An experimental test of the role of male mating history on paternal effects in the livebearer fish Gambusia holbrooki.

ABSTRACT: Studies often show that paternal age affects offspring fitness. However, such effects could be due either to age, or to a male's previous mating effort (which is necessarily confounded with age). We experimentally tested whether differences in the mating history of old males affect offspring performance in the mosquitofish Gambusia holbrooki. Upon maturation, males were housed for a duration of the natural field-breeding season (23 weeks) either with mating access to females (lifetime-mating), or with visual but no physical access to females (no-mating). We then paired these males with a female to test whether male mating history had a significant effect on their mate's breeding success or offspring performance. The daughters, but not the sons, of 'no-mating' treatment males matured

SUBMITTER: Aich U 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7058943 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature