Articles tagged with Sexual Selection
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A 40-year study on seed beetles found that strong sexual selection leads to rapid evolution of new species. Populations under high competition for mating diverged more rapidly and became genetically distinct.
A new University of British Columbia study reveals that male guppies with more orange coloration are up to two times more sexually active and perform for females longer periods. The research identifies a genetic link between guppy color and behavior, suggesting healthier and fitter individuals may be more attractive to females.
Researchers found that rats with shorter second digits exhibit stronger sexual behavior, including a preference for female scent and frequent ejaculations. This study reveals the impact of fetal hormone exposure on brain development and highlights the link between body and mind.
Researchers found that a narrow island separating the two species suggests recent speciation or extensive gene flow. The study proposes sexual selection as a key driver of species differentiation.
A new study from Australian National University reveals that mosquitofish males' problem-solving skills boost mating opportunities due to sexual selection. Smarter males mated with more females, producing more offspring than less-intelligent fish.
A recent study led by University of Oxford researchers found that old male fruit flies' reproductive success declines due to seminal fluid limitation, not sperm quantity. Supplementation with young males' seminal fluid rescued aged males' fertility, highlighting the importance of seminal fluid quality in animal fertility.
A recent study found that both men and women with greater upper body strength tend to have more lifetime sexual partners. Despite theories suggesting men's strength is linked to reproductive success, the research suggests that physical strength may play a role in mating success for both sexes.
A study by Osaka Metropolitan University experts found that male medaka can mate up to 19 times a day, releasing more than 50% of their daily sperm output in the first three matings. The fertilization rate decreases significantly after this point, with some cases showing no fertilization.
Barn swallows provide real-time evidence that sexual selection drives the emergence of new species. The study found specific genetic regions associated with traits like ventral coloration and tail streamer length, suggesting that these characteristics play a crucial role in mate choice decisions.
Researchers from Tokyo Metropolitan University found that genes on newly formed neo-sex chromosomes in fruit flies tend to evolve sex-biased genes, which give sex-specific phenotypes. This strongly supports the hypothesis that sex chromosomes reduce sexual conflict by imparting beneficial traits to each sex.
Researchers analyzed underarm odour samples from 29 women over a menstrual cycle, finding no evidence that men prefer fertile days. Chemical analysis also showed no correlation between odour composition and fertility status.
Researchers used AI to analyze over 16,000 butterfly images, finding both males and females contribute to diversity among species. The study resolves a century-old debate between Charles Darwin and Alfred Russel Wallace on the role of natural selection in female evolution.
Researchers at the University of Bath found that shorebird species with polyandrous mating systems exhibit faster evolution rates than monogamous species. Genetic changes in the sex chromosomes revealed that Z chromosome mutations are more influential due to genetic drift.
A Penn State-led study found that female giraffes have proportionally longer necks than males, suggesting high nutritional needs drove the evolution of this trait. Giraffes adapt to reach leaves in trees by using their long necks, allowing females to access food with increasing demands as they mature.
Male roundworms use diverse chemical and physical signals to determine the sex, age, nutritional health, and mating history of potential mates. They prefer hermaphrodites that have not previously mated with another male and are nutritionally healthy.
Researchers at Durham University and Oxford Brookes University have identified a key gene contributing to the rapid evolution of male external genitalia in fruit flies. The study found that changes in the Sox21b gene altered genital shape and size, affecting mating duration and female choice.
A mathematical model suggests females infer attractiveness by watching peers' choices, learning to prefer rare traits that distinguish successful males. This learning process helps maintain variation in male traits and female preferences over time.
Gender-affirming surgeries in the US increased nearly threefold from 2016 to 2019, with breast and chest procedures being the most common. The number of genital surgical procedures performed rose with increasing age, indicating a growing trend among older individuals seeking gender-affirming care.
A new study found that larger group size and polygynous mating systems are linked to deeper male voices in primates. This sex difference is thought to influence mating success through attracting mates or intimidating competitors.
Male spider mites undress premature females by stripping off their skin before they molt, increasing the male's reproductive chances and reducing competition. This behavior is an example of sexual selection driving complex behaviors in arachnids.
In a 50-generation evolutionary experiment, male beetles from lineages with intense sexual selection produced lower quality offspring after DNA-damaging radiation. This suggests that males invest more in competition at the expense of DNA repair, impacting future offspring survival and fertility.
A team of researchers at Eötvös Loránd University developed a general formula to calculate honest equilibrium in any model, independent of signal costs. Their results reveal that honesty does not require signal costs to be paid in equilibrium, and that the cost is borne by cheaters, not honest individuals.
A new model by Imperial College London and University of Lausanne researchers suggests that 'good genes' can sometimes lead to population collapse when males express traits that damage females. This can result in reduced female fecundity or even death, ultimately leading to a decline in population viability.
Scientists at the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute found that matador bugs wave their legs to signal aggression or to advertise their toxicity to predators, not for sexual attraction. The study revealed no differences in waving behavior between males and females.
A study published in Evolution found that polygamous birds have higher efficiency of natural selection, leading to fewer harmful mutations and increased genetic diversity in small subsets of species with polygamous females.
A new study reveals that red-eyed treefrogs use bimodal acoustic calls, combining sound with plant-generated vibrations to convey messages. Female frogs prefer calls with both sound and vibration, while male frogs become more aggressive when feeling the vibrations of rival calls.
Researchers discovered that male spiders select sexual organ with more sperm for first copulation with cannibalistic females and transfer significantly more sperm when risk is high. The study supports the male mating syndrome theory, which posits that males evolve strategies to counter female cannibalism.
Researchers found that asexual whiptail lizards accumulate more harmful genetic mutations than their sexual counterparts due to relaxed natural selection. This study supports the theory that sex is more efficient at removing harmful mutations and maintaining genomic health.
Researchers examine the relationship between thermal biology and sexual selection, finding that animals often tolerate perilous temperatures during mating to increase reproductive success. The study highlights the importance of considering scale in understanding the impact of global warming on reproductive processes.
A new study published in Behavior Genetics found that natural selection favors characteristics associated with lower earnings and poorer education, such as having more children. The research, led by UEA, analyzed data from over 300,000 people in the UK and suggests that this may be contributing to increasing income inequality.
Male scorpionflies from two locations in Japan use varying mating tactics, with those from Okayama employing 'sneaking' to successfully mate. The study suggests that environmental factors and genetic components influence alternative mating habits.
Researchers at North Carolina State University discovered that female German cockroaches averse to glucose reject male offers of body secretions containing sugars and fats. The study shows that glucose-averse females sense a bitter taste when mixing their saliva with the male secretions, ending the courtship ritual.
A Dartmouth study using advanced recording technology reveals that females prefer lower frequency songs with low variance, while males time their songs to follow neighbors. The research shows how chorus composition and individual songs impact mating in wood frogs.
Researchers found that male spiders use a catapult mechanism to escape female mates in an act of sexual cannibalism, with successful matings ending in catapulting and all surviving males. The study shows that this behavior evolved to fight against female predation pressure.
A study by UMass Amherst researchers reveals a negative correlation between birds' ability to fly and their willingness to fight. The findings suggest that developing wings instead of bony spurs was driven by both sexual and natural selection, leading to the remarkable diversity of bird species we see today.
A study found that male animals have a greater genetic variance in reproductive success compared to females, which translates into purging deleterious mutations. This suggests that sexual selection on males bolsters adaptation and reduces the risk of extinction when facing challenging environmental conditions.
A study found that female zebra finches are choosy but flexible in their mating preferences, allowing them to avoid fitness costs. The researchers discovered that these 'wallflowers' can still produce successful fledglings by sneaking eggs into other birds' nests.
A more inclusive definition of infertility could help explain why current diagnostic tests frequently fail to find a reason for reproductive failure. This broader view may also open up novel opportunities for tailoring infertility treatments to each couple, considering the complex network of interacting male and female genes.
Scientists discovered a fossil bird with elaborate tail feathers, showing how natural and sexual selection influenced bird evolution. The discovery sheds light on the balance between traits that aid survival and those used for display.
Researchers found that over a quarter of female white-necked Jacobin hummingbirds exhibit showy colors similar to males, aiding in evasion of aggressive behaviors during feeding and mating. This study suggests that the display of flashy colors is driven by social selection rather than sexual selection.
