Date of Award
2009
Publication Type
Master Thesis
Degree Name
M.A.Sc.
Department
Biological Sciences
Keywords
Biology, Ecology.
Supervisor
Pitcher, Trevor(Biological Sciences)
Rights
info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 International License.
Abstract
Female choice and sperm competition can be important determinants of male reproductive success. I investigated which ornamental traits females preferred, a potential direct benefit of female choice, and which sperm traits were related to competitive fertilization success, in the redside dace (Clinostomus elongatus). I identified male ornaments, female preference for these ornaments, and the relationships between ornaments and sperm traits to determine if females might derive fertility benefits by choosing ornamented males. My findings indicate that females prefer males with more breeding colouration with higher hue values and that those males tended to produce large quantities of high velocity sperm. I also studied sperm competition mechanisms using in-vitro fertilization and found that sperm velocity was the primary determinant of competitive fertilization success. These studies are the first on mate choice and sperm competition in this species, and contribute to our understanding of sexual selection in general.
Recommended Citation
Beausoleil, Jean-Marc, "Mate choice and sperm competition in the redside dace (Clinostomus elongatus)" (2009). Electronic Theses and Dissertations. 64.
https://scholar.uwindsor.ca/etd/64