Female choice selects for a viability-based male trait in pheasants
von Schantz T, Goransson G, Andersson G, Froberg I, Grahn M, Helgee
A, Wittzell H
Department of Animal Ecology, Ecology Building, University of Lund,
S-223 62 Lund, Sweden.
Nature 1989 Jan 12;337(6203):166-169
ABSTRACT Recent theory on sexual selection suggests that females
in species without paternal care choose mates by their secondary sexual
characters because these indicate genotypic quality which will be transmitted
to the offspring. These ideas are not yet empirically supported as data
quantifying the relationship between female mate choice and female reproductive
success are lacking. Only in one case, in Colias butterflies, has it been
demonstrated unequivocally that females choose 'good genotypes' as mates
and there is only one study, on Drosophila, demonstrating that mate choice
increases one component of offspring fitness. Spur length of male pheasants
(Phasianus colchicus) correlates with various fitness-related properties.
We here present the first experimental field data showing that female pheasants
select mates on the basis of male spur length and that female mate choice
correlates with female reproductive success.
Tillbaka
till fasanprojektet Back
to the Pheasant Project