Researchers found that one-third of female hummingbirds resemble males, allowing them to feed without being attacked. This phenomenon suggests non-sexual social selection plays a role in the evolution of female ornamentation.
Researchers found that natural selection can counteract sexual selection's effects on females, leading to better-offspring survival rates. By reducing the advantages of exaggerated male traits, predation drives evolutionary changes favoring less masculinized bodies and improved female reproductive capabilities.
A new study found that male fruit flies with the most impressive sexual ornamentation also have super sperm that can outcompete rivals in the post-mating fertilization game. The researchers discovered a strong link between the males' competitive success at passing on their genes even after a female fly has mated with other flies.
Researchers from Sweden and Germany have found that female influence butterfly color diversity by mating with colorful males. The study suggests that Darwin's model of sexual selection explains the patterns better than Wallace's model, resolving a long-standing argument.
Researchers identified BCO2 gene as key driver of dichromatism in mosaic canaries, where males and females have strikingly different coloration. The findings provide insights into the evolution of sexually selected traits like dichromatism.
A study led by University of Maryland Baltimore County Ph.D. candidate Samuel Hulse demonstrates a strong correlation between the visual patterns on male darter fish and their environments, supporting sensory drive theory. The findings show that male fish with colors easily perceivable in their environment are more likely to reproduce.
Size-selective fisheries can impair reproductive success in fish populations by reducing the availability of reproductively superior large individuals. This, in turn, affects population growth and resilience, as sexual selection cannot operate effectively without a sufficient pool of optimal mates.
A new analysis published in Mammal Review suggests natural selection drives size differences between males and females. The study proposes that males and females evolved to differ in size to exploit resources such as food.
Bacteria can swap DNA through mechanisms similar to sexual selection in animals, and this genetic mixing may have benefits for cell survival and evolution. Researchers suggest that bacterial transformation, a process where cells release and take up DNA, could be governed by sexual selection.
A study of dung beetles in Borneo found that species with more intense male competition for mating are less likely to go extinct. Species with horns were more likely to persist in disturbed environments than those without, and larger horns were associated with greater population sizes.
Researchers found that female fruit flies' increased promiscuity influences the evolution of male traits, prioritizing fertility over enticing females. The study suggests a shift in the balance between pre- and post-mating sexual selection, with males adapting to optimize fertilization success.
Researchers found that female penises in geographically distinct species of bark lice evolved separately due to environmental pressures and competition for male seminal gifts. The study suggests that the evolution of female penises is linked to sexual selection and mating behaviors.
Researchers at the University of Stirling investigate how female dance flies use sexual ornaments to attract mates, finding that females deceive males by inflating their appearance to increase food rewards. This discovery sheds light on the role of sexual selection in creating diversity among species.
A new study published in Archives of Sexual Behavior found that men and women with square faces tend to have a stronger sex drive, are more likely to engage in casual sex, and report higher levels of sociosexuality. Researchers attribute these findings to variations in testosterone levels during puberty.
A recent Norwegian study found that religious individuals regret casual sex only slightly more than non-religious individuals. However, women regret their most recent one-night stand much more than men do, while men regret missing an opportunity much more than women do.
A study on moths found that males with larger antennae are better at detecting female signals, suggesting females may prefer males who can respond to them effectively. This supports Darwin's theory of sexual selection and highlights the role of females in choosing mates.
Larger males breed first, with offspring having better survival rates and producing more newborns, suggesting a clear reproductive advantage. This study shows the complexity of sexual selection in reverse in pipefish, highlighting factors beyond size and timing.
Researchers at Tufts University have identified over 200 identifiable proteins within firefly nuptial gifts, including structural proteins, enzymes and anti-predator toxins that may influence female reproductive success and paternity rates
A Northwestern University research team developed a mathematical model that predicts the evolution of two distinct subspecies in ornamented animals, one with flashy ornaments for attracting mates and one with subdued ornaments. The study found evidence from nature agrees with the model, showing many species split into these subgroups.
Beardedness is associated with increased attractiveness in women when evaluating long-term relationships due to its signal of formidability and potential benefits. Stubble appears most appealing for short-term connections, while full beards are preferred for long-term partnerships.