Title
Secondary sexual characters and sperm traits in coho salmon Oncorhynchus kisutch
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
2009
Publication Title
Journal of Fish Biology
Volume
74
Issue
7
First Page
1450
Keywords
longevity, motility, sexual selection, sperm competition, sperm quality
Last Page
1461
Abstract
A study was undertaken to examine secondary sexual characters (spawning colouration and overall body size) in relation to sperm metrics in one alternative reproductive tactic of coho salmon Oncorhynchus kisutch: large hooknose males that spawn in dominance-based hierarchies. Males with less intense red spawning colouration had higher sperm velocities than males with darker red spawning colouration. There was no relationship between male body size and sperm metrics. These results suggest that within an alternative reproductive tactic, variation in sperm competition intensity may select for a trade-off between investment in sexual colouration and sperm quality.
DOI
10.1111/j.1095-8649.2009.02210.x
Recommended Citation
Pitcher, Trevor E.; Doucet, S. M.; Beausoleil, J.-M. J.; and Hanley, D.. (2009). Secondary sexual characters and sperm traits in coho salmon Oncorhynchus kisutch. Journal of Fish Biology, 74 (7), 1450-1461.
https://scholar.uwindsor.ca/glierpub/86