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University of New South Wales
1.
Klomp, Danielle Alice.
The Evolution of Diversity: Sexual selection and natural selection on the social signals of gliding lizards.
Degree: Biological, Earth & Environmental Sciences, 2016, University of New South Wales
URL: http://handle.unsw.edu.au/1959.4/56914
;
https://unsworks.unsw.edu.au/fapi/datastream/unsworks:42030/SOURCE02?view=true
► Diversity in animal colour and form can often be attributed to communication signals, which play an important role in species recognition and mate choice. Divergence…
(more)
▼ Diversity in animal colour and form can often be attributed to communication signals, which play an important role in species recognition and mate choice. Divergence of signals among populations is therefore thought to be a driver of speciation. This thesis examines signalling processes in the species rich agamid genus, Draco, to understand their influence on signal design, signal divergence and ultimately speciation. Draco lizards are known as ‘gliding lizards’, as they have retractable gliding membranes. They communicate with extendable throat-fans, called dewlaps, which are diverse in colour, shape and size among species. Chapter two assesses the importance of dewlap signal design for detection and recognition in Draco melanopogon, by presenting free-living lizards with robots displaying dewlaps of different designs. Dewlap design does not affect the latency of signal detection by conspecifics, but once the robot dewlap had been detected, males responded with greater intensity to dewlaps that best resembled the species’ typical design, suggesting pattern is important in species recognition. As signal components may evolve differently in populations exposed to different
selection pressures, chapter three assess the relationships between the dewlap components (colour and size) and aspects of their environments. Males of different species employ colour contrast and dewlap size as alternative strategies for effective communication, and predation intensity may play a role in which strategy a species employs. Further, correlations between male dewlap components and
sexual dimorphism suggest that
sexual selection is also a major factor influencing dewlap design. Chapter four shows that the different gliding membrane colouration of two populations of Draco cornutus closely match the colours of freshly fallen leaves in their respective habitats as they appear to the visual system of predatory birds. This suggests the populations have diverged in colouration to mimic the colours of local falling leaves and thereby reduce predation by birds. Chapter five tests whether Draco sumatranus lizards use their position relative to the sun to enhance the transmission of light through the dewlap, and thus the apparent brightness of their dewlap during display. Lizards are significantly more likely to orientate themselves perpendicular to the sun when displaying, ensuring maximum sun exposure for the extended dewlap. This thesis confirms the centrality of
sexual selection, species recognition and predation as major factors influencing signal design in Draco, and thereby furthers our understanding of the evolution of ornament diversity.
Advisors/Committee Members: Ord, Terry, Evolution & Ecology Research Centre, Faculty of Science, UNSW, Stuart-Fox, Devi, School of BioSciences, University of Melbourne.
Subjects/Keywords: Sexual selection; Lizards; Natural selection
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APA (6th Edition):
Klomp, D. A. (2016). The Evolution of Diversity: Sexual selection and natural selection on the social signals of gliding lizards. (Doctoral Dissertation). University of New South Wales. Retrieved from http://handle.unsw.edu.au/1959.4/56914 ; https://unsworks.unsw.edu.au/fapi/datastream/unsworks:42030/SOURCE02?view=true
Chicago Manual of Style (16th Edition):
Klomp, Danielle Alice. “The Evolution of Diversity: Sexual selection and natural selection on the social signals of gliding lizards.” 2016. Doctoral Dissertation, University of New South Wales. Accessed April 16, 2021.
http://handle.unsw.edu.au/1959.4/56914 ; https://unsworks.unsw.edu.au/fapi/datastream/unsworks:42030/SOURCE02?view=true.
MLA Handbook (7th Edition):
Klomp, Danielle Alice. “The Evolution of Diversity: Sexual selection and natural selection on the social signals of gliding lizards.” 2016. Web. 16 Apr 2021.
Vancouver:
Klomp DA. The Evolution of Diversity: Sexual selection and natural selection on the social signals of gliding lizards. [Internet] [Doctoral dissertation]. University of New South Wales; 2016. [cited 2021 Apr 16].
Available from: http://handle.unsw.edu.au/1959.4/56914 ; https://unsworks.unsw.edu.au/fapi/datastream/unsworks:42030/SOURCE02?view=true.
Council of Science Editors:
Klomp DA. The Evolution of Diversity: Sexual selection and natural selection on the social signals of gliding lizards. [Doctoral Dissertation]. University of New South Wales; 2016. Available from: http://handle.unsw.edu.au/1959.4/56914 ; https://unsworks.unsw.edu.au/fapi/datastream/unsworks:42030/SOURCE02?view=true
2.
Gómez, Miguel.
Plasticity in reproductive behaviours as a response to
ecological changes.
Degree: 2018, University of Manchester
URL: http://www.manchester.ac.uk/escholar/uk-ac-man-scw:315700
► The thesis presented here utilizes a variety of methods and study systems to address how ecological promote plasticity in reproductive behaviours. We study mate choice,…
(more)
▼ The thesis presented here utilizes a variety of
methods and study systems to address how ecological promote
plasticity in reproductive behaviours. We study mate choice,
copulation and parental care as the different reproductive
behaviours, as they can be envisioned as representatives of
different stages of the reproductive cycle and can be
subject to
different
selection pressures. With the use of computer simulations
we study the conditions of sex ratio and cost of courting under
which a learned mate preference in males or in both sexes can
evolve. We found that for males, maternal imprinting is the most
advantageous imprinting strategy, but when both sexes imprint,
paternal imprinting in both sexes is the most advantageous
strategy. We show that environmental change can lead to the
evolution of
sexual imprinting by both sexes. A study using
mesocosm and mating trial experiments, measuring female survival
and male mating success was used to study the role of intra- and
interspecific interactions in mating behaviour (competition and
harassment) in Calopteryx splendens. We showed that intense
intraspecific male-male competition reduces harassment over females
and increases female survival. On the other side, interspecific
reproductive interference can reduce male mating success and can
increase female survival. Finally, theory on the use of social
learning was tested using Drosophila melanogaster oviposition site
choice. We show that fruit flies use social learning more after
they experience heterogeneous environments. However, our results
suggest that the use of social learning was driven by fruit flies
signalling more when they experience heterogeneous environments,
instead of driven by copying others decisions, as theoretical
predictions suggest. We also show that the use of social learning
is an innate trait, opening the opportunity for the study of the
genomic basis of social learning.
Advisors/Committee Members: NAVARRO LOPEZ, EVA EM, Gilman, Tucker, Navarro Lopez, Eva.
Subjects/Keywords: sexual selection; plasticity
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APA ·
Chicago ·
MLA ·
Vancouver ·
CSE |
Export
to Zotero / EndNote / Reference
Manager
APA (6th Edition):
Gómez, M. (2018). Plasticity in reproductive behaviours as a response to
ecological changes. (Doctoral Dissertation). University of Manchester. Retrieved from http://www.manchester.ac.uk/escholar/uk-ac-man-scw:315700
Chicago Manual of Style (16th Edition):
Gómez, Miguel. “Plasticity in reproductive behaviours as a response to
ecological changes.” 2018. Doctoral Dissertation, University of Manchester. Accessed April 16, 2021.
http://www.manchester.ac.uk/escholar/uk-ac-man-scw:315700.
MLA Handbook (7th Edition):
Gómez, Miguel. “Plasticity in reproductive behaviours as a response to
ecological changes.” 2018. Web. 16 Apr 2021.
Vancouver:
Gómez M. Plasticity in reproductive behaviours as a response to
ecological changes. [Internet] [Doctoral dissertation]. University of Manchester; 2018. [cited 2021 Apr 16].
Available from: http://www.manchester.ac.uk/escholar/uk-ac-man-scw:315700.
Council of Science Editors:
Gómez M. Plasticity in reproductive behaviours as a response to
ecological changes. [Doctoral Dissertation]. University of Manchester; 2018. Available from: http://www.manchester.ac.uk/escholar/uk-ac-man-scw:315700

Cal Poly
3.
Wojan, Erin M.
The Importance of the Multicomponent Display in Sexual Selection of Black Morph Girardinus metallicus (Pisces: Poeciliidae).
Degree: MS, Biological Sciences, 2016, Cal Poly
URL: https://digitalcommons.calpoly.edu/theses/1691
;
10.15368/theses.2016.152
► Multicomponent displays are composed of traits, such as coloration, structural ornaments, and behavior, that become integrated and signal information to conspecifics. Estimation of multicomponent…
(more)
▼ Multicomponent displays are composed of traits, such as coloration, structural ornaments, and behavior, that become integrated and signal information to conspecifics. Estimation of multicomponent displays in fishes often involves measurement of color traits. Fish color measurements are often obtained following immobilization via chemical anesthesia; however, the anesthetics may alter the resulting measurements, for example by darkening the skin.
Girardinus metallicus, a poeciliid fish endemic to Cuba, has a multicomponent courtship and aggressive display. Black morph males exhibit black ventral coloration including the gonopodium (copulatory organ) and yellow in the non-black areas of their bodies. I investigated the effects of common anesthetics on coloration measurements of
G.
metallicus. I measured the hue, saturation, and brightness of the anterior dorsal, posterior dorsal, posterior ventral, and caudal body regions, from digital images of the same males obtained without using anesthetic and anesthetized using tricaine methane sulfonate (MS222) and eugenol (clove oil). Because multicomponent displays are intriguing with respect to
sexual selection, I investigated the importance of size and coloration traits in
sexual selection via female choice and male-male competition in
G.
metallicus.
I found that saturation and hue did not differ significantly across treatments (anesthetization using MS222, anesthetization using clove oil, and without anesthetic in a small glass chamber containing water). However, brightness was greater under the anesthetics, possibly due to photographing the fish behind water and glass in the Non-anesthetic treatment or due to reflectivity differences of the iridophores. The body regions varied in hue, saturation, and brightness. Most importantly, I found differences in the responses of different body regions to the anesthetic treatments, suggesting that anesthetics may affect coloration in unpredictable ways, and that multiple regions of fish should be measured when assessing overall coloration. My results suggest that photographing fish in a glass chamber without anesthetic may be an effective way to obtain digital images for color analysis without using anesthetics that may influence coloration.
Having determined a good method for color measurement, I then investigated the role of the multicomponent display in
sexual selection. Through direct interaction tests, I found that dominant males had brighter and more saturated yellow coloration than subordinate males, and that dominant males courted more than subordinate males. Within high yellow males, dominant males attempted more copulations than subordinate males. Interestingly, low yellow, subordinate males attempted more copulations than low yellow, dominant males, suggesting that subordinate males invested time into attempting copulations rather than engaging in potentially risky aggressive behavior. I observed a greater difference in body size between the males in pairs to…
Advisors/Committee Members: Gita Kolluru.
Subjects/Keywords: sexual selection; Biology
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❌
APA ·
Chicago ·
MLA ·
Vancouver ·
CSE |
Export
to Zotero / EndNote / Reference
Manager
APA (6th Edition):
Wojan, E. M. (2016). The Importance of the Multicomponent Display in Sexual Selection of Black Morph Girardinus metallicus (Pisces: Poeciliidae). (Masters Thesis). Cal Poly. Retrieved from https://digitalcommons.calpoly.edu/theses/1691 ; 10.15368/theses.2016.152
Chicago Manual of Style (16th Edition):
Wojan, Erin M. “The Importance of the Multicomponent Display in Sexual Selection of Black Morph Girardinus metallicus (Pisces: Poeciliidae).” 2016. Masters Thesis, Cal Poly. Accessed April 16, 2021.
https://digitalcommons.calpoly.edu/theses/1691 ; 10.15368/theses.2016.152.
MLA Handbook (7th Edition):
Wojan, Erin M. “The Importance of the Multicomponent Display in Sexual Selection of Black Morph Girardinus metallicus (Pisces: Poeciliidae).” 2016. Web. 16 Apr 2021.
Vancouver:
Wojan EM. The Importance of the Multicomponent Display in Sexual Selection of Black Morph Girardinus metallicus (Pisces: Poeciliidae). [Internet] [Masters thesis]. Cal Poly; 2016. [cited 2021 Apr 16].
Available from: https://digitalcommons.calpoly.edu/theses/1691 ; 10.15368/theses.2016.152.
Council of Science Editors:
Wojan EM. The Importance of the Multicomponent Display in Sexual Selection of Black Morph Girardinus metallicus (Pisces: Poeciliidae). [Masters Thesis]. Cal Poly; 2016. Available from: https://digitalcommons.calpoly.edu/theses/1691 ; 10.15368/theses.2016.152

Queens University
4.
Dakin, Roslyn.
Linking courtship behaviour, colour perception and mate choice decisions in peafowl
.
Degree: Biology, 2013, Queens University
URL: http://hdl.handle.net/1974/7857
► Despite a long history of study showing that male courtship signals influence female mate choice in many species, we lack a good understanding of how…
(more)
▼ Despite a long history of study showing that male courtship signals influence female mate choice in many species, we lack a good understanding of how females choose. What are the mechanisms of mate choice, and how do these mechanisms shape the evolution of courtship signals and traits? In this thesis, I use the peacock’s iridescent eyespots to link signal perception with female mate choice decisions and the behaviours males use during courtship. I begin by investigating how a peacock’s eyespot colours influence his mating success, using models of avian colour vision and measurements of eyespot plumage colours taken at light angles that mimic the way the feathers are displayed during courtship. My results suggest that a substantial portion of the variation in peacock mating success can be explained by these plumage colours, demonstrating that signal function is best understood by considering the context in which signals are presented. Next, I examine how females choose to visit different males for courtship. I show that a female’s familiarity with a male as a result of previous courtship encounters affects how she responds to his signals, including his eyespot colours. Lastly, I examine the visual effects of the peacock’s iridescent eyespot colours under different light conditions, and show that typical male courtship behaviours might enhance the eyespots in a way that influences female choice. I also find evidence that light conditions and female sensory biology together may have shaped the evolution of the eyespot colours in two species of peafowl. Overall, the results of this thesis demonstrate that by understanding how animals perceive colour signals, we can gain a better understanding of the function of behaviour on both sides of the courtship signaling exchange.
Subjects/Keywords: behaviour
;
sexual selection
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❌
APA ·
Chicago ·
MLA ·
Vancouver ·
CSE |
Export
to Zotero / EndNote / Reference
Manager
APA (6th Edition):
Dakin, R. (2013). Linking courtship behaviour, colour perception and mate choice decisions in peafowl
. (Thesis). Queens University. Retrieved from http://hdl.handle.net/1974/7857
Note: this citation may be lacking information needed for this citation format:
Not specified: Masters Thesis or Doctoral Dissertation
Chicago Manual of Style (16th Edition):
Dakin, Roslyn. “Linking courtship behaviour, colour perception and mate choice decisions in peafowl
.” 2013. Thesis, Queens University. Accessed April 16, 2021.
http://hdl.handle.net/1974/7857.
Note: this citation may be lacking information needed for this citation format:
Not specified: Masters Thesis or Doctoral Dissertation
MLA Handbook (7th Edition):
Dakin, Roslyn. “Linking courtship behaviour, colour perception and mate choice decisions in peafowl
.” 2013. Web. 16 Apr 2021.
Vancouver:
Dakin R. Linking courtship behaviour, colour perception and mate choice decisions in peafowl
. [Internet] [Thesis]. Queens University; 2013. [cited 2021 Apr 16].
Available from: http://hdl.handle.net/1974/7857.
Note: this citation may be lacking information needed for this citation format:
Not specified: Masters Thesis or Doctoral Dissertation
Council of Science Editors:
Dakin R. Linking courtship behaviour, colour perception and mate choice decisions in peafowl
. [Thesis]. Queens University; 2013. Available from: http://hdl.handle.net/1974/7857
Note: this citation may be lacking information needed for this citation format:
Not specified: Masters Thesis or Doctoral Dissertation

University of Oregon
5.
Kasimatis, Katja.
The Influence of Sexual Selection and Sexual Conflict on the Evolution of Post-Insemination Dynamics.
Degree: PhD, Department of Biology, 2019, University of Oregon
URL: https://scholarsbank.uoregon.edu/xmlui/handle/1794/24877
► Sexual reproduction is a fundamental process that structures populations and modulates interactions between species. The reproductive process is shaped by selection acting on the variance…
(more)
▼ Sexual reproduction is a fundamental process that structures populations and modulates interactions between species. The reproductive process is shaped by
selection acting on the variance in mating success. Additionally, conflict between the sexes over the mechanisms by which mating success is optimized effects reproduction.
Selection can also act in a sex-specific manner outside of the reproductive process and drive a different class of
sexual antagonisms. To understand how
sexual conflict shapes evolution within and between the sexes, the action of
selection must be connected to the lifecycle of an individual. Such a lifecycle-explicit framework allows for quantitative measurements of sex-specific
selection,
sexual conflict, and genetic load.
Here I connect the action of
selection with the appropriate stage of the lifecycle to determine how conflict between the sexes contributes to genome evolution. Using theoretical approaches, I examine if sexually antagonistic viability
selection can create genomic divergence between the sexes. I find that
selection must be strong to generate measurable divergence, which produces a high genetic load. Additionally, I show that sampling variance can account for much of the signal attributed to sexually antagonistic
selection in the literature.
Using experimental approaches, I manipulate sex-specific
selection acting during the gametic phase to determine the molecular components of male fertilization success. I develop Caenorhabditis nematodes as a new model system for studying post-insemination reproductive interactions. Contrary to expectation, I find that nematode sperm proteins are hyper-conserved at the sequence level and rapidly evolving at the gene family level. This result suggests an alternative signature of sex-specific
selection and conflict. Additionally, I develop a genetic tool for isolating sperm dynamics. This sterility induction system is the first external, non-toxic, reversible sterility induction system in animals.
Together my dissertation highlights how the genomic signatures of
sexual selection and conflict are complex and require explicit empirical testing to validate both the phenotype and action of
selection. Such complexity indicates that evolutionary systems biology approaches will be the most informative way to move the field forward and establish the importance of
sexual conflict in shaping evolution.
This work includes published and unpublished coauthored material.
Advisors/Committee Members: Phillips, Patrick (advisor).
Subjects/Keywords: Caenorhabditis; Population Genetics; Sexual Conflict; Sexual Selection
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❌
APA ·
Chicago ·
MLA ·
Vancouver ·
CSE |
Export
to Zotero / EndNote / Reference
Manager
APA (6th Edition):
Kasimatis, K. (2019). The Influence of Sexual Selection and Sexual Conflict on the Evolution of Post-Insemination Dynamics. (Doctoral Dissertation). University of Oregon. Retrieved from https://scholarsbank.uoregon.edu/xmlui/handle/1794/24877
Chicago Manual of Style (16th Edition):
Kasimatis, Katja. “The Influence of Sexual Selection and Sexual Conflict on the Evolution of Post-Insemination Dynamics.” 2019. Doctoral Dissertation, University of Oregon. Accessed April 16, 2021.
https://scholarsbank.uoregon.edu/xmlui/handle/1794/24877.
MLA Handbook (7th Edition):
Kasimatis, Katja. “The Influence of Sexual Selection and Sexual Conflict on the Evolution of Post-Insemination Dynamics.” 2019. Web. 16 Apr 2021.
Vancouver:
Kasimatis K. The Influence of Sexual Selection and Sexual Conflict on the Evolution of Post-Insemination Dynamics. [Internet] [Doctoral dissertation]. University of Oregon; 2019. [cited 2021 Apr 16].
Available from: https://scholarsbank.uoregon.edu/xmlui/handle/1794/24877.
Council of Science Editors:
Kasimatis K. The Influence of Sexual Selection and Sexual Conflict on the Evolution of Post-Insemination Dynamics. [Doctoral Dissertation]. University of Oregon; 2019. Available from: https://scholarsbank.uoregon.edu/xmlui/handle/1794/24877

University of Otago
6.
Senior, Alistair McNair.
The Individual and Population-Level Consequences of Chemically Induced Sex Reversal in Fish
.
Degree: 2013, University of Otago
URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10523/4093
► Environmental chemicals are just one mechanism by which anthropogenic actions influence populations and individuals. Perhaps one of the most widely reported effects of pollutants on…
(more)
▼ Environmental chemicals are just one mechanism by which anthropogenic actions influence populations and individuals. Perhaps one of the most widely reported effects of pollutants on wild populations, in both the academic literature and the media, is that of chemicals on fish
sexual development. Plasticity in the sex-determination systems of fish has long been exploited in aquaculture and by researchers working in the field of sex-determination. Such research has typically focused on inducing a reversal in the functional sex of individuals via an environmental manipulation, often exposure to exogenous chemicals; termed environmental sex reversal. In the 1990s British ecologists demonstrated that pollutants in rivers were altering the sex of wild fish. Those findings broadened the focus of research on sex reversal in fish to include ecological and evolutionary themes. Now, almost twenty years since those initial findings were reported, multiple studies and reviews on the
subject of piscine sex reversal have been published.
The main aim of this thesis is to address a number of questions that have been proposed in the field of environmental sex reversal. These questions comprise the over-arching theme for this thesis: what does environmental sex reversal mean for fish and fish populations?
In Chapter 2, I used a comparative approach to test whether differing taxonomic groups vary in their susceptibility to chemically induced environmental sex reversal. I found that most fish species are uniformly susceptible to chemical sex reversal. In Chapter 3, numerous published estimates of the effects of environmental sex reversal on morphology were combined using meta-analysis. My results suggested that both exposure to sex reversal inducing chemicals and sex reversal itself can have negative effects on reproductive fitness and alter growth patterns. In Chapter 4, I used computer simulations to assess how sex-reversed individuals might be used to affect the population dynamics of two invasive species (Gambusia affinis and G. holbrooki). Those models demonstrated that sex-reversed fish can alter the dynamics of populations and may be used as a bio-control. However, impaired reproductive fitness of those sex-reversed individuals may dampen their population-level effects. In my final data chapter (Chapter 5), I induced sex reversal in the western mosquitofish (G. affinis) via hormonal exposures and observed the behavioural and morphological effects of that sex reversal. Chapter 5 showed that both sex reversal and exposure to exogenous chemicals can have independent effects on the behaviour and morphology of G. affinis. Additionally, I found that individuals not exposed to sex-reversing chemicals may modify their behaviour in the presence of sex-reversed fish.
Advisors/Committee Members: Nakagawa, Shinichi (advisor).
Subjects/Keywords: EndoncrineDisruptingChemicals;
Sexual-Selection;
Ecology;
Teleosts
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❌
APA ·
Chicago ·
MLA ·
Vancouver ·
CSE |
Export
to Zotero / EndNote / Reference
Manager
APA (6th Edition):
Senior, A. M. (2013). The Individual and Population-Level Consequences of Chemically Induced Sex Reversal in Fish
. (Doctoral Dissertation). University of Otago. Retrieved from http://hdl.handle.net/10523/4093
Chicago Manual of Style (16th Edition):
Senior, Alistair McNair. “The Individual and Population-Level Consequences of Chemically Induced Sex Reversal in Fish
.” 2013. Doctoral Dissertation, University of Otago. Accessed April 16, 2021.
http://hdl.handle.net/10523/4093.
MLA Handbook (7th Edition):
Senior, Alistair McNair. “The Individual and Population-Level Consequences of Chemically Induced Sex Reversal in Fish
.” 2013. Web. 16 Apr 2021.
Vancouver:
Senior AM. The Individual and Population-Level Consequences of Chemically Induced Sex Reversal in Fish
. [Internet] [Doctoral dissertation]. University of Otago; 2013. [cited 2021 Apr 16].
Available from: http://hdl.handle.net/10523/4093.
Council of Science Editors:
Senior AM. The Individual and Population-Level Consequences of Chemically Induced Sex Reversal in Fish
. [Doctoral Dissertation]. University of Otago; 2013. Available from: http://hdl.handle.net/10523/4093

Cornell University
7.
Baldassarre, Daniel.
Sexual Selection And Speciation In The Red-Backed Fairy-Wren.
Degree: PhD, Behavioral Biology, 2014, Cornell University
URL: http://hdl.handle.net/1813/37042
► A longstanding question in evolutionary biology is whether divergence in sexual signals leads to speciation. A powerful approach is to examine closely related taxa that…
(more)
▼ A longstanding question in evolutionary biology is whether divergence in
sexual signals leads to speciation. A powerful approach is to examine closely related taxa that appear to be in the process of speciation, incorporating ecological, behavioral, morphological, and genetic data to understand how
sexual selection affects the speciation process. The red-backed fairy-wren (Malurus melanocephalus) is a small passerine bird endemic to Australia that is classified as two subspecies based primarily on variation in two
sexual traits: red vs. orange male nuptial plumage color and tail length. My dissertation focused on analyzing the pattern of genetic and morphological variation between the two subspecies and conducting field experiments to explore the selective forces and behavioral mechanisms responsible. Spatial modeling analyses revealed that the two subspecies exhibited variation in numerous non-
sexual traits that was well explained by underlying environmental variation. In stark contrast, variation in plumage color could not be explained by environment alone, but rather exhibited a clear pattern of isolation by distance, suggesting it has diverged stochastically as a result of divergent Fisherian
sexual selection. I then compared clinal variation in allele frequencies at many unlinked single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) loci to variation in plumage color across a 3,052 km transect through the species range. Clines for many SNP loci were centered at the Carpentarian Barrier, confirming the existence of a hybrid zone at the location of secondary contact between the subspecies. The cline for plumage color was displaced 390 km east of the genetic clines, indicating that alleles for red plumage have introgressed asymmetrically across the hybrid zone, likely driven by
sexual selection. A plumage manipulation experiment in an allopatric population of the orange subspecies confirmed this idea, as experimentally reddened males sired significantly more extra-pair young and had higher reproductive success than orange males. To determine whether this mating advantage was due to female preference or a competitive advantage of red over orange males, I presented territorial males in populations on both sides of the hybrid zone with various combinations of local, foreign, and heterospecific male mounts paired with local, foreign, and heterospecific songs. Territorial males consistently responded most aggressively to the local song regardless of mount plumage color, suggesting that plumage color is not a signal used in male competition. Thus, female preference for red, and not a competitive advantage to red males, likely drives the asymmetrical introgression of red plumage. In conclusion, although the red-backed fairy-wren appeared at first to be in the process of speciation by
sexual selection owing to the conspicuous divergence in
sexual signals between the subspecies, a thorough analysis of the system revealed a much more complicated situation. This study highlights the strength of fine-scale analyses using behavioral…
Advisors/Committee Members: Webster Jr, Michael Stilson (chair), Harrison, Richard Gerald (committee member), Lovette, John I (committee member), Shaw, Kerry L (committee member).
Subjects/Keywords: sexual selection; speciation; hybrid zone
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❌
APA ·
Chicago ·
MLA ·
Vancouver ·
CSE |
Export
to Zotero / EndNote / Reference
Manager
APA (6th Edition):
Baldassarre, D. (2014). Sexual Selection And Speciation In The Red-Backed Fairy-Wren. (Doctoral Dissertation). Cornell University. Retrieved from http://hdl.handle.net/1813/37042
Chicago Manual of Style (16th Edition):
Baldassarre, Daniel. “Sexual Selection And Speciation In The Red-Backed Fairy-Wren.” 2014. Doctoral Dissertation, Cornell University. Accessed April 16, 2021.
http://hdl.handle.net/1813/37042.
MLA Handbook (7th Edition):
Baldassarre, Daniel. “Sexual Selection And Speciation In The Red-Backed Fairy-Wren.” 2014. Web. 16 Apr 2021.
Vancouver:
Baldassarre D. Sexual Selection And Speciation In The Red-Backed Fairy-Wren. [Internet] [Doctoral dissertation]. Cornell University; 2014. [cited 2021 Apr 16].
Available from: http://hdl.handle.net/1813/37042.
Council of Science Editors:
Baldassarre D. Sexual Selection And Speciation In The Red-Backed Fairy-Wren. [Doctoral Dissertation]. Cornell University; 2014. Available from: http://hdl.handle.net/1813/37042

Cornell University
8.
Cator, Lauren.
The Role Of Bioacoustics In The Mating Behavior Of Medically Important Mosquitoes.
Degree: PhD, Entomology, 2011, Cornell University
URL: http://hdl.handle.net/1813/29394
► Understanding the basic behavioral ecology of mosquitoes is important for the development of new disease control strategies and the improvement of classical control. Mating behavior…
(more)
▼ Understanding the basic behavioral ecology of mosquitoes is important for the development of new disease control strategies and the improvement of classical control. Mating behavior is severely understudied and we lack even the most basic information about mosquito mating systems. This stage of the mosquito life cycle may hold important targets for disease control. I investigated the role of bioacoutics in mosquito mating behavior. I found that male and female mosquito engage in a dynamic acoustic interaction when they meet in flight. I went on to investigate the role of this behavior, termed harmonic convergence, in the mating behavior of both Aedes and Anopheles mosquitoes. I found that flight tone is correlated with body size and that large individuals produce higher flight tone frequencies. In Anopheles gambiae, I conducted playback experiments and was able to determine that males and females are able to discriminate between the signals produced by large and small potential mates. In Aedes aegypti, I found that successful convergence in a mating attempt predicted the formation of a copula and that female rejection behaviors were less likely when convergence preceded a mating attempt. The male offspring of converging pairs had higher mating success when compared with sons of non-converging pairs and where more likely to converge themselves. These results indicate the mate assessment is a key factor in mosquito mating systems. Further characterization of mate assessment and its mechanism has obvious applications to trangsgenic mosquito release programs and may provide the opportunity for new control strategies.
Advisors/Committee Members: Harrington, Laura C. (chair), Thaler, Jennifer S. (committee member), Hoy, Ronald Raymond (committee member).
Subjects/Keywords: mosquito; harmonic convergence; sexual selection
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APA (6th Edition):
Cator, L. (2011). The Role Of Bioacoustics In The Mating Behavior Of Medically Important Mosquitoes. (Doctoral Dissertation). Cornell University. Retrieved from http://hdl.handle.net/1813/29394
Chicago Manual of Style (16th Edition):
Cator, Lauren. “The Role Of Bioacoustics In The Mating Behavior Of Medically Important Mosquitoes.” 2011. Doctoral Dissertation, Cornell University. Accessed April 16, 2021.
http://hdl.handle.net/1813/29394.
MLA Handbook (7th Edition):
Cator, Lauren. “The Role Of Bioacoustics In The Mating Behavior Of Medically Important Mosquitoes.” 2011. Web. 16 Apr 2021.
Vancouver:
Cator L. The Role Of Bioacoustics In The Mating Behavior Of Medically Important Mosquitoes. [Internet] [Doctoral dissertation]. Cornell University; 2011. [cited 2021 Apr 16].
Available from: http://hdl.handle.net/1813/29394.
Council of Science Editors:
Cator L. The Role Of Bioacoustics In The Mating Behavior Of Medically Important Mosquitoes. [Doctoral Dissertation]. Cornell University; 2011. Available from: http://hdl.handle.net/1813/29394

University of Otago
9.
McLean, Morgan.
Testing the predictions of inter-sexual selection theory, using anurans as a model taxon.
Degree: 2012, University of Otago
URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10523/2198
► In many species, members of one sex (usually males) compete for access to mating opportunities. When this competition manifests through inter-sexual interactions, female preferences commonly…
(more)
▼ In many species, members of one sex (usually males) compete for access to mating opportunities. When this competition manifests through inter-
sexual interactions, female preferences commonly drive the evolution of elaborate male traits. Many different models have been proposed to explain the evolution of these traits.
Anurans are a taxonomic group that is particularly dominated by inter-
sexual selection. Male frogs spend a significant amount of time and energy producing advertisement calls, and these calls are used by females to select from prospective mates. This widespread importance of a single type of
sexual advertisement across an entire taxonomic group is unique within the animal kingdom. As such, anurans are an ideal model taxon for studies of inter-
sexual selection, and the main aim of this thesis was to demonstrate this usefulness of anurans for investigating various models of inter-
sexual selection.
First, the possible functions of male ornaments in anurans were investigated in two separate studies. First, calls from the Australian frog Litoria chloris were used to investigate whether calls in this species are used as signals of quality, or if the main function of calls is for individual recognition. A number of general properties of the advertisement calls of L. chloris were assessed to determine which of the two possible functions of calls appeared to be more important. It was found that some aspects of the calls were consistent with quality signalling, although most were not. In addition, many features of the calls indicated that they would be useful for individual recognition.
The function of frog calls was also investigated, using a meta-analysis to quantify the relationships between male signals (also known as ornaments), male quality, and female preferences. The strengths of these relationships were found to be consistent with inter-
sexual indicator models, which assume that male ornaments act as signals of quality. This study provides the first evidence of male ornaments acting as signals of quality across an entire taxonomic group.
Finally, a comparative study was carried out to determine whether
sexual selection has played a major role in the adaptive radiation of anurans. Models that evoke
sexual selection as a driver of speciation propose that diverging female preferences within a population can result in reproductively isolated groups, thus facilitating sympatric speciation. These models, therefore, predict that closely related species should have divergent
sexual signals. The calls from a large number of frog species were analysed, and the data collected were used to assess the phylogenetic patterns that were present within a variety of different call features. These patterns indicated that many of the call features that were analysed did not indicate that closely related species had divergent signals. This finding indicates that speciation in anurans is unlikely to have been influenced by inter-
sexual selection.
The field of inter-
sexual selection is vast, and has many questions that remain…
Advisors/Committee Members: Nakagawa, Shinichi (advisor).
Subjects/Keywords: frog;
sexual selection;
anuran
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❌
APA ·
Chicago ·
MLA ·
Vancouver ·
CSE |
Export
to Zotero / EndNote / Reference
Manager
APA (6th Edition):
McLean, M. (2012). Testing the predictions of inter-sexual selection theory, using anurans as a model taxon.
(Masters Thesis). University of Otago. Retrieved from http://hdl.handle.net/10523/2198
Chicago Manual of Style (16th Edition):
McLean, Morgan. “Testing the predictions of inter-sexual selection theory, using anurans as a model taxon.
” 2012. Masters Thesis, University of Otago. Accessed April 16, 2021.
http://hdl.handle.net/10523/2198.
MLA Handbook (7th Edition):
McLean, Morgan. “Testing the predictions of inter-sexual selection theory, using anurans as a model taxon.
” 2012. Web. 16 Apr 2021.
Vancouver:
McLean M. Testing the predictions of inter-sexual selection theory, using anurans as a model taxon.
[Internet] [Masters thesis]. University of Otago; 2012. [cited 2021 Apr 16].
Available from: http://hdl.handle.net/10523/2198.
Council of Science Editors:
McLean M. Testing the predictions of inter-sexual selection theory, using anurans as a model taxon.
[Masters Thesis]. University of Otago; 2012. Available from: http://hdl.handle.net/10523/2198

Uppsala University
10.
Jones, William.
Malaria infected male collared flycatchers, Ficedula albicollis experience higher reproductive success and tend to have larger sexual ornaments.
Degree: Biology Education Centre, 2016, Uppsala University
URL: http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:uu:diva-283179
► How parasites influence the population dynamics of their hosts depends on 1) theproportion of individuals that carry the infection in the population, 2) what…
(more)
▼ How parasites influence the population dynamics of their hosts depends on 1) theproportion of individuals that carry the infection in the population, 2) what type of individuals aremost susceptible to infection and 3) the fitness effects of infection. In this study I first investigate thefrequency of malaria strains transmitted in the African winter quarters or at the European breedinggrounds in collared flycatchers (Ficedula albicollis). I then zoom in on the relationship between avianmalaria infection status and condition, expression of sexually selected ornament and reproductiveperformance of male collared flycatchers. I found that female flycatchers are more likely to beinfected than males and that both sexes have a large bias towards infection with European strains ofmalaria. Infected male flycatchers have higher reproductive success and tend to have largerornaments but there was no detected relationship between malaria infection and male condition.This is the first example, that I am aware of, of a positive relationship between malaria infection andreproductive success.
Subjects/Keywords: Ficedula; Avian malaria; sexual selection
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❌
APA ·
Chicago ·
MLA ·
Vancouver ·
CSE |
Export
to Zotero / EndNote / Reference
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APA (6th Edition):
Jones, W. (2016). Malaria infected male collared flycatchers, Ficedula albicollis experience higher reproductive success and tend to have larger sexual ornaments. (Thesis). Uppsala University. Retrieved from http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:uu:diva-283179
Note: this citation may be lacking information needed for this citation format:
Not specified: Masters Thesis or Doctoral Dissertation
Chicago Manual of Style (16th Edition):
Jones, William. “Malaria infected male collared flycatchers, Ficedula albicollis experience higher reproductive success and tend to have larger sexual ornaments.” 2016. Thesis, Uppsala University. Accessed April 16, 2021.
http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:uu:diva-283179.
Note: this citation may be lacking information needed for this citation format:
Not specified: Masters Thesis or Doctoral Dissertation
MLA Handbook (7th Edition):
Jones, William. “Malaria infected male collared flycatchers, Ficedula albicollis experience higher reproductive success and tend to have larger sexual ornaments.” 2016. Web. 16 Apr 2021.
Vancouver:
Jones W. Malaria infected male collared flycatchers, Ficedula albicollis experience higher reproductive success and tend to have larger sexual ornaments. [Internet] [Thesis]. Uppsala University; 2016. [cited 2021 Apr 16].
Available from: http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:uu:diva-283179.
Note: this citation may be lacking information needed for this citation format:
Not specified: Masters Thesis or Doctoral Dissertation
Council of Science Editors:
Jones W. Malaria infected male collared flycatchers, Ficedula albicollis experience higher reproductive success and tend to have larger sexual ornaments. [Thesis]. Uppsala University; 2016. Available from: http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:uu:diva-283179
Note: this citation may be lacking information needed for this citation format:
Not specified: Masters Thesis or Doctoral Dissertation

Victoria University of Wellington
11.
Dixson, Alexander.
Ecology and Development in an Island Population of Wellington Tree Weta (Hemideina crassidens).
Degree: 2020, Victoria University of Wellington
URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10063/8998
► Sexual selection and the mating system of the Wellington tree weta has been extensively studied during the last 15 years. In the past 10 years,…
(more)
▼ Sexual selection and the mating system of the Wellington tree weta has been extensively studied during the last 15 years. In the past 10 years, nutritional ecology and factors affecting the distribution of species in the genus Hemideina have also been examined in great detail. This recent work and the extensive studies of New Zealand tree weta species that preceded it provide much context and comparison for this thesis, which examines the ecology of a population of tree weta living on Matiu/Somes Island. Less is known about factors affecting the development of the exaggerated male weaponry that is characteristic of much of the genus Hemideina.
This thesis firstly presents a mark-recapture study conducted over 42 months on Matiu/Somes Island to obtain ecological information about the population. Secondly, this thesis presents an experiment on the effects of protein supplement on growth and weaponry in male Wellington tree weta derived from the Matiu/Somes Island population. The results of the field study indicate that male tree weta live longer than females on Matiu/Somes Island and weapon size is positively related to adult longevity of males. Seasonal patterns shown in the population on Matiu/Somes Island and inferences about aspects of their life cycle are discussed. Female tree weta on Matiu/Somes Island formed harems throughout each year and there was a positive relationship between males weapon size and the number of females in a harem. Results do not indicate seasonal differences in harem-forming behaviours of females. The results of the captive rearing study include a shorter development time and larger weaponry as adults in males raised on a protein supplemented diet, compared to individuals raised on an entirely herbivorous diet. Details of differences in the course of development are also discussed for the two diet treatment groups.
Advisors/Committee Members: Lester, Phil.
Subjects/Keywords: Ecology; Evolution; Sexual selection
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APA ·
Chicago ·
MLA ·
Vancouver ·
CSE |
Export
to Zotero / EndNote / Reference
Manager
APA (6th Edition):
Dixson, A. (2020). Ecology and Development in an Island Population of Wellington Tree Weta (Hemideina crassidens). (Masters Thesis). Victoria University of Wellington. Retrieved from http://hdl.handle.net/10063/8998
Chicago Manual of Style (16th Edition):
Dixson, Alexander. “Ecology and Development in an Island Population of Wellington Tree Weta (Hemideina crassidens).” 2020. Masters Thesis, Victoria University of Wellington. Accessed April 16, 2021.
http://hdl.handle.net/10063/8998.
MLA Handbook (7th Edition):
Dixson, Alexander. “Ecology and Development in an Island Population of Wellington Tree Weta (Hemideina crassidens).” 2020. Web. 16 Apr 2021.
Vancouver:
Dixson A. Ecology and Development in an Island Population of Wellington Tree Weta (Hemideina crassidens). [Internet] [Masters thesis]. Victoria University of Wellington; 2020. [cited 2021 Apr 16].
Available from: http://hdl.handle.net/10063/8998.
Council of Science Editors:
Dixson A. Ecology and Development in an Island Population of Wellington Tree Weta (Hemideina crassidens). [Masters Thesis]. Victoria University of Wellington; 2020. Available from: http://hdl.handle.net/10063/8998
12.
Gómez, Miguel.
Plasticity in reproductive behaviours as a response to ecological changes.
Degree: PhD, 2018, University of Manchester
URL: https://www.research.manchester.ac.uk/portal/en/theses/plasticity-in-reproductive-behaviours-as-a-response-to-ecological-changes(c9f90665-0722-42fc-92d3-2603a476b20c).html
;
https://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.756867
► The thesis presented here utilizes a variety of methods and study systems to address how ecological promote plasticity in reproductive behaviours. We study mate choice,…
(more)
▼ The thesis presented here utilizes a variety of methods and study systems to address how ecological promote plasticity in reproductive behaviours. We study mate choice, copulation and parental care as the different reproductive behaviours, as they can be envisioned as representatives of different stages of the reproductive cycle and can be subject to different selection pressures. With the use of computer simulations we study the conditions of sex ratio and cost of courting under which a learned mate preference in males or in both sexes can evolve. We found that for males, maternal imprinting is the most advantageous imprinting strategy, but when both sexes imprint, paternal imprinting in both sexes is the most advantageous strategy. We show that environmental change can lead to the evolution of sexual imprinting by both sexes. A study using mesocosm and mating trial experiments, measuring female survival and male mating success was used to study the role of intra- and interspecific interactions in mating behaviour (competition and harassment) in Calopteryx splendens. We showed that intense intraspecific male-male competition reduces harassment over females and increases female survival. On the other side, interspecific reproductive interference can reduce male mating success and can increase female survival. Finally, theory on the use of social learning was tested using Drosophila melanogaster oviposition site choice. We show that fruit flies use social learning more after they experience heterogeneous environments. However, our results suggest that the use of social learning was driven by fruit flies signalling more when they experience heterogeneous environments, instead of driven by copying others decisions, as theoretical predictions suggest. We also show that the use of social learning is an innate trait, opening the opportunity for the study of the genomic basis of social learning.
Subjects/Keywords: 591.56; sexual selection; plasticity
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APA ·
Chicago ·
MLA ·
Vancouver ·
CSE |
Export
to Zotero / EndNote / Reference
Manager
APA (6th Edition):
Gómez, M. (2018). Plasticity in reproductive behaviours as a response to ecological changes. (Doctoral Dissertation). University of Manchester. Retrieved from https://www.research.manchester.ac.uk/portal/en/theses/plasticity-in-reproductive-behaviours-as-a-response-to-ecological-changes(c9f90665-0722-42fc-92d3-2603a476b20c).html ; https://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.756867
Chicago Manual of Style (16th Edition):
Gómez, Miguel. “Plasticity in reproductive behaviours as a response to ecological changes.” 2018. Doctoral Dissertation, University of Manchester. Accessed April 16, 2021.
https://www.research.manchester.ac.uk/portal/en/theses/plasticity-in-reproductive-behaviours-as-a-response-to-ecological-changes(c9f90665-0722-42fc-92d3-2603a476b20c).html ; https://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.756867.
MLA Handbook (7th Edition):
Gómez, Miguel. “Plasticity in reproductive behaviours as a response to ecological changes.” 2018. Web. 16 Apr 2021.
Vancouver:
Gómez M. Plasticity in reproductive behaviours as a response to ecological changes. [Internet] [Doctoral dissertation]. University of Manchester; 2018. [cited 2021 Apr 16].
Available from: https://www.research.manchester.ac.uk/portal/en/theses/plasticity-in-reproductive-behaviours-as-a-response-to-ecological-changes(c9f90665-0722-42fc-92d3-2603a476b20c).html ; https://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.756867.
Council of Science Editors:
Gómez M. Plasticity in reproductive behaviours as a response to ecological changes. [Doctoral Dissertation]. University of Manchester; 2018. Available from: https://www.research.manchester.ac.uk/portal/en/theses/plasticity-in-reproductive-behaviours-as-a-response-to-ecological-changes(c9f90665-0722-42fc-92d3-2603a476b20c).html ; https://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.756867

University of KwaZulu-Natal
13.
Wilkinson, Abigail.
Is pheromone detection in sexual selection applicable to everyone? sexual orientation and its association with pheromone attraction to masculine features.
Degree: 2016, University of KwaZulu-Natal
URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10413/14440
► Most traditional theories in the field of sexual selection generally imply a heterosexual bias when illustrating the biological functionality of sexual behaviour. It is suggested…
(more)
▼ Most traditional theories in the field of
sexual selection generally imply a heterosexual bias when illustrating the biological functionality of
sexual behaviour. It is suggested by several traditional theorists that attractive features are often advertisements for reproductive potential and benefits. Putative pheromones are said to be one of these physiological advertisements that indicate reproductive potential.
This study aimed to replicate and expand on the “t-shirt” studies conducted by many authors, introducing the variable of
sexual orientation and to note how the evolutionary theorised response to exposure of pheromones applies to all
sexual orientations. The primary aim of this study was to assess whether
sexual orientation affected individuals’ responses and judgements of human putative pheromones and if so, how individuals responded. A sample of 31 participants of different sexes and
sexual orientations were asked to smell and rank t-shirts worn by six other male participants. Participants were also asked to provide rankings for the photographs of those same male respondents.
Due to the small sample size and ordinal data, non-parametric tests were used to analyse the data, including the Friedman’s two-way ANOVA for ranked data, and the Kendall’s coefficient of concordance, to establish whether the participant groups ranked the stimuli concordantly.
The results revealed that heterosexual men ranked the scent stimuli similarly to homosexual women, and that homosexual men ranked the scent stimuli similarly to heterosexual women. Furthermore, both sex and
sexual orientation independently affected the rankings of the t-shirts but, however, did not affect the rankings of the visual stimulus. There is scope for future studies, due to the limited sample size and limitations within the study design.
Advisors/Committee Members: Lachenicht, Lance Gary. (advisor).
Subjects/Keywords: Sexual dimophism.; Sexual selection.; Pheromones.; Chemo-signals.; Sexual orientation.
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❌
APA ·
Chicago ·
MLA ·
Vancouver ·
CSE |
Export
to Zotero / EndNote / Reference
Manager
APA (6th Edition):
Wilkinson, A. (2016). Is pheromone detection in sexual selection applicable to everyone? sexual orientation and its association with pheromone attraction to masculine features. (Thesis). University of KwaZulu-Natal. Retrieved from http://hdl.handle.net/10413/14440
Note: this citation may be lacking information needed for this citation format:
Not specified: Masters Thesis or Doctoral Dissertation
Chicago Manual of Style (16th Edition):
Wilkinson, Abigail. “Is pheromone detection in sexual selection applicable to everyone? sexual orientation and its association with pheromone attraction to masculine features.” 2016. Thesis, University of KwaZulu-Natal. Accessed April 16, 2021.
http://hdl.handle.net/10413/14440.
Note: this citation may be lacking information needed for this citation format:
Not specified: Masters Thesis or Doctoral Dissertation
MLA Handbook (7th Edition):
Wilkinson, Abigail. “Is pheromone detection in sexual selection applicable to everyone? sexual orientation and its association with pheromone attraction to masculine features.” 2016. Web. 16 Apr 2021.
Vancouver:
Wilkinson A. Is pheromone detection in sexual selection applicable to everyone? sexual orientation and its association with pheromone attraction to masculine features. [Internet] [Thesis]. University of KwaZulu-Natal; 2016. [cited 2021 Apr 16].
Available from: http://hdl.handle.net/10413/14440.
Note: this citation may be lacking information needed for this citation format:
Not specified: Masters Thesis or Doctoral Dissertation
Council of Science Editors:
Wilkinson A. Is pheromone detection in sexual selection applicable to everyone? sexual orientation and its association with pheromone attraction to masculine features. [Thesis]. University of KwaZulu-Natal; 2016. Available from: http://hdl.handle.net/10413/14440
Note: this citation may be lacking information needed for this citation format:
Not specified: Masters Thesis or Doctoral Dissertation

University of Edinburgh
14.
Fisher, Sarah.
Sexual selection in language, music and birdsong - common themes and issues.
Degree: 2006, University of Edinburgh
URL: http://hdl.handle.net/1842/2050
► Sexual selection plays a major role in evolutionary biology, shaping some of nature's most spectacular beauties and intricate systems. The interplay between competition, display and…
(more)
▼ Sexual selection plays a major role in evolutionary biology, shaping some of nature's most spectacular beauties and intricate systems. The interplay between competition, display and choice is a major driving force in shaping the world around us
Human beings are very
sexual creatures, and display competition, selectiveness and jealousy when it comes to our partners. To what extent did
sexual choice shape our evolutionary history ?
Studies in the evolution of language have considered a role for
sexual selection in the development of our most unique and mysterious trait, and more recently in the emergence of music. However, the theories put forward are for the most part hesitant and conflicting. This study attempts to gather and assess some of these theories while considering the insights available from another group of adept vocal learners and performers the oscine songbirds.
Advisors/Committee Members: Kirby, Simon, Hurford, Jim.
Subjects/Keywords: language evolution; sexual selection; birdsong; linguistics
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❌
APA ·
Chicago ·
MLA ·
Vancouver ·
CSE |
Export
to Zotero / EndNote / Reference
Manager
APA (6th Edition):
Fisher, S. (2006). Sexual selection in language, music and birdsong - common themes and issues. (Thesis). University of Edinburgh. Retrieved from http://hdl.handle.net/1842/2050
Note: this citation may be lacking information needed for this citation format:
Not specified: Masters Thesis or Doctoral Dissertation
Chicago Manual of Style (16th Edition):
Fisher, Sarah. “Sexual selection in language, music and birdsong - common themes and issues.” 2006. Thesis, University of Edinburgh. Accessed April 16, 2021.
http://hdl.handle.net/1842/2050.
Note: this citation may be lacking information needed for this citation format:
Not specified: Masters Thesis or Doctoral Dissertation
MLA Handbook (7th Edition):
Fisher, Sarah. “Sexual selection in language, music and birdsong - common themes and issues.” 2006. Web. 16 Apr 2021.
Vancouver:
Fisher S. Sexual selection in language, music and birdsong - common themes and issues. [Internet] [Thesis]. University of Edinburgh; 2006. [cited 2021 Apr 16].
Available from: http://hdl.handle.net/1842/2050.
Note: this citation may be lacking information needed for this citation format:
Not specified: Masters Thesis or Doctoral Dissertation
Council of Science Editors:
Fisher S. Sexual selection in language, music and birdsong - common themes and issues. [Thesis]. University of Edinburgh; 2006. Available from: http://hdl.handle.net/1842/2050
Note: this citation may be lacking information needed for this citation format:
Not specified: Masters Thesis or Doctoral Dissertation

University of Edinburgh
15.
Smallwood, Eleanor.
A Sexual selection approach to women's pupil size preferences in a potential mate.
Degree: 2006, University of Edinburgh
URL: http://hdl.handle.net/1842/2358
► Dilated pupils represent a display of sexual interest. The attraction value of this display in a potential mate varies between women. While some females find…
(more)
▼ Dilated pupils represent a display of
sexual interest. The attraction value of this display in a
potential mate varies between women. While some females find a clear demonstration of
sexual interest attractive, others prefer less overt
sexual attentions. This study aims to
account for these differences using a
sexual selection approach. Male faces were manipulated
to have three different pupil sizes to determine which size women find the most attractive.
Individuals’ with unrestricted sociosexual orientation were shown to prefer larger pupils than
those with restricted sociosexuality. Conversely, women taking hormonal contraceptives had
a greater preference for men with medium pupil sizes than those with natural menstrual
cycles. Therefore, both individual differences and circumstantial factors were shown to
impact females’ pupil size preferences. These correlations suggest that the preferences may
be a representation of the type of relationship a woman is currently interested in pursuing,
with a preference for medium pupils corresponding to a long-term mating strategy and a
preference for large pupils corresponding to a short-term mating strategy
Advisors/Committee Members: Caryl, Peter.
Subjects/Keywords: mating strategy; pupil size; sexual selection
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❌
APA ·
Chicago ·
MLA ·
Vancouver ·
CSE |
Export
to Zotero / EndNote / Reference
Manager
APA (6th Edition):
Smallwood, E. (2006). A Sexual selection approach to women's pupil size preferences in a potential mate. (Thesis). University of Edinburgh. Retrieved from http://hdl.handle.net/1842/2358
Note: this citation may be lacking information needed for this citation format:
Not specified: Masters Thesis or Doctoral Dissertation
Chicago Manual of Style (16th Edition):
Smallwood, Eleanor. “A Sexual selection approach to women's pupil size preferences in a potential mate.” 2006. Thesis, University of Edinburgh. Accessed April 16, 2021.
http://hdl.handle.net/1842/2358.
Note: this citation may be lacking information needed for this citation format:
Not specified: Masters Thesis or Doctoral Dissertation
MLA Handbook (7th Edition):
Smallwood, Eleanor. “A Sexual selection approach to women's pupil size preferences in a potential mate.” 2006. Web. 16 Apr 2021.
Vancouver:
Smallwood E. A Sexual selection approach to women's pupil size preferences in a potential mate. [Internet] [Thesis]. University of Edinburgh; 2006. [cited 2021 Apr 16].
Available from: http://hdl.handle.net/1842/2358.
Note: this citation may be lacking information needed for this citation format:
Not specified: Masters Thesis or Doctoral Dissertation
Council of Science Editors:
Smallwood E. A Sexual selection approach to women's pupil size preferences in a potential mate. [Thesis]. University of Edinburgh; 2006. Available from: http://hdl.handle.net/1842/2358
Note: this citation may be lacking information needed for this citation format:
Not specified: Masters Thesis or Doctoral Dissertation

