Who's My Daddy? Considerations for the influence of sexual selection on multiple paternity in elasmobranch mating systems.

ABSTRACT: Polyandry resulting in multiply-sired litters has been documented in the majority of elasmobranch species examined to date. Although commonly observed, reasons for this mating system remain relatively obscure, especially in batoids. The round stingray (Urobatis halleri) is an abundant, well-studied elasmobranch distributed throughout the northeastern Pacific that we used to explore hypotheses regarding multiple paternity in elasmobranchs. Twenty mid- to late-term pregnant females were sampled off the coast of southern California and their litters analyzed for the occurrence of multiple paternity using five nuclear microsatellite loci. In addition, embryo sizes and their position within the female reproductive system (i.e., right or left uterus) were recorded and used to make inferen

SUBMITTER: Lyons K 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5551082 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature