A possible case of offspring sex manipulation as result of a biased adult sex ratio.

ABSTRACT: Although random meiosis should prevent the facultative adjustment of offspring sex ratio, theory predicts that females should produce more of the sex with the higher reproductive value. We reported a case of offspring sex ratio manipulation in grass wrens Cistothorus platensis. Males in better body condition would have higher reproductive value than females due to the potential for social polygyny and extra-pair fertilizations. On the other hand, local demography influences reproductive strategies in grass wrens as male abundance affects both social polygyny and extra-pair paternity frequencies. We evaluated whether females bias their brood sex ratio in response to adult sex ratio and nestling body condition (a proxy for female's prospects of producing high-quality males). Females raised m

SUBMITTER: Arrieta RS 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10774364 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature