RUI: Species Recognition Versus Mate- Quality Recognition in a Unisexual-Bisexual System: Asexuals Looking For Sperm

在单性-双性系统中，物种识别与配偶质量识别：寻找SPERMPI的无性者：Caitlin R.Gabor&Amp；Andrea S.Aspbury在单性-双性物种复合体中，个体必须区分自己物种(同种)的潜在配偶和密切相关物种的个体(异种)。交配个体可以进一步受益于识别高质量的同种异物。当异种类似于高质量的同种配偶时，这两个过程之间可能存在拮抗关系。一种单性的、全为雌性的物种是克隆的亚马逊莫利(Poecilia Formosa)，它以性寄生雄性帆鳍鱼(P.laispinna)。亚马逊鼹鼠依靠这些雄性的精子来启动卵子的发育。然而，雄性精子不会为雌性后代贡献基因。在这两个物种重叠的地方，雄性帆毛蝠可能会放弃使用体型较大等特征作为交配质量的线索，以避免异种交配，而来自不同种群的雄性可能会保留对较大体型的偏好。这表明，交配质量和物种认知度之间存在冲突。这项建议中描述的研究将提供有关个体识别自己物种的过程的信息，通过该过程，个体要么避免在配偶质量和物种识别之间妥协，要么以牺牲配偶质量为代价与异种动物交配。为了检验不同种群之间男性辨别能力的差异，我们将检查：(1)男性交配偏好，(2)不同的精子产生，以及(3)同种和异种雌性之间的不同精子分配。这些结果最终将提供有关物种形成过程的信息。

Lay AbstractSPECIES RECOGNITION VERSUS MATE-QUALITY RECOGNITION IN A UNISEXUAL-BISEXUAL SYSTEM: ASEXUALS LOOKING FOR SPERMPI: Caitlin R. Gabor & Andrea S. AspburyIn unisexual-bisexual species complexes individuals must discriminate between potential mates of their own species (conspecifics) and individuals of closely related species (heterospecifics). Mating individuals can further benefit from recognizing high quality conspecifics. When heterospecifics resemble high quality conspecific mates there can be an antagonistic relationship between the two processes. One unisexual, all female, species is the clonal Amazon molly (Poecilia formosa), who sexually parasitizes male sailfin mollies (P. latipinna). Amazon mollies rely on sperm from these males to initiate egg development. However, the male's sperm does not contribute genes to the females' offspring. Where the two species overlap, male sailfin mollies may forgo using traits such as large body size as mate-quality cues, to avoid heterospecific matings, while males from populations where they do not co-occur may retain preferences for larger body size. This would suggest that there is a conflict between mate-quality and species recognition. The research described in this proposal will provide information on the process by which individuals recognize their own species and either avoid compromises between mate-quality and species recognition or sacrifice mate-quality at the expense of mating with a heterospecific. To examine differences in male discrimination ability between populations, we will examine: (1) male mating preferences, (2) differential sperm production, and (3) differential sperm allocation between conspecific and heterospecific females. These results will ultimately provide information on the process of speciation.