A sexually selected male weapon characterized by strong additive genetic variance and no evidence for sexually antagonistic polyphenic maintenance.

ABSTRACT: Sexual selection and sexual antagonism are important drivers of eco-evolutionary processes. The evolution of traits shaped by these processes depends on their genetic architecture, which remains poorly studied. Here, implementing a quantitative genetics approach using diallel crosses of the bulb mite, Rhizoglyphus robini, we investigated the genetic variance that underlies a sexually selected weapon that is dimorphic among males and female fecundity. Previous studies indicated that a negative genetic correlation between these two traits likely exists. We found male morph showed considerable additive genetic variance, which is unlikely to be explained solely by mutation-selection balance, indicating the likely presence of large-effect loci. However, a significant magnitude of inbreeding dep

SUBMITTER: Parrett JM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10234106 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature