Genetic conflicts, intrinsic male fertility, and ejaculate investment

摘要: Few aspects of biology are linked to so many evolutionary conflicts as sperm production and fertilization. Segregation distortion maternal inheritance cytoplasmic genes, causing maladapted males, common sources variation in the competitive ability sperm, leading males vary their intrinsic fertility. Here, I theoretically analyze effect such male fertility on ejaculate investment. The model reveals that with increasing fertility, should overall spend less resources ejaculates. Furthermore, if differing able invest differently production, there two contrasting outcomes. Typically, fertile more. However, female mating frequency is relatively low differences between large, most genotype These results have important consequences both for understanding competition strategies well evolution polyandry preferences.