Evol Ecol Res 7: 633-641 (2005)     Full PDF if your library subscribes.

Natural selection favours harmful male Drosophila melanogaster that reduce the survival of females

Timothy A. Lew and William R. Rice*

Department of Ecology, Evolution and Marine Biology, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA 93106-9610, USA

Author to whom all correspondence should be addressed.
e-mail: rice@lifesci.ucsb.edu

ABSTRACT

Question: Is there a net selective advantage for alleles that increase male reproductive performance while harming females through pleiotropy.

Organisms: Outbred Drosophila melanogaster.

Methods: Both short-term and continuous exposure of females to males.

Conclusions: As male net fitness increased, so too did male harm to female survival. Male-induced harm to females is genetically variable and under directional selection for increased harm.

Keywords: inter-locus contest evolution, sexual conflict, sexual selection, sexually antagonistic co-evolution.

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