Sex differences in the genetic architecture of aggressiveness in a sexually dimorphic spider.

ABSTRACT: Sex differences in the genetic architecture of behavioral traits can offer critical insight into the processes of sex-specific selection and sexual conflict dynamics. Here, we assess genetic variances and cross-sex genetic correlations of two personality traits, aggression and activity, in a sexually size-dimorphic spider, Nuctenea umbratica. Using a quantitative genetic approach, we show that both traits are heritable. Males have higher heritability estimates for aggressiveness compared to females, whereas the coefficient of additive genetic variation and evolvability did not differ between the sexes. Furthermore, we found sex differences in the coefficient of residual variance in aggressiveness with females exhibiting higher estimates. In contrast, the quantitative genetic estimat

SUBMITTER: Kralj-Fiser S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6787860 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature