Evol Ecol Res 10: 213-228 (2008)     Full PDF if your library subscribes.

Sexual selection on locomotor performance

Jerry F. Husak1* and Stanley F. Fox2

1Department of Biological Sciences, Virginia Tech, 2119 Derring Hall, Blacksburg, VA 24061 and  2Department of Zoology, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK 74078, USA

Author to whom all correspondence should be addressed.
e-mail: husak@vt.edu

ABSTRACT

Questions: Does sexual selection operate on locomotor performance? Which taxa are likely to have locomotor performance influenced by sexual selection?

Methods: We reviewed recent literature.

Conclusions: Theory and empirical evidence support the hypothesis that sexual selection operates on locomotor performance, but tests of alternative hypotheses are rare. We provide a general framework for developing testable hypotheses. Many animal taxa show potential for sexual selection as a strong force acting on locomotor performance. These include species with male aerial display or territory defence, such as numerous bird species, gliding lizards, and flying insects, but also terrestrial ones, among which lizards have been studied the most. Locomotor performance may be an important component of female choice via its direct or indirect benefits to females.

Keywords: endurance, locomotion, performance, sexual selection, sprint speed.

DOWNLOAD A FREE, FULL PDF COPY
IF you are connected using the IP of a subscribing institution (library, laboratory, etc.)
or through its VPN.

 

        © 2008 Jerry F. Husak. All EER articles are copyrighted by their authors. All authors endorse, permit and license Evolutionary Ecology Ltd. to grant its subscribing institutions/libraries the copying privileges specified below without additional consideration or payment to them or to Evolutionary Ecology, Ltd. These endorsements, in writing, are on file in the office of Evolutionary Ecology, Ltd. Consult authors for permission to use any portion of their work in derivative works, compilations or to distribute their work in any commercial manner.

       Subscribing institutions/libraries may grant individuals the privilege of making a single copy of an EER article for non-commercial educational or non-commercial research purposes. Subscribing institutions/libraries may also use articles for non-commercial educational purposes by making any number of copies for course packs or course reserve collections. Subscribing institutions/libraries may also loan single copies of articles to non-commercial libraries for educational purposes.

       All copies of abstracts and articles must preserve their copyright notice without modification.