Anticoagulant rodenticide exposure in raptors from Ontario,Canada

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Anticoagulant rodenticides (ARs) are used globally to control rodent pest infestations in both urban and agricultural settings. It is well documented...     

Variation in male sailfin molly, preference for female size: does sympatry with sexual parasites, drive preference for smaller conspecifics?

Male sailfin mollies (Poecilia latipinna) are sexually parasitized by gynogenetic Amazon mollies (Poecilia formosa). In areas of sympatry, Amazon mollies are frequently larger than female sailfin mollies. In sympatry, selection may favor males that prefer smaller conspecific mates (avoid mismating with Amazon mollies), or selection may favor males that prefer larger conspecific mates (higher fecundity). To explore this potential species and mate-quality recognition conflict, we examined male preference variation across populations. Males from one sympatric population showed stabilizing preference functions, whereas in another sympatric population, males showed directional preference functions. Variation across sympatric populations may be related to the length of time of co-evolution with Amazon mollies. In the allopatric populations, we found flat preference functions. Variation in male preferences could have important ramifications for the maintenance of Amazon mollies, as well as for the evolution of female size.