University of Edinburgh
16.
Szeto, Pui Yiu.
Origins of Language in relation to Sexual Selection.
Degree: 2010, University of Edinburgh
URL: http://hdl.handle.net/1842/5340
► Language can be viewed as sexual displays from an evolutionary perspective. As both sexes in humans contribute significantly to parental care, we can expect that…
(more)
▼ Language can be viewed as
sexual displays from an evolutionary perspective. As both sexes in humans contribute significantly to parental care, we can expect that both males and females use language to display their favourable qualities in order to attract potential mates. In this study, 50 participants (22 male, 28 female) rated 30 vignettes, in which a male or female protagonist attempted to impress an opposite sex friend in a conversation. In both male-female and female-male flirtations, conversations revealing the speaker’s positive character traits were the most highly rated while those explicitly showing the speaker’s
sexual interest in the potential partner were the most poorly rated. Despite the similarities, there were significant sex differences in the ratings of some individual vignettes and item-groups. Such differences would be chiefly discussed from an evolutionary perspective.
Advisors/Committee Members: Hurford, James.
Subjects/Keywords: sexual selection; mate choice; speech content
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Export
to Zotero / EndNote / Reference
Manager
APA (6th Edition):
Szeto, P. Y. (2010). Origins of Language in relation to Sexual Selection. (Thesis). University of Edinburgh. Retrieved from http://hdl.handle.net/1842/5340
Note: this citation may be lacking information needed for this citation format:
Not specified: Masters Thesis or Doctoral Dissertation
Chicago Manual of Style (16th Edition):
Szeto, Pui Yiu. “Origins of Language in relation to Sexual Selection.” 2010. Thesis, University of Edinburgh. Accessed April 16, 2021.
http://hdl.handle.net/1842/5340.
Note: this citation may be lacking information needed for this citation format:
Not specified: Masters Thesis or Doctoral Dissertation
MLA Handbook (7th Edition):
Szeto, Pui Yiu. “Origins of Language in relation to Sexual Selection.” 2010. Web. 16 Apr 2021.
Vancouver:
Szeto PY. Origins of Language in relation to Sexual Selection. [Internet] [Thesis]. University of Edinburgh; 2010. [cited 2021 Apr 16].
Available from: http://hdl.handle.net/1842/5340.
Note: this citation may be lacking information needed for this citation format:
Not specified: Masters Thesis or Doctoral Dissertation
Council of Science Editors:
Szeto PY. Origins of Language in relation to Sexual Selection. [Thesis]. University of Edinburgh; 2010. Available from: http://hdl.handle.net/1842/5340
Note: this citation may be lacking information needed for this citation format:
Not specified: Masters Thesis or Doctoral Dissertation

University of Rochester
17.
Zhu, Jing (1980 - ).
Costs and benefits of sexual selection in
Drosophila.
Degree: PhD, 2014, University of Rochester
URL: http://hdl.handle.net/1802/28374
► Although indirect benefits through mate choice have been widely observed, empirical work has also found costs of sexual selection. My dissertation research explores the effects…
(more)
▼ Although indirect benefits through mate choice have
been widely observed, empirical work has also found costs of sexual
selection. My dissertation research explores the effects of sexual
selection on nonsexual fitness in Drosophila melanogaster.
In
chapter one, I report a study in which sexual selection facilitated
adaptation in D. melanogaster. In this experiment, selection for
mating competitiveness in the presence of a naturally occurring low
ethanol concentration increased the flies‘ resistance to being
killed by a high concentration as a correlated response.
In
chapter two, to test whether sexual selection can benefit
populations by reducing mutation load, I created "stud" and "dud"
lines from reproductively successful and unsuccessful males sorted
from an outbred mutation-accumulated population, and measured male
and female fitness in those lines. The study showed that even
though males from stud lines had substantially higher mating
success than dud males, females from the stud and dud lines did not
differ in reproductive output. The results therefore give no
evidence that sexual selection can reduce mutation load in this
population.
One possible explanation for the mixed observations of
seeing costs or benefits in the presence of sexual selection is
that the studies differed in the extent to which female choice was
the main determinant of male reproductive success. In chapter
three, I reviewed studies in which genetic correlation between male
reproductive success and female (or offspring) fitness was measured
to evaluate this possibility. I predicted that intralocus sexual
conflict is unlikely to arise when female mate choice is the
primary determinant of sexual reproductive success; and that when
intralocus sexual conflict is detected, intra-sexual selection is
likely to be involved. These predictions were supported by
empirical data reviewed here.
Chapter four is a side project in
which I assayed the preference in oviposition and feeding on
ethanol medium in temperate and tropical D. melanogaster
populations to test the prediction that temperate populations would
have higher ethanol preference than tropical populations. The
results supported this prediction and this work is necessary for
testing the hypothesis that utilizing ethanol is more beneficial in
temperate zone than in tropics for D.
melanogaster.
Subjects/Keywords: Sexual selection; Fitness; Mutation load; Adaptation
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❌
APA ·
Chicago ·
MLA ·
Vancouver ·
CSE |
Export
to Zotero / EndNote / Reference
Manager
APA (6th Edition):
Zhu, J. (. -. ). (2014). Costs and benefits of sexual selection in
Drosophila. (Doctoral Dissertation). University of Rochester. Retrieved from http://hdl.handle.net/1802/28374
Chicago Manual of Style (16th Edition):
Zhu, Jing (1980 - ). “Costs and benefits of sexual selection in
Drosophila.” 2014. Doctoral Dissertation, University of Rochester. Accessed April 16, 2021.
http://hdl.handle.net/1802/28374.
MLA Handbook (7th Edition):
Zhu, Jing (1980 - ). “Costs and benefits of sexual selection in
Drosophila.” 2014. Web. 16 Apr 2021.
Vancouver:
Zhu J(-). Costs and benefits of sexual selection in
Drosophila. [Internet] [Doctoral dissertation]. University of Rochester; 2014. [cited 2021 Apr 16].
Available from: http://hdl.handle.net/1802/28374.
Council of Science Editors:
Zhu J(-). Costs and benefits of sexual selection in
Drosophila. [Doctoral Dissertation]. University of Rochester; 2014. Available from: http://hdl.handle.net/1802/28374

Mississippi State University
18.
Morina, Daniel L.
Reproductive ecology of white-tailed deer: fetal development and mate choice.
Degree: MS, Wildlife, Fisheries & Aquaculture, 2018, Mississippi State University
URL: http://sun.library.msstate.edu/ETD-db/theses/available/etd-04262018-094625/
;
► Aspects of white-tailed deer (<i>Odocoileus</i> virginianus) reproductive ecology remain understudied. The accuracy of the fetal age estimation equation in current use is unknown. Knowledge is…
(more)
▼ Aspects of white-tailed deer (<i>Odocoileus</i> virginianus) reproductive ecology remain understudied. The accuracy of the fetal age estimation equation in current use is unknown. Knowledge is also limited for female choice of secondary
sexual traits like antlers and body size. To address previous fetal estimation equations, I developed a model that included litter characteristics using 110 fetuses with known ages of 54 to 175 days. To address female choice, I manipulated antler size and paired large and small males while controlling allometrically related traits. I then allowed estrus females to choose between pairs of segregated males with either large and small antlers or large and small bodies. My predictive fetal aging model generated more accurate fetal ages under a range of sample timing and composition variation. Using various behavioral indications of choice, I demonstrated that females prefer males with larger antlers and lack a preference for body size or age.
Advisors/Committee Members: Stephen Demarais (chair), Bronson K. Strickland (committee member), Jamie Larson (committee member).
Subjects/Keywords: antlers; sexual selection; mate choice; fetal growth
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❌
APA ·
Chicago ·
MLA ·
Vancouver ·
CSE |
Export
to Zotero / EndNote / Reference
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APA (6th Edition):
Morina, D. L. (2018). Reproductive ecology of white-tailed deer: fetal development and mate choice. (Masters Thesis). Mississippi State University. Retrieved from http://sun.library.msstate.edu/ETD-db/theses/available/etd-04262018-094625/ ;
Chicago Manual of Style (16th Edition):
Morina, Daniel L. “Reproductive ecology of white-tailed deer: fetal development and mate choice.” 2018. Masters Thesis, Mississippi State University. Accessed April 16, 2021.
http://sun.library.msstate.edu/ETD-db/theses/available/etd-04262018-094625/ ;.
MLA Handbook (7th Edition):
Morina, Daniel L. “Reproductive ecology of white-tailed deer: fetal development and mate choice.” 2018. Web. 16 Apr 2021.
Vancouver:
Morina DL. Reproductive ecology of white-tailed deer: fetal development and mate choice. [Internet] [Masters thesis]. Mississippi State University; 2018. [cited 2021 Apr 16].
Available from: http://sun.library.msstate.edu/ETD-db/theses/available/etd-04262018-094625/ ;.
Council of Science Editors:
Morina DL. Reproductive ecology of white-tailed deer: fetal development and mate choice. [Masters Thesis]. Mississippi State University; 2018. Available from: http://sun.library.msstate.edu/ETD-db/theses/available/etd-04262018-094625/ ;

McMaster University
19.
Dey, Cody.
Dominance and Communication in a Cooperatively Breeding Bird.
Degree: PhD, 2015, McMaster University
URL: http://hdl.handle.net/11375/17407
► Social dominance can influence the allocation of resources in animal groups and has important consequences for individual fitness. In my thesis, I examined the structure,…
(more)
▼ Social dominance can influence the allocation of resources in animal groups and
has important consequences for individual fitness. In my thesis, I examined the
structure, formation, maintenance and consequences of dominance, in the
cooperatively breeding pukeko (Porphyrio melanotus melantous: Aves). I first
describe a quantitative analysis of pukeko dominance networks (Chapter 2),
which included one of the first applications of exponential random graph models
in behavioural ecology. This study demonstrated that pukeko form highly ordered
dominance hierarchies, and that dominance relationships were influenced by
both the attributes of individual birds, as well as self-organizational processes
such as winner and loser effects. Additionally, I demonstrated that hatching order
has an important influence on the formation of dominance relationships, with
earlier hatched chicks achieving higher dominance ranks as adults (Chapter 3).
To maintain dominance relationships, pukeko use their red frontal shield as a
‘status signal’, with larger frontal shields indicating more dominant individuals. I
showed that sexual dimorphism in frontal shield size is dramatically different in
two pukeko populations, probably due to differences in the intensity of intrasexual
competition (Chapter 4). Furthermore, by manipulating apparent frontal shield
size, I demonstrated that shield phenotype both influences, and is influenced by,
social interactions (Chapter 5). This bi-directional relationship between signals
and social interactions challenges conventional signalling theory, and has
important implications for how honesty is maintained in this signalling system. Finally, I expanded my findings on pukeko colour traits by exploring interspecific
patterns of bill colouration in over 1600 bird species (Chapter 6). This study
revealed that colourful bills likely evolved as a signal used in competitive
interactions, rather than as a sexual signal. Taken together, my research
provides a significant advancement in our understanding of the complex nature of
dominance in a wild bird, and provides both a methodological and theoretical
basis for future studies on animal social behaviour.
Thesis
Doctor of Science (PhD)
Advisors/Committee Members: Quinn, James, Balshine, Sigal, Biology.
Subjects/Keywords: ethology; ecology; behaviour; evolution; animal; sexual selection
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❌
APA ·
Chicago ·
MLA ·
Vancouver ·
CSE |
Export
to Zotero / EndNote / Reference
Manager
APA (6th Edition):
Dey, C. (2015). Dominance and Communication in a Cooperatively Breeding Bird. (Doctoral Dissertation). McMaster University. Retrieved from http://hdl.handle.net/11375/17407
Chicago Manual of Style (16th Edition):
Dey, Cody. “Dominance and Communication in a Cooperatively Breeding Bird.” 2015. Doctoral Dissertation, McMaster University. Accessed April 16, 2021.
http://hdl.handle.net/11375/17407.
MLA Handbook (7th Edition):
Dey, Cody. “Dominance and Communication in a Cooperatively Breeding Bird.” 2015. Web. 16 Apr 2021.
Vancouver:
Dey C. Dominance and Communication in a Cooperatively Breeding Bird. [Internet] [Doctoral dissertation]. McMaster University; 2015. [cited 2021 Apr 16].
Available from: http://hdl.handle.net/11375/17407.
Council of Science Editors:
Dey C. Dominance and Communication in a Cooperatively Breeding Bird. [Doctoral Dissertation]. McMaster University; 2015. Available from: http://hdl.handle.net/11375/17407
20.
Clark, Huon Lyndon.
Reproductive success and factors affecting sexual selection in a fiddler crab, Uca mjoebergi
.
Degree: 2017, Australian National University
URL: http://hdl.handle.net/1885/116841
► Producing offspring is the most important aspect of an animal’s life. Reproductive success is the cornerstone of evolution, but successful mating is a complex process…
(more)
▼ Producing offspring is the most important aspect of an animal’s
life. Reproductive success is the cornerstone of evolution, but
successful mating is a complex process that we are only starting
to understand. This thesis examines five aspects of reproductive
success in a fiddler crab, Uca mjoebergi. This is an ideal study
species since the crabs are tractable, abundant and amenable to
manipulation. In the first chapter, I examine the natural
mate-searching behaviour of females and show, for the first time
in any species, that there is a mosaic of preferences: females
prefer males of different sizes depending on where they are in
the tidal zone, and when they are mate-searching in the tidal
cycle. This level of complexity in female preferences can partly
explain the ‘lek paradox’.
In the second chapter, I examine assortative mating and show that
there is a strong correlation between the size of males and
females in mated pairs. I show that neither mate availability nor
mating constraints can explain the pattern. Since both males and
females preferentially mate with larger partners, sexual
selection explains the high level of size-assortative mating. In
chapter three, I revisit earlier work on this species showing
that claw loss and subsequent regeneration strongly disadvantages
males in terms of reproductive success. By substantially
increasing the sample size, I show that males with regenerated
claws are not at a mating disadvantage. This study highlights the
importance of large sample sizes in behavioural studies.
In chapter four, I examine the effect of temperature on mating
success. Males can live in the sun or shade. There are advantages
to living in the shade: males can be active for longer periods
and they are less likely to dehydrate or overheat. Females that
chose to mate with males living in the shade, however, would
incubate their eggs at approximately 3°C lower than females
incubating in sunny territories. I show that this difference in
temperature does not affect the timing of crucial reproductive
events and does not prevent the females from releasing their
fully-formed larvae at the optimal time.
In chapter five, I examine the potential consequence of habitat
loss and subsequent overlap between species distributions. We can
already observe this: a larger, lower-living fiddler crab is
invading the habitat of Uca mjoebergi, increasing the competition
between these species. I show that the disadvantages experienced
by male U. mjoebergi from having a heterospecific neighbour is
not necessarily as severe as common sense may suggest.
Subjects/Keywords: sexual selection;
fitness;
Uca;
fiddler crab
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❌
APA ·
Chicago ·
MLA ·
Vancouver ·
CSE |
Export
to Zotero / EndNote / Reference
Manager
APA (6th Edition):
Clark, H. L. (2017). Reproductive success and factors affecting sexual selection in a fiddler crab, Uca mjoebergi
. (Thesis). Australian National University. Retrieved from http://hdl.handle.net/1885/116841
Note: this citation may be lacking information needed for this citation format:
Not specified: Masters Thesis or Doctoral Dissertation
Chicago Manual of Style (16th Edition):
Clark, Huon Lyndon. “Reproductive success and factors affecting sexual selection in a fiddler crab, Uca mjoebergi
.” 2017. Thesis, Australian National University. Accessed April 16, 2021.
http://hdl.handle.net/1885/116841.
Note: this citation may be lacking information needed for this citation format:
Not specified: Masters Thesis or Doctoral Dissertation
MLA Handbook (7th Edition):
Clark, Huon Lyndon. “Reproductive success and factors affecting sexual selection in a fiddler crab, Uca mjoebergi
.” 2017. Web. 16 Apr 2021.
Vancouver:
Clark HL. Reproductive success and factors affecting sexual selection in a fiddler crab, Uca mjoebergi
. [Internet] [Thesis]. Australian National University; 2017. [cited 2021 Apr 16].
Available from: http://hdl.handle.net/1885/116841.
Note: this citation may be lacking information needed for this citation format:
Not specified: Masters Thesis or Doctoral Dissertation
Council of Science Editors:
Clark HL. Reproductive success and factors affecting sexual selection in a fiddler crab, Uca mjoebergi
. [Thesis]. Australian National University; 2017. Available from: http://hdl.handle.net/1885/116841
Note: this citation may be lacking information needed for this citation format:
Not specified: Masters Thesis or Doctoral Dissertation

University of Ottawa
21.
Oudin, Mathew.
Condition Dependence of Sexual Dimorphism in the Antler Fly, Protopiophila litigata
.
Degree: 2014, University of Ottawa
URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10393/31740
► In this thesis, I investigate the relationship between two variables for which persistent directional sexual selection is an evolutionary driver: condition dependence and sexual dimorphism.…
(more)
▼ In this thesis, I investigate the relationship between two variables for which persistent directional sexual selection is an evolutionary driver: condition dependence and sexual dimorphism. This joint dependence on sexual selection predicts that among traits within a given species, greater dimorphism should be associated with stronger condition dependence. Very few studies have tested this prediction, and those that have focus on species with highly exaggerated and strongly dimorphic traits between the sexes. Here, I quantified variation in a suite of morphological traits in a dipteran species – the antler fly, Protopiophila litigata – in which sexual dimorphism is less extensive. I manipulated condition via different larval diets and then quantified the effects on adult body size and shape in both sexes. Across traits, I found that the extent of sexual dimorphism was positively associated with the strength of condition dependence in males but not in females. These results suggest a shared developmental basis to condition dependence and sexual dimorphism in body shape, and suggest that this has arisen via sexual selection in males despite the absence of extremely dimorphic shared traits.
Subjects/Keywords: Aedeagus;
Diet;
Condition-dependent;
Sexual selection
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❌
APA ·
Chicago ·
MLA ·
Vancouver ·
CSE |
Export
to Zotero / EndNote / Reference
Manager
APA (6th Edition):
Oudin, M. (2014). Condition Dependence of Sexual Dimorphism in the Antler Fly, Protopiophila litigata
. (Thesis). University of Ottawa. Retrieved from http://hdl.handle.net/10393/31740
Note: this citation may be lacking information needed for this citation format:
Not specified: Masters Thesis or Doctoral Dissertation
Chicago Manual of Style (16th Edition):
Oudin, Mathew. “Condition Dependence of Sexual Dimorphism in the Antler Fly, Protopiophila litigata
.” 2014. Thesis, University of Ottawa. Accessed April 16, 2021.
http://hdl.handle.net/10393/31740.
Note: this citation may be lacking information needed for this citation format:
Not specified: Masters Thesis or Doctoral Dissertation
MLA Handbook (7th Edition):
Oudin, Mathew. “Condition Dependence of Sexual Dimorphism in the Antler Fly, Protopiophila litigata
.” 2014. Web. 16 Apr 2021.
Vancouver:
Oudin M. Condition Dependence of Sexual Dimorphism in the Antler Fly, Protopiophila litigata
. [Internet] [Thesis]. University of Ottawa; 2014. [cited 2021 Apr 16].
Available from: http://hdl.handle.net/10393/31740.
Note: this citation may be lacking information needed for this citation format:
Not specified: Masters Thesis or Doctoral Dissertation
Council of Science Editors:
Oudin M. Condition Dependence of Sexual Dimorphism in the Antler Fly, Protopiophila litigata
. [Thesis]. University of Ottawa; 2014. Available from: http://hdl.handle.net/10393/31740
Note: this citation may be lacking information needed for this citation format:
Not specified: Masters Thesis or Doctoral Dissertation

University of Ottawa
22.
Godfrey, Corey.
Characterizing Sexual Selection in a Wild Population of Protopiophila litigata (Diptera: Piophilidae) and Analyzing the Combined Effects of Cuticular Hydrocarbons and Wing Interference Patterns on Male Mating Success in Drosophila serrata
.
Degree: 2017, University of Ottawa
URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10393/35743
► One of the major research challenges is the ability to test selective forces in a wild population. A recent discovery of a new dipteran species,…
(more)
▼ One of the major research challenges is the ability to test selective forces in a wild population. A recent discovery of a new dipteran species, Protopiophila litigata, can enable researches to test selection in the wild. Most research has focused on mating behaviour, male mating success and senescence. In this study a small sample of wild mating and non-mating flies were collected, cuticular hydrocarbons were extracted and morphometric traits were obtained to assess the strength of sexual selection. There was significant linear sexual selection on cuticular hydrocarbons and, mid tibia length, hind tibia length and wing length. Overall, further establishes P. litigata as a model species for studying selection in the wild.
Earlier studies have demonstrated strong sexual selection on male cuticular hydrocarbons in Drosophila serrata. Recently wing interference patterns have been documented to be under sexual selection in Drosophila melanogaster. A sample of cuticular hydrocarbons and wing interference pattern values were analyzed to understand the combined effects on male mating success. Cuticular hydrocarbons were under sexual selection, however wing interference patterns were not. Overall, this study confirms selection on cuticular hydrocarbons, but highlights the difficulty in accurately capturing and measuring wing interference patterns.
Subjects/Keywords: Drosophila serrata;
Antler Fly;
Sexual Selection;
insect
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❌
APA ·
Chicago ·
MLA ·
Vancouver ·
CSE |
Export
to Zotero / EndNote / Reference
Manager
APA (6th Edition):
Godfrey, C. (2017). Characterizing Sexual Selection in a Wild Population of Protopiophila litigata (Diptera: Piophilidae) and Analyzing the Combined Effects of Cuticular Hydrocarbons and Wing Interference Patterns on Male Mating Success in Drosophila serrata
. (Thesis). University of Ottawa. Retrieved from http://hdl.handle.net/10393/35743
Note: this citation may be lacking information needed for this citation format:
Not specified: Masters Thesis or Doctoral Dissertation
Chicago Manual of Style (16th Edition):
Godfrey, Corey. “Characterizing Sexual Selection in a Wild Population of Protopiophila litigata (Diptera: Piophilidae) and Analyzing the Combined Effects of Cuticular Hydrocarbons and Wing Interference Patterns on Male Mating Success in Drosophila serrata
.” 2017. Thesis, University of Ottawa. Accessed April 16, 2021.
http://hdl.handle.net/10393/35743.
Note: this citation may be lacking information needed for this citation format:
Not specified: Masters Thesis or Doctoral Dissertation
MLA Handbook (7th Edition):
Godfrey, Corey. “Characterizing Sexual Selection in a Wild Population of Protopiophila litigata (Diptera: Piophilidae) and Analyzing the Combined Effects of Cuticular Hydrocarbons and Wing Interference Patterns on Male Mating Success in Drosophila serrata
.” 2017. Web. 16 Apr 2021.
Vancouver:
Godfrey C. Characterizing Sexual Selection in a Wild Population of Protopiophila litigata (Diptera: Piophilidae) and Analyzing the Combined Effects of Cuticular Hydrocarbons and Wing Interference Patterns on Male Mating Success in Drosophila serrata
. [Internet] [Thesis]. University of Ottawa; 2017. [cited 2021 Apr 16].
Available from: http://hdl.handle.net/10393/35743.
Note: this citation may be lacking information needed for this citation format:
Not specified: Masters Thesis or Doctoral Dissertation
Council of Science Editors:
Godfrey C. Characterizing Sexual Selection in a Wild Population of Protopiophila litigata (Diptera: Piophilidae) and Analyzing the Combined Effects of Cuticular Hydrocarbons and Wing Interference Patterns on Male Mating Success in Drosophila serrata
. [Thesis]. University of Ottawa; 2017. Available from: http://hdl.handle.net/10393/35743
Note: this citation may be lacking information needed for this citation format:
Not specified: Masters Thesis or Doctoral Dissertation

University of Exeter
23.
Skicko, Ian.
Condition-dependent sexual selection in a wild population of the field cricket, Gryllus campestris.
Degree: PhD, 2018, University of Exeter
URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10871/33876
► Condition-dependent sexual selection has the potential to align natural and sexual selection and accelerate adaptation. When the expression of a sexually selected trait is constrained…
(more)
▼ Condition-dependent sexual selection has the potential to align natural and sexual selection and accelerate adaptation. When the expression of a sexually selected trait is constrained by the condition of the bearer, it offers a reliable signal of quality on which females can base mate choice decisions. Individuals with highly expressed sexually selected traits are therefore expected to possess advantageous genes given the prevailing environmental conditions. Such genes can then spread by their naturally selected benefits as well as their sexually selected advantages, thereby accelerating adaptation. I investigate the effect of condition-dependent traits on mating and signalling behaviour to explore the potential for alignment between natural and sexual selection in the wild. By studying a wild population of the field cricket, Gryllus campestris, I explore condition-dependent sexual selection in a natural context. This avoids some limitations of laboratory studies, which may overestimate effects in the absence of natural and environmental variation. I employ a direct experimental test of the effect of condition on sexually selected traits and mating success, finding that while male acoustic signals are condition-dependent, modest increases in calling effort do not result in increased mating success. I investigate the effect of body size on mating success and find mating success to be independent of body size. I explore the possibility of condition- and context-mediated flexibility in mate-searching tactics, finding that while population density influences tactic choice, individual condition is unlikely to predict which tactic a male will adopt. Finally, I consider the role of female condition in sexual selection and find that mating latency in females is not condition-dependent, but that mating history has an important effect on female choosiness.
Subjects/Keywords: 500; Sexual selection; Condition dependence; Gryllus campestris
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❌
APA ·
Chicago ·
MLA ·
Vancouver ·
CSE |
Export
to Zotero / EndNote / Reference
Manager
APA (6th Edition):
Skicko, I. (2018). Condition-dependent sexual selection in a wild population of the field cricket, Gryllus campestris. (Doctoral Dissertation). University of Exeter. Retrieved from http://hdl.handle.net/10871/33876
Chicago Manual of Style (16th Edition):
Skicko, Ian. “Condition-dependent sexual selection in a wild population of the field cricket, Gryllus campestris.” 2018. Doctoral Dissertation, University of Exeter. Accessed April 16, 2021.
http://hdl.handle.net/10871/33876.
MLA Handbook (7th Edition):
Skicko, Ian. “Condition-dependent sexual selection in a wild population of the field cricket, Gryllus campestris.” 2018. Web. 16 Apr 2021.
Vancouver:
Skicko I. Condition-dependent sexual selection in a wild population of the field cricket, Gryllus campestris. [Internet] [Doctoral dissertation]. University of Exeter; 2018. [cited 2021 Apr 16].
Available from: http://hdl.handle.net/10871/33876.
Council of Science Editors:
Skicko I. Condition-dependent sexual selection in a wild population of the field cricket, Gryllus campestris. [Doctoral Dissertation]. University of Exeter; 2018. Available from: http://hdl.handle.net/10871/33876

University of Melbourne
24.
Johnson, Tamara Lee.
The evolution of elaborate antennae of male moths.
Degree: 2018, University of Melbourne
URL: http://hdl.handle.net/11343/213554
► An efficient sensory system is essential for animals to locate appropriate food resources, reproductive partners and oviposition sites as well as to detect and avoid…
(more)
▼ An efficient sensory system is essential for animals to locate appropriate food resources, reproductive partners and oviposition sites as well as to detect and avoid predators. Many insects acquire this information through chemical odours, with antennae being the main receptor organ used to detect these odours. The antennae of male moths are remarkably efficient, capable of detecting minute amounts of sex pheromone released by females over many kilometres. These sex pheromones are species-specific signals and male antennae house receptors on sensory hairs that are fine-tuned to detect these signals. The male antennae of some species of moths are highly elaborate structures, with branches coming off the main flagellum. It is widely held that these elaborate antennae increase sensitivity to the female sex pheromone, but supporting data are lacking. Earlier comparative analyses provide mixed support: elaborate antennae are more common in larger species, and longer elaborate antennae are associated with lower male population abundance. However, there was no statistically significant association between antennal type and pheromone titre. Through a combination of comparative analyses, field experiments and laboratory experiments I provide evidence that morphology of the antennae of male moths is associated with their capacity to detect female sex pheromones.
My phylogenetic comparative study asked whether antennal type (elaborate, feathery antennae versus simple, filiform antennae) is associated with life-history and other morphological traits. Elaborate male antennae are more likely to have evolved in species where females are monandrous and in species where females emerge as an adult with a full compliment of eggs. I also found a link between elaborate antennae and female flightlessness, with flightlessness more likely to evolve in species where males have elaborate antennae. These patterns are consistent with the view that selection favours elaborate male antennae when there is a premium on rapidly detecting the female.
I further explored these ideas using laboratory experiments on the gumleaf skeletoniser moth, Uraba lugens; a common Australian species that feeds on the leaves of eucalypt trees. As population density is likely to have an impact on the ability of males to locate females, males may benefit by adjusting investment into antennae based on the population density they are likely to encounter. I reared males in small or large containers with 20 or 50 larvae, creating four different density treatments. I found that males reared in the least dense treatment (20 larvae in a large container) invested in longer antennae and wings, theoretically improving their mate detection and location abilities. When reared with 50 larvae (regardless of the container size), males instead invested in larger testes, presumably to combat the higher probability of sperm competition.
Darwin suggested that elaborate male antennae evolved through sexual selection, favouring males that could rapidly detect females. I found…
Subjects/Keywords: antennal morphology; sexual selection; sex pheromones
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❌
APA ·
Chicago ·
MLA ·
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CSE |
Export
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Manager
APA (6th Edition):
Johnson, T. L. (2018). The evolution of elaborate antennae of male moths. (Doctoral Dissertation). University of Melbourne. Retrieved from http://hdl.handle.net/11343/213554
Chicago Manual of Style (16th Edition):
Johnson, Tamara Lee. “The evolution of elaborate antennae of male moths.” 2018. Doctoral Dissertation, University of Melbourne. Accessed April 16, 2021.
http://hdl.handle.net/11343/213554.
MLA Handbook (7th Edition):
Johnson, Tamara Lee. “The evolution of elaborate antennae of male moths.” 2018. Web. 16 Apr 2021.
Vancouver:
Johnson TL. The evolution of elaborate antennae of male moths. [Internet] [Doctoral dissertation]. University of Melbourne; 2018. [cited 2021 Apr 16].
Available from: http://hdl.handle.net/11343/213554.
Council of Science Editors:
Johnson TL. The evolution of elaborate antennae of male moths. [Doctoral Dissertation]. University of Melbourne; 2018. Available from: http://hdl.handle.net/11343/213554

University of Melbourne
25.
SQUIRES, ZOE.
Sexual selection in cephalopods: multiple mating and sperm competition in dumpling squid (Euprymna tasmanica).
Degree: 2013, University of Melbourne
URL: http://hdl.handle.net/11343/38421
► Sex differences in reproductive investment play a crucial role in sexual conflict. One intriguing aspect is conflict over mating frequency. In this regard, the evolution…
(more)
▼ Sex differences in reproductive investment play a crucial role in sexual conflict. One intriguing aspect is conflict over mating frequency. In this regard, the evolution of female multiple mating (polyandry) has received particular attention, especially in systems where females receive no obvious direct benefits from males, and where mating is costly. Here, theory predicts that polyandrous females can increase their reproductive success by taking advantage of the genetic benefits of mating with multiple males. Cephalopods provide an interesting system for addressing this question because the great majority of species that have been studied mate multiply, with females storing sperm from multiple males, and sperm of many species have remarkable longevities. Mating is also likely to be costly in many species.
Using the dumpling squid, Euprymna tasmanica, I examined differences in reproductive success between singly mated (monandrous), multiply mated (to the same male) and polyandrous (mated to two different males) females, controlling for recent male mating history and mating frequency. I found polyandrous females produced eggs faster and had larger hatchlings relative to egg mass than females mated once with a single male. These benefits are likely to outweigh the costs associated with mating and help to explain how multiple mating has evolved (or is maintained) in this group. In order to assess the natural level of multiple paternity and sperm use patterns in E. tasmanica, I developed five novel polymorphic microsatellites for this species, and measured the level of multiple paternity in clutches collected directly from the field, and from a series of clutches laid in the laboratory. All clutches measured had multiple paternity, with 2 – 4 sires per clutch, concordant with levels reported in other cephalopods. Clutches collected from the field had significantly higher levels of multiple paternity than those laid over an extended period in the laboratory, suggesting that females mate between laying bouts in the field.
In order to understand sperm precedence patterns in this species I genotyped offspring produced from polyandrous females. Here I found that the last male to mate gains an advantage, siring up to 75 % of eggs at the beginning of the laying period. This level decreases to 54 % by the end of the laying period, suggesting that sperm are stratified within the female sperm storage organ at the beginning of the laying period and are more mixed by the end. Patterns of sperm precedence varied markedly among females and this variation was not correlated to any trait measured including male mass, copulation duration or the genetic relatedness of the mating pairs. The fact that all clutches had multiple sires might indicate that genetic diversity of offspring is an important driver of polyandry in this system.
When examining mating behaviour in dumpling squid I found that male E.…
Subjects/Keywords: polyandry; sexual selection; cephalopod; sperm competition
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APA ·
Chicago ·
MLA ·
Vancouver ·
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APA (6th Edition):
SQUIRES, Z. (2013). Sexual selection in cephalopods: multiple mating and sperm competition in dumpling squid (Euprymna tasmanica). (Doctoral Dissertation). University of Melbourne. Retrieved from http://hdl.handle.net/11343/38421
Chicago Manual of Style (16th Edition):
SQUIRES, ZOE. “Sexual selection in cephalopods: multiple mating and sperm competition in dumpling squid (Euprymna tasmanica).” 2013. Doctoral Dissertation, University of Melbourne. Accessed April 16, 2021.
http://hdl.handle.net/11343/38421.
MLA Handbook (7th Edition):
SQUIRES, ZOE. “Sexual selection in cephalopods: multiple mating and sperm competition in dumpling squid (Euprymna tasmanica).” 2013. Web. 16 Apr 2021.
Vancouver:
SQUIRES Z. Sexual selection in cephalopods: multiple mating and sperm competition in dumpling squid (Euprymna tasmanica). [Internet] [Doctoral dissertation]. University of Melbourne; 2013. [cited 2021 Apr 16].
Available from: http://hdl.handle.net/11343/38421.
Council of Science Editors:
SQUIRES Z. Sexual selection in cephalopods: multiple mating and sperm competition in dumpling squid (Euprymna tasmanica). [Doctoral Dissertation]. University of Melbourne; 2013. Available from: http://hdl.handle.net/11343/38421

University of Montana
26.
O'Brien, Devin Mackenzie.
On the Evolution of "Extreme" Morphology: Patterns of Cost and Benefit in Sexually Selected Weapons.
Degree: PhD, 2018, University of Montana
URL: https://scholarworks.umt.edu/etd/11155
► Sexually selected weapons represent some of the most spectacular morphologies in the animal world. They grow out of proportion with body size or other,…
(more)
▼ Sexually selected weapons represent some of the most spectacular morphologies in the animal world. They grow out of proportion with body size or other, more typically proportioned structures, and are some of the largest traits in both absolute and relative size. It is therefore unsurprising that animal weapons are some of the most intensely studied structures in biology. Yet, despite this interest, surprisingly little is known about the expression and evolution of these traits. In particular, four questions remain unanswered: How does selection act on weapons in the wild? Do the costs of large weapons ever outweigh the benefits? How are these patterns of cost and benefit reflected in the morphology and development of modern weaponed species? Can we use these patterns to infer the strength and direction of selection when natural observation is unattainable? My dissertation aims to answer these questions by describing the costs and benefits surrounding sexually selected weapons in the wild. I use the frog legged leaf beetle (Sagra femorata) as my primary study system.
In Chapter 1, I provide the first description of S. femorata mating behavior in the wild and provide an explicit measure of selection acting on the their hindleg weapons. In Chapters 2 and 3, I investigate factors that may shape patterns of selection observed in Chapter 1 – specifically, biomechanical and metabolic cost. In Chapter 4, I explore broad trends in morphological scaling that result from patterns of selection described in earlier chapters. I review the literature surrounding weapon evolution and propose a new method for characterizing selective history through measures of static morphological scaling. Collectively, this work provides a comprehensive analysis of weapons within and across taxa, expanding our understanding of sexually selected morphology and setting the stage for future studies of sexual selection and morphological evolution.
Subjects/Keywords: Animal Weapons; Behavior; Entomology; Evolution; Sexual Selection
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❌
APA ·
Chicago ·
MLA ·
Vancouver ·
CSE |
Export
to Zotero / EndNote / Reference
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APA (6th Edition):
O'Brien, D. M. (2018). On the Evolution of "Extreme" Morphology: Patterns of Cost and Benefit in Sexually Selected Weapons. (Doctoral Dissertation). University of Montana. Retrieved from https://scholarworks.umt.edu/etd/11155
Chicago Manual of Style (16th Edition):
O'Brien, Devin Mackenzie. “On the Evolution of "Extreme" Morphology: Patterns of Cost and Benefit in Sexually Selected Weapons.” 2018. Doctoral Dissertation, University of Montana. Accessed April 16, 2021.
https://scholarworks.umt.edu/etd/11155.
MLA Handbook (7th Edition):
O'Brien, Devin Mackenzie. “On the Evolution of "Extreme" Morphology: Patterns of Cost and Benefit in Sexually Selected Weapons.” 2018. Web. 16 Apr 2021.
Vancouver:
O'Brien DM. On the Evolution of "Extreme" Morphology: Patterns of Cost and Benefit in Sexually Selected Weapons. [Internet] [Doctoral dissertation]. University of Montana; 2018. [cited 2021 Apr 16].
Available from: https://scholarworks.umt.edu/etd/11155.
Council of Science Editors:
O'Brien DM. On the Evolution of "Extreme" Morphology: Patterns of Cost and Benefit in Sexually Selected Weapons. [Doctoral Dissertation]. University of Montana; 2018. Available from: https://scholarworks.umt.edu/etd/11155

McMaster University
27.
Wilson, Audrey.
The Role of Spatial Heterogeneity in Sexual Selection and the Evolution of Exaggerated Animal Weapons.
Degree: MSc, 2021, McMaster University
URL: http://hdl.handle.net/11375/26225
► Sexually selected male weaponry are among the most diverse and elaborate traits seen in the animal kingdom and often aid males in securing resources and…
(more)
▼ Sexually selected male weaponry are among the most diverse and elaborate traits seen in the animal kingdom and often aid males in securing resources and mates, providing a fitness advantage to those that bear them. Yet, while intra-sexual competition between males to secure mates is common, weaponry is a rare trait that is observed in few taxa. Building upon previous theory, Emlen predicted that exaggerated animal weaponry evolves when, (i) there is intense competition between males for access to females, (ii) the biology or behaviour of a species generates high variance in male reproductive success, and (iii) competitions between males promote extreme weapon size evolution. While there are many species bearing weaponry that appear to fit these contexts, it has yet to be tested if these conditions are sufficient to initiate the evolution of exaggerated weaponry. For my research, I created three environmental treatments that emulated the three conditions proposed by Emlen. Using these treatments, I conducted experiments using Drosophila melanogaster to examine the effects of spatial structure on natural and sexual selection with a focus on the initial stages of the evolution of exaggerated trait weaponry that arise from this process. From these experiments, I found that the strength of sexual and other components of natural selection vary with environmental complexity and mutational effect. I also found that these environmental treatments generate weak differences in condition dependence and allometry of fly morphological traits that could be indicative of early weapon evolution. With these experiments, I provide the initial framework to test whether the conditions proposed by Emlen are both necessary and sufficient to lead to the initial evolution of exaggerated animal weaponry and demonstrate that these conditions may indeed create the circumstances that allows this evolution to occur.
Thesis
Master of Science (MSc)
Sexual selection drives the evolution of extreme animal weapons that are used in competition between individuals for access to mates, however while competition is common, these traits are rare. Theory predicts that animal weapons will evolve when (i) there is intense competition between males for mates, (ii) there is high variance in male reproductive success, and (iii) competitions between males mostly occur as duels. For my research, I created three environments that emulated these conditions to differing extents and used the fruitfly as a model to see how these conditions influence the initial stages of animal weapon evolution. I found that these environments are variable in their effects on sexual selection and create morphological differences that could indicate early weapon evolution. With this research, I provide the initial framework to test whether these conditions can create the circumstances for the initial evolution of exaggerated animal weaponry to occur.
Advisors/Committee Members: Dworkin, Ian, Biology.
Subjects/Keywords: Evolution; Sexual Selection; Animal Weaponry; Drosophila
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APA ·
Chicago ·
MLA ·
Vancouver ·
CSE |
Export
to Zotero / EndNote / Reference
Manager
APA (6th Edition):
Wilson, A. (2021). The Role of Spatial Heterogeneity in Sexual Selection and the Evolution of Exaggerated Animal Weapons. (Masters Thesis). McMaster University. Retrieved from http://hdl.handle.net/11375/26225
Chicago Manual of Style (16th Edition):
Wilson, Audrey. “The Role of Spatial Heterogeneity in Sexual Selection and the Evolution of Exaggerated Animal Weapons.” 2021. Masters Thesis, McMaster University. Accessed April 16, 2021.
http://hdl.handle.net/11375/26225.
MLA Handbook (7th Edition):
Wilson, Audrey. “The Role of Spatial Heterogeneity in Sexual Selection and the Evolution of Exaggerated Animal Weapons.” 2021. Web. 16 Apr 2021.
Vancouver:
Wilson A. The Role of Spatial Heterogeneity in Sexual Selection and the Evolution of Exaggerated Animal Weapons. [Internet] [Masters thesis]. McMaster University; 2021. [cited 2021 Apr 16].
Available from: http://hdl.handle.net/11375/26225.
Council of Science Editors:
Wilson A. The Role of Spatial Heterogeneity in Sexual Selection and the Evolution of Exaggerated Animal Weapons. [Masters Thesis]. McMaster University; 2021. Available from: http://hdl.handle.net/11375/26225
28.
Kauffmann, Juliet Laura Dare.
The effect of environmental and social factors on the courtship and mating dynamics of the smooth newt, Triturus v. vulgaris.
Degree: PhD, 1998, Open University
URL: http://oro.open.ac.uk/19722/
;
https://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.244415
► The effect of environmental and social factors on the courtship and mating dynamics of the smooth newt. Triturus v. vulgaris, was studied using laboratory experiments,…
(more)
▼ The effect of environmental and social factors on the courtship and mating dynamics of the smooth newt. Triturus v. vulgaris, was studied using laboratory experiments, an individual-based model, a semi-natural population and a field study. In view of the limitations of laboratory experiments and field observation, the semi-natural and modelling approaches are recommended as additional research tools. In the laboratory, the optimal temperature for spermatophore transfer was just below 13°C, at which point the spermatophore deposition rate is high and oxygen availability not limiting. In the wild females determine the timing of mating. They are highly receptive for a brief period after arrival at the breeding site (early spring), subsequently re-mating only sporadically. Therefore, few courtships take place at mid-season, optimal temperatures. In the semi-natural population. deposition occurred in only 3 - 6% of courtships with a median of one deposition per encounter. Male mating success is therefore unlikely to be constrained by physiological capacity for spermatophore production. Female receptivity and immigration patterns are thus the principle determinants of the operational sex ratio (OSR). According to the model, a male-biased OSR develops rapidly at the start of the season, but the strength of bias will depend on the breeding sex ratio. duration of the arrival period and extent to which males arrive before females. The OSR influences the intensity of competition for mates and the potential for sexual selection. Males compete directly for females by sexual interference, a common but low-gain strategy. Males may also compete indirectly by courting unmated and unfamiliar females preferentially (both of which have a higher probability of being receptive) although more research is needed to establish if males differ in their ability to find receptive females. There is variance in male mating success but the relative contributions of environmental factors and phenotypic traits needs further clarification.
Subjects/Keywords: 577; Sexual selection
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APA ·
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CSE |
Export
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APA (6th Edition):
Kauffmann, J. L. D. (1998). The effect of environmental and social factors on the courtship and mating dynamics of the smooth newt, Triturus v. vulgaris. (Doctoral Dissertation). Open University. Retrieved from http://oro.open.ac.uk/19722/ ; https://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.244415
Chicago Manual of Style (16th Edition):
Kauffmann, Juliet Laura Dare. “The effect of environmental and social factors on the courtship and mating dynamics of the smooth newt, Triturus v. vulgaris.” 1998. Doctoral Dissertation, Open University. Accessed April 16, 2021.
http://oro.open.ac.uk/19722/ ; https://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.244415.
MLA Handbook (7th Edition):
Kauffmann, Juliet Laura Dare. “The effect of environmental and social factors on the courtship and mating dynamics of the smooth newt, Triturus v. vulgaris.” 1998. Web. 16 Apr 2021.
Vancouver:
Kauffmann JLD. The effect of environmental and social factors on the courtship and mating dynamics of the smooth newt, Triturus v. vulgaris. [Internet] [Doctoral dissertation]. Open University; 1998. [cited 2021 Apr 16].
Available from: http://oro.open.ac.uk/19722/ ; https://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.244415.
Council of Science Editors:
Kauffmann JLD. The effect of environmental and social factors on the courtship and mating dynamics of the smooth newt, Triturus v. vulgaris. [Doctoral Dissertation]. Open University; 1998. Available from: http://oro.open.ac.uk/19722/ ; https://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.244415

Syracuse University
29.
Droge-Young, Elizabeth Metta.
IDENTIFYING THE INFLUENCE OF SELECTIVE EPISODES AND MECHANISMS ON REPRODUCTIVE SUCCESS IN TRIBOLIUM CASTANEUM AND DROSOPHILA MELANOGASTER.
Degree: PhD, Biology, 2016, Syracuse University
URL: https://surface.syr.edu/etd/427
► Parsing out what makes some individuals more reproductively successful than others is a key pursuit in evolutionary biology. While reproductive success can ultimately be…
(more)
▼ Parsing out what makes some individuals more reproductively successful than others is a key pursuit in evolutionary biology. While reproductive success can ultimately be defined as the number of offspring produced over an individual’s lifetime, there are many selective episodes that shape this outcome. Because the majority of animals have multiple mates, achieving matings is but one influence on reproductive success. After copulation occurs, sperm from multiple males compete within the female reproductive tract to fertilize eggs, while females morphologically or behaviorally bias fertilization to preferred males, further shaping reproductive success. Additionally, the act of mating itself may influence parental lifespan or rate of offspring production. Here, I investigate the influence of multiple selective episodes on different aspects of reproductive success in two insects: the fruit fly, Drosophila melanogaster and the red flour beetle, Tribolium castaneum. Established genomes in both systems enabled the generation of transgenic, fluorescently labeled lines: green fluorescent protein (GFP) driven by a ubiquitin promoter in D. melanogaster to look at paternity in eggs, and GFP or red fluorescent protein (RFP) tagged protamines to identify different male’s sperm by head color in T. castaneum. I investigated relationships between different episodes of reproductive success in D. melanogaster and found positive correlations between sperm competitive success and offspring viability; offspring viability itself was influenced by a male × female interaction on hatching success. In T. castaneum, I explored potential drivers of their extremely promiscuous mating system and how that system influences mechanisms of postcopulatory reproductive success. I found that repeated receipt of a complete ejaculate directly benefits female reproductive success, but comes at a longevity cost to males. This direct benefit of remating to females may explain why I found that the proportion of different male’s sperm in the main chamber of the female reproductive tract, and not the specialized sperm storage organ as in D. melanogaster and many other arthropods, determine the proportion of offspring sired by each male. The great differences in postcopulatory mechanics between D. melanogaster, found previously, and T. castaneum, found here, illustrate the importance of mating system in shaping aspects of reproductive success.
Advisors/Committee Members: Scott Pitnick, John M. Belote.
Subjects/Keywords: Drosophila melanogaster; Evolution; Life History; Postcopulatory Sexual Selection; Sexual Selection; Tribolium castaneum; Life Sciences
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APA ·
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MLA ·
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Export
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APA (6th Edition):
Droge-Young, E. M. (2016). IDENTIFYING THE INFLUENCE OF SELECTIVE EPISODES AND MECHANISMS ON REPRODUCTIVE SUCCESS IN TRIBOLIUM CASTANEUM AND DROSOPHILA MELANOGASTER. (Doctoral Dissertation). Syracuse University. Retrieved from https://surface.syr.edu/etd/427
Chicago Manual of Style (16th Edition):
Droge-Young, Elizabeth Metta. “IDENTIFYING THE INFLUENCE OF SELECTIVE EPISODES AND MECHANISMS ON REPRODUCTIVE SUCCESS IN TRIBOLIUM CASTANEUM AND DROSOPHILA MELANOGASTER.” 2016. Doctoral Dissertation, Syracuse University. Accessed April 16, 2021.
https://surface.syr.edu/etd/427.
MLA Handbook (7th Edition):
Droge-Young, Elizabeth Metta. “IDENTIFYING THE INFLUENCE OF SELECTIVE EPISODES AND MECHANISMS ON REPRODUCTIVE SUCCESS IN TRIBOLIUM CASTANEUM AND DROSOPHILA MELANOGASTER.” 2016. Web. 16 Apr 2021.
Vancouver:
Droge-Young EM. IDENTIFYING THE INFLUENCE OF SELECTIVE EPISODES AND MECHANISMS ON REPRODUCTIVE SUCCESS IN TRIBOLIUM CASTANEUM AND DROSOPHILA MELANOGASTER. [Internet] [Doctoral dissertation]. Syracuse University; 2016. [cited 2021 Apr 16].
Available from: https://surface.syr.edu/etd/427.
Council of Science Editors:
Droge-Young EM. IDENTIFYING THE INFLUENCE OF SELECTIVE EPISODES AND MECHANISMS ON REPRODUCTIVE SUCCESS IN TRIBOLIUM CASTANEUM AND DROSOPHILA MELANOGASTER. [Doctoral Dissertation]. Syracuse University; 2016. Available from: https://surface.syr.edu/etd/427

University of Stirling
30.
Murray, Rosalind L.
The ecology and evolution of female-specific ornamentation in the dance flies (Diptera: Empidinae).
Degree: PhD, 2015, University of Stirling
URL: http://hdl.handle.net/1893/22157
► Elaborate morphological ornaments can evolve if they increase the reproductive success of the bearer during competition for mates. However, ornament evolution is incredibly rare in…
(more)
▼ Elaborate morphological ornaments can evolve if they increase the reproductive success of the bearer during competition for mates. However, ornament evolution is incredibly rare in females, and the type and intensity of selection required to develop female-specific ornamentation is poorly understood. The main goals of my thesis are to clarify the relationship between the type and intensity of sexual selection that drives the evolution of female ornamentation, and investigate alternative hypotheses that might be limiting or contributing to the development of female ornaments. I investigated the ecology and evolution of female-specific ornaments within and between species of dance flies from the subfamily Empidinae (Diptera: Empididae). The dance flies display incredible mating system diversity including those with elaborate female-specific ornaments, lek-like mating swarms, aerial copulation and nuptial gift giving.
To elucidate the form of sexual selection involved in female-ornament evolution, I experimentally investigated the role of sexual conflict in the evolution of multiple female- specific ornaments in the species Rhamphomyia longicauda. Through manipulative field experiments, I found that variation in the attractiveness of two ornaments displayed by females indicates that sexual conflict, causing a coevolutionary arms race, is an important
force in the evolution of multiple extravagant female ornaments. Using R. longicauda again, I tested for a role of functional load-lifting constraints on the aerial mating ability of males who paired with females displaying multiple large ornaments. I found no evidence of functional constraints influencing the mating opportunities of elaborately ornate females, but instead discovered a relationship consistent with positive assortative mating for mass.
Biased sex ratios are predicted to increase the intensity of sexual selection in a population, which in turn, is predicted to influence the evolution of ornamentation. I measured the incidence and prevalence of vertically transmitted symbiotic bacteria that has been observed to distort the sex ratio in other Dipteran hosts. While my survey revealed that symbionts occur at high incidence and variable prevalence across dance fly hosts, I found no effect of symbiont infection levels on population sex ratios, or female- specific ornament evolution. Further investigation into the relationship between sex ratios and female-ornament evolution using the comparative method revealed that the operational sex ratio (OSR) of a population did not predict continuous measures of female ornamentation across species. However, female-ornament evolution did predict male relative testis investment across species indicating that female ornaments likely indicate increased levels of polyandry.
My thesis reveals that sexual selection theory developed to describe male-specific ornament evolution cannot readily be translated to apply to females. I show that male mate choice, rather than functional constraints or ecological associations with…
Subjects/Keywords: sexual selection; female ornamentation; dance fly; empidinae; Diptera; Diptera Behavior; Empididae; Sexual selection
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APA ·
Chicago ·
MLA ·
Vancouver ·
CSE |
Export
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APA (6th Edition):
Murray, R. L. (2015). The ecology and evolution of female-specific ornamentation in the dance flies (Diptera: Empidinae). (Doctoral Dissertation). University of Stirling. Retrieved from http://hdl.handle.net/1893/22157
Chicago Manual of Style (16th Edition):
Murray, Rosalind L. “The ecology and evolution of female-specific ornamentation in the dance flies (Diptera: Empidinae).” 2015. Doctoral Dissertation, University of Stirling. Accessed April 16, 2021.
http://hdl.handle.net/1893/22157.
MLA Handbook (7th Edition):
Murray, Rosalind L. “The ecology and evolution of female-specific ornamentation in the dance flies (Diptera: Empidinae).” 2015. Web. 16 Apr 2021.
Vancouver:
Murray RL. The ecology and evolution of female-specific ornamentation in the dance flies (Diptera: Empidinae). [Internet] [Doctoral dissertation]. University of Stirling; 2015. [cited 2021 Apr 16].
Available from: http://hdl.handle.net/1893/22157.
Council of Science Editors:
Murray RL. The ecology and evolution of female-specific ornamentation in the dance flies (Diptera: Empidinae). [Doctoral Dissertation]. University of Stirling; 2015. Available from: http://hdl.handle.net/1893/22157
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