Q11 - Post-Copulatory Sexual Selection

Question 1

What is cryptic female choice?

Answer 1

Post-copulatory sexual selection where the female can favour the sperm of one male over another through internal structures/mechanisms

Question 2

What species provides good evidence of cryptic female choice?

Answer 2

Callosobruchus maculatus beetle

Question 3

What mating experiments involving Callosobruchus maculatus evidence cryptic female choice?

Answer 3

2 males mated to 2 females - fertilisation success was highly variable between the 2 females, rather than one male performing poorly in both

2 males mated to 2 full sibling females - similar success rates between females, same mechanisms as they are releated

Question 4

What manipulation experiments involving Callosobruchus maculatus evidence cryptic female choice?

Answer 4

Spines on intromittent organ were ablated - less fertilisation success

Question 5

What is favoured by females in cryptic female choice?

Answer 5

Certain male traits