Effects of past mating behavior versus past ejaculation on male mate choice and male attractiveness.

ABSTRACT: Past reproductive effort allows males to assess their ability to acquire mates, but it also consumes resources that can reduce their future competitive ability. Few studies have examined how a male's reproductive history affects his subsequent mate choice, and, to date, no study has determined the relative contribution of past mating behavior and past ejaculate production because these two forms of investment are naturally highly correlated. Here, we disentangled the relative effects of past mating behavior and past ejaculate production in mosquitofish (Gambusia holbrooki) by experimentally preventing some males from ejaculating when trying to mate. We assessed the effect of mating behavior on mate choice by comparing males that had previously been with or without access to females

SUBMITTER: Chung MJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10807976 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Mar-Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature