Pre- and Postcopulatory Traits of Salvator Male Lizards in Allopatry and Sympatry

The reproductive traits of males are under influence of sexual pressures before and after copulation. The strength of sexual selection varies across populations because they undergo varying competition for mating opportunities. Besides intraspecific pressures, individuals seem to be subjected to pre...

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Main Authors: Sergio Naretto, Cecilia S. Blengini, Gabriela Cardozo, Margarita Chiaraviglio
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2016-01-01
Series:Scientifica
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2016/8176267
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author Sergio Naretto
Cecilia S. Blengini
Gabriela Cardozo
Margarita Chiaraviglio
author_facet Sergio Naretto
Cecilia S. Blengini
Gabriela Cardozo
Margarita Chiaraviglio
author_sort Sergio Naretto
collection DOAJ
description The reproductive traits of males are under influence of sexual pressures before and after copulation. The strength of sexual selection varies across populations because they undergo varying competition for mating opportunities. Besides intraspecific pressures, individuals seem to be subjected to pressures driven by interspecific interactions in sympatry. Lizards may vary their reproductive strategies through varying sexual characters, body size, gonadal investment, and sperm traits. We evaluated the reproductive traits, involved in pre- and postcopulatory competition, in allopatric and sympatric populations of Salvator lizards. We observed a spatial gradient of male competition among populations, with the following order: allopatric zone of S. rufescens; sympatric zone; and allopatric zone of S. merianae. Accordingly, variation in secondary sexual character, the relative testis mass, and the length of sperm component was observed between allopatry and sympatry in each species, suggesting differences in the investment of reproductive traits. However, we found that these two Salvator species did not differ in secondary sexual characters in sympatry. Interestingly, the trade-off between testes and muscle varied differently from allopatry to sympatry between these Salvator species, suggesting that the influence of social context on reproductive traits investment would affect lizard species differently.
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spelling doaj-art-080fc876c3354409ba7f4726bfc434b22025-08-20T02:01:39ZengWileyScientifica2090-908X2016-01-01201610.1155/2016/81762678176267Pre- and Postcopulatory Traits of Salvator Male Lizards in Allopatry and SympatrySergio Naretto0Cecilia S. Blengini1Gabriela Cardozo2Margarita Chiaraviglio3Instituto de Diversidad y Ecología Animal (IDEA), CONICET and Laboratorio de