Fine-scale genital morphology affects male ejaculation success: an experimental test
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Chung, Meng-Han; Fox, Rebecca; Jennions, MIchael D
Description
The evolution of male genital traits is usually ascribed to advantages that arise when there is sperm competition, cryptic female choice or sexual conflict. However, when male–female contact is brief and sperm production is costly, genital structures that ensure the appropriate timing of sperm release should also be under intense selection. Few studies have examined the role of individual structures in triggering ejaculation. We therefore conducted a series of anatomical manipulations of...[Show more]
dc.contributor.author | Chung, Meng-Han | |
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dc.contributor.author | Fox, Rebecca | |
dc.contributor.author | Jennions, MIchael D | |
dc.date.accessioned | 2021-03-16T03:55:56Z | |
dc.identifier.issn | 1744-9561 | |
dc.identifier.uri | http://hdl.handle.net/1885/227210 | |
dc.description.abstract | The evolution of male genital traits is usually ascribed to advantages that arise when there is sperm competition, cryptic female choice or sexual conflict. However, when male–female contact is brief and sperm production is costly, genital structures that ensure the appropriate timing of sperm release should also be under intense selection. Few studies have examined the role of individual structures in triggering ejaculation. We therefore conducted a series of anatomical manipulations of fine-scale features of the complex intromittent organ (gonopodium) of a freshwater fish with internal fertilization (Gambusia holbrooki) to determine their effects on sperm release. Mating in G. holbrooki is fleeting (less than 50 ms), so there should be strong selection for control over the timing of sperm release. We surgically removed three features at the tip of the gonopodium (claws, spines, awl-shape) to test for their potential role in triggering ejaculation. We show that the ‘awl-shape' of the tip affects sperm release when a male makes contact with a female, but neither gonopodial claws nor spines had a detectable effect. We suggest that the claws and spines may instead function to increase the precision of sperm deposition (facilitating anchorage and contact time with the female's gonopore), rather than the initiation of ejaculation. | |
dc.format.mimetype | application/pdf | |
dc.language.iso | en_AU | |
dc.publisher | Royal Society of London | |
dc.rights | © 2020 The Author(s) Published by the Royal Society. All rights reserved | |
dc.source | Biology Letters | |
dc.source.uri | https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rsbl.2020.0251 | |
dc.subject | Poeciliidae | |
dc.subject | genital morphology | |
dc.subject | gonopodium | |
dc.subject | sexual selection | |
dc.title | Fine-scale genital morphology affects male ejaculation success: an experimental test | |
dc.type | Journal article | |
local.description.notes | Imported from ARIES | |
local.identifier.citationvolume | 16 | |
dc.date.issued | 2020 | |
local.identifier.absfor | 060303 - Biological Adaptation | |
local.identifier.ariespublication | u9511635xPUB2069 | |
local.publisher.url | https://royalsocietypublishing.org | |
local.type.status | Published Version | |
local.contributor.affiliation | Chung, Meng-Han, College of Science, ANU | |
local.contributor.affiliation | Fox, Rebecca, College of Science, ANU | |
local.contributor.affiliation | Jennions, Michael, College of Science, ANU | |
local.description.embargo | 2099-12-31 | |
local.bibliographicCitation.issue | 6 | |
local.bibliographicCitation.startpage | 1 | |
local.bibliographicCitation.lastpage | 5 | |
local.identifier.doi | 10.1098/rsbl.2020.0251 | |
local.identifier.absseo | 970106 - Expanding Knowledge in the Biological Sciences | |
dc.date.updated | 2021-08-01T08:43:51Z | |
local.identifier.scopusID | 2-s2.0-85087005658 | |
Collections | ANU Research Publications |
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