Natural selection and genital variation: a role for the environment, parasites and sperm ageing?
Natural selection and genital variation: a role for the environment, parasites and sperm ageing?
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DOI：
10.1007/s10709-009-9360-4
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发表时间：
2010-01-01
期刊：
影响因子：
1.5
通讯作者：
Reinhardt, Klaus
中科院分区：
文献类型：
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作者：
Reinhardt, Klaus
雄性生殖器在物种（和种群）之间比其他器官更易变，并且与一夫一妻制物种相比，在一夫多妻制中形态更复杂。因此，性选择被认为是生殖器变异和复杂性的主要解释，特别是雌性对雄性交配求爱的神秘选择。由于神秘的女性选择是基于男性之间的差异，这是有点自相矛盾的，有这样低的物种内的变化，在男性生殖器，他们是一个主要的形态识别字符的动物物种。性选择以外的过程也可能导致生殖器变异，但它们最近被忽视了。在这里，我专注于多效性和自然选择，并提供了它们如何将生殖器形态与生殖器环境联系起来的例子。多效性似乎很重要，因为大多数专门测试生殖器形态多效性效应的研究都发现了它们。自然选择可能会在各种环境中偏爱某些生殖器形态，以及通过减少性传播疾病的再次感染或减少老化精子受精的可能性。多效性和自然选择在局部和物种之间存在差异，因此可能导致生殖器的局部变化，有时也导致一夫一妻制和一夫多妻制物种之间的变化。此外，生殖器环境的多样性将通过自然选择和多效性导致生殖器功能的多样性，也可能有助于解释生殖器的复杂性。
Male genitalia are more variable between species (and populations) than other organs, and are more morphologically complex in polygamous compared to monogamous species. Therefore, sexual selection has been put forward as the major explanation of genital variation and complexity, in particular cryptic female choice for male copulatory courtship. As cryptic female choice is based on differences between males it is somewhat paradoxical that there is such low within-species variation in male genitalia that they are a prime morphological identification character for animal species. Processes other than sexual selection may also lead to genitalia variation but they have recently become neglected. Here I focus on pleiotropy and natural selection and provide examples how they link genitalia morphology with genital environments. Pleiotropy appears to be important because most studies that specifically tested for pleiotropic effects on genital morphology found them. Natural selection likely favours certain genital morphology over others in various environments, as well as by reducing re-infection with sexually transmitted diseases or reducing the likelihood of fertilisation with aged sperm. Both pleiotropy and natural selection differ locally and between species so may contribute to local variation in genitalia and sometimes variation between monogamous and polygamous species. Furthermore, the multitude of genital environments will lead to a multitude of genital functions via natural selection and pleiotropy, and may also contribute to explaining the complexity of genitalia.