| Title: | The scent of inbreeding: a male sex pheromone betrays inbred males |
| Author(s): | van Bergen E; Brakefield PM; Heuskin S; Zwaan BJ; Nieberding CM; |
| Address: | "Evolutionary Biology, Institute of Biology Leiden, Leiden University, RA 2300 Leiden, The Netherlands. ev274@cam.ac.uk" |
| ISSN/ISBN: | 1471-2954 (Electronic) 0962-8452 (Print) 0962-8452 (Linking) |
| Abstract: | "Inbreeding depression results from mating among genetically related individuals and impairs reproductive success. The decrease in male mating success is usually attributed to an impact on multiple fitness-related traits that reduce the general condition of inbred males. Here, we find that the production of the male sex pheromone is reduced significantly by inbreeding in the butterfly Bicyclus anynana. Other traits indicative of the general condition, including flight performance, are also negatively affected in male butterflies by inbreeding. Yet, we unambiguously show that only the production of male pheromones affects mating success. Thus, this pheromone signal informs females about the inbreeding status of their mating partners. We also identify the specific chemical component (hexadecanal) probably responsible for the decrease in male mating success. Our results advocate giving increased attention to olfactory communication as a major causal factor of mate-choice decisions and sexual selection" |
| Keywords: | "Aldehydes/metabolism Animals Arthropod Antennae/physiology Butterflies/genetics/*physiology Fatty Alcohols/metabolism Female Flight, Animal Inbreeding Male Sex Attractants/*metabolism;" |
| Notes: | "Medlinevan Bergen, Erik Brakefield, Paul M Heuskin, Stephanie Zwaan, Bas J Nieberding, Caroline M eng Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't England 2013/03/08 Proc Biol Sci. 2013 Mar 6; 280(1758):20130102. doi: 10.1098/rspb.2013.0102. Print 2013 May 7" |
