The effect of maternal body size on embryo survivorship in the broods of pregnant male pipefish |
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Authors: | Email author" target="_blank">Kenyon?B?MobleyEmail author Charlotta?Kvarnemo Ingrid?Ahnesj? Charlyn?Partridge Anders?Berglund Adam?G?Jones |
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Institution: | 1.Department of Biology,Texas A&M University,College Station,USA;2.Department of Zoology,G?teborg University,Gothenburg,Sweden;3.Department of Ecology and Genetics,Uppsala University,Uppsala,Sweden;4.Department of Ecology and Environmental Science,Ume? University,Ume?,Sweden;5.Department of Anatomy & Neurobiology,Washington University School of Medicine,St. Louis,USA |
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Abstract: | The occurrence of male pregnancy in the family Syngnathidae (seahorses, pipefishes, and sea dragons) provides an exceptionally
fertile system in which to investigate issues related to the evolution of parental care. Here, we take advantage of this unique
reproductive system to study the influence of maternal body size on embryo survivorship in the brood pouches of pregnant males
of the broad-nosed pipefish, Syngnathus typhle. Males were mated with either two large females, two small females, a large then a small female, or a small then a large
female. Our results show that offspring survivorship depends on an interaction between female body size and the number of
eggs transferred by the female. Eggs of larger females deposited in large numbers are more likely to result in viable offspring
than eggs of smaller females laid in large numbers. However, when females deposited smaller numbers of eggs, the eggs from
smaller females were more likely to produce viable offspring compared to those from larger females. We found no evidence that
this result was based on mating order, the relative sizes of competing females, or egg characteristics such as dry weight
of eggs. Additionally, male body size did not significantly influence the survivorship of offspring during brooding. Our results
suggest that the factors underlying offspring survivorship in pipefish may be more complex than previously believed, with
multiple factors interacting to determine the fitness of individual offspring within the broods of pregnant males. |
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