Genetic and Non-Genetic Correlates of Successful Gene Transfer in Papilio

黑燕尾（Papilio polyxenes）展示了一种山顶上的韭葱交配系统。当雄性无法在经济上保护雌性或对雌性重要的资源时，就会发生Lek行为。在雄性竞争中更成功或拥有吸引雌性的独特品质的雄性通常会进行大部分交配。由于雌性从雄性身上除了配子什么也得不到，所以雄性的选择提供了一个很好的机会来测试有关雄性性内选择和雌性选择的问题。挑剔的雌性比那些不那么挑剔的雌性所生的后代存活和成熟得更好，从而获得收益。此外，挑剔的雌性可能会生出在雄性竞争中更成功的儿子，或者更受挑剔的雌性的青睐。然而，在异性交配的物种中，雌性是否真的通过选择配偶来获得生殖能力，在很大程度上仍然是一种假设。利用描述和实验技术，Lederhouse和Scriber将研究雌性间性选择（配偶选择）和雄性-雄性性内选择（竞争）在决定P. polyxenes繁殖成功中的重要性。它们将决定攻击性领地雄性与雄性交配成功之间的生理和可能的基因关联。女性选择的性质和程度将被决定。将比较它们后代的成熟和生存，以及儿子获得和维持领地和向雌性求爱的能力。研究人员还将测试男性生殖成功是否与特定的基因图谱有关。这项研究的结果将通过测试几种不同的观点来提高对leks进化的理解。

The black swallowtail (Papilio polyxenes) exhibits a hilltopping lek mating system. Lek behavior occurs where males cannot economically defend either females or resources important to females. Males that are more successful in male-male competition or possessing unique qualities attractive to females often do most of the mating. Since females gain nothing but gametes from lek males, leks provide an excellent opportunity to test questions relating to male intrasexual selection and female choice. Choosy females may gain by producing offspring that survive and mature better than those of less selective females. Also, choosy females may produce sons that are more successful in male-male competition or are more preferred by selective females. However, whether females actually gain reproductively through their mate choice in lek-mating species remains largely hypothetical. Using descriptive and experimental techniques, Lederhouse and Scriber will investigate the importance of female intersexual selection (mate choice) and of male-male intrasexual selection (competition) in determining reproductive success in P. polyxenes. They will determine physical and possible genetic correlates of aggressive territorial males with male mating success. The nature and degree of female choice will be determined. The maturation and survival of their offspring and the ability of sons to gain and maintain territories and court females will be compared. The investigators will also test if male reproductive success is correlated to specific genetic profiles. Results of this research will improve understanding of the evolution of leks by testing several alternative views.