appear to influence social pairing.<br />The prevalence and significance of precopulatory mate choice remains keenly debated. The major histocompatibility complex (MHC) plays a key role in vertebrate adaptive immunity, and variation at the MHC influences individual survival. Although MHC-dependent mate choice has been documented in certain species, many other studies find no such pattern. This may be, at least in part, because in natural systems constraints may reduce the choices available to individuals and prevent full expression of underlying preferences. We used translocations to previously unoccupied islands to experimentally reduce constraints on female social mate choice in the Seychelles warbler (Acrocephalus sechellensis), a species in which patterns of MHC-dependent extrapair paternity (EPP), but not social mate choice, have been observed. We find no evidence of MHC-dependent social mate choice in the new populations. Instead, we find that older males and males with more microsatellite heterozygosity are more likely to have successfully paired. Our data cannot resolve whether these patterns in pairing were due to male–male competition or female choice. However, our research does suggest that female Seychelles warblers do not choose social mates using MHC class I to increase fitness. It may also indicate that the MHC-dependent EPP observed in the source population is probably due to mechanisms other than female precopulatory mate choice based on MHC cues.
- Subjects :
- 0106 biological sciences
0301 basic medicine
compatibility
Major histocompatibility complex
010603 evolutionary biology
01 natural sciences
Loss of heterozygosity
03 medical and health sciences
Seychelles warbler
biology.animal
MHC class I
Acrocephalus
sexual selection
translocation
Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics
good genes
biology
Ecology
Vertebrate
biology.organism_classification
030104 developmental biology
Mate choice
Evolutionary biology
extrapair paternity
Sexual selection
biology.protein
Original Article
Animal Science and Zoology
Subjects
Details
- ISSN :
- 14657279 and 10452249
- Volume :
- 27
- Database :
- OpenAIRE
- Journal :
- Behavioral Ecology
- Accession number :
- edsair.doi.dedup.....b4cce20f6368e162085277a40dd64dd3