Speaker
Description
A vast majority of studies in sexual selection focus on only two mechanisms, male -male competition and female choice. Yet clearly, both male mate choice and female competition are important factors in sexual selection. I will review this – with a focus on male mate choice -, using Livebearing fishes of the family Poeciliidae as an example. There are surprisingly many examples of male mate choice in this taxonomic group. Males in this group contribute nothing but an ejaculate to the offspring, making the evolution of male mate choice unlikely. But several studies found clear preferences in males based on differences in female quality. Most commonly, male preferences for female body size have been documented, likely related to increased fecundity found in larger females. Finally, I will point out a number of open questions in the field, including the role of female competition, and the relationship of male mate choice with female ornaments.
