Sperm competition and cryptic female choice in fish

2017 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 15K18614
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Ecology/Environment
• Research Institution: Osaka City University
• Principal Investigator: Kazutaka Ota 大阪市立大学, 大学院理学研究科, 博士研究員 (50527900)
• Project Period (FY): 2015-04-01 – 2018-03-31
• Keywords: 代替繁殖戦術 / スニーカー / 行動解析 / 配偶後の性淘汰 / 意思決定

Outline of Final Research Achievements

In this program, I examined factors affecting success of sneaker males in the triplefin blenny. I hypothesized that decision-making of sneakers and the presence of rival males, and females are the key factors. During the study period (three years), I indeed showed that decision-making of sneakers are sophisticated and often disturbed by territorial males, suggesting that the former two putative factors indeed influenced success of reproductive success. On the other hand, the effect of females on male success was not observed. In post-spawning stage, I found significant difference in linearity of sperm swimming, with more straight for sneaker sperm. However, Such sperm traits were not influenced by the presence of rival male sperm, suggesting that fertilization success is mainly dependent on their own quality of sperm.

Free Research Field

行動生態学