A weapons-testes trade-off in males is amplified in female traits.

ABSTRACT: Sexually selected weapons are assumed to trade off with traits related to ejaculates, such as testes. However, remarkably little is known about what governs resource allocation and why trade-offs are found in some cases and not others. Often-used models depict competitive allocation occurring within the functional grouping of traits (e.g. reproduction); however, other factors including tissue expense and developmental timing may influence allocation. Experimental comparisons of investment across the sexes have the potential to illuminate allocation rules, because the sexes do not always use traits for the same functions. Here, we capitalize upon a species where females have weapons-testes homologues. We report that a documented trade-off in investment between hind-limb weapons and testes i

SUBMITTER: Miller CW 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6710601 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature