Olfactory cues,genetic relatedness and female mate choice in the agile antechinus (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Antechinus agilis</Emphasis>) |
| |
Authors: | Marissa L Parrott Simon J Ward Peter D Temple-Smith |
| |
Institution: | (1) Department of Zoology, University of Melbourne, Parkville, 3010, Australia |
| |
Abstract: | Females show mate preferences for males that are genetically dissimilar to themselves in a variety of taxa, but how females
choose these males is not clearly understood. In this study, we examined the effects of olfactory stimuli and genetic relatedness
on female mate choice in a small carnivorous marsupial, the agile antechinus (Antechinus agilis), during two breeding seasons. Captive female antechinus in oestrus were provided with a combination of male urine and body
scent from two novel males, one more genetically similar and one more dissimilar to the females, in a Y-maze olfactometer.
Genetic relatedness between females and pairs of males was determined using highly polymorphic, species-specific, microsatellite
markers. Females consistently chose to visit the scents of males that were genetically dissimilar to themselves first, spent
significantly more time near the source of those scents and showed more sexual and non-exploratory behaviours near those scents.
These data demonstrate that chemosensory cues are important in mate choice in the agile antechinus and that females prefer
males that are genetically dissimilar to themselves. |
| |
Keywords: | Mate choice Olfactory cues Genetic relatedness Antechinus agilis |
本文献已被 SpringerLink 等数据库收录! |
|