Lea, Jerry; Halliday, Tim. R. and Dyson, Mandy
(2003).
| URL: | http://web.ebscohost.com/ehost/detail?vid=3&hid=15... |
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Abstract
A laboratory experiment was set up to examine mating success in male Mallorcan midwife toads, Alytes muletensis. Mating appeared to be unrelated to male size, condition OF asymmetry. This was despite potential benefits to females of mating with males of a large size (and avoiding small males), good condition or high symmetry, and/or despite advantages that these males hypothetically have in maintaining courtship or amplexus. There was a skew in male mating success but there was no clear evidence to suggest that this was a result of direct male-male competition or overt or cryptic female choice. Instead, males appeared to become receptive at different times over an extended breeding season and we suggest that, generally, male inclination to mate was low. This is evidenced by the fact that only one quarter of the males mated and, despite a sex ratio of five males to one female, females still dropped (oviposited) one third of their egg clutches without mating. Male inclination to mate may vary across time in this species because of the heavy burden of brooding the eggs, or some artefact of the captive environment may have affected it.
| Item Type: | Journal Article |
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| Copyright Holders: | 2003 KoninklijkeBrill NV, Leiden |
| ISSN: | 0173-5373 |
| Keywords: | Majorcan midwife toad; fluctuating asymmetry; sexual selection; forficula-auricularia; Panorpa-Japonica; Australian frog; forceps size; choice; symmetry; success |
| Academic Unit/Department: | Science > Life, Health and Chemical Sciences Science > Environment, Earth and Ecosystems |
| Interdisciplinary Research Centre: | Centre for Earth, Planetary, Space and Astronomical Research (CEPSAR) |
| Item ID: | 6655 |
| Depositing User: | Astrid Peterkin |
| Date Deposited: | 14 Feb 2007 |
| Last Modified: | 13 Feb 2013 14:45 |
| URI: | http://oro.open.ac.uk/id/eprint/6655 |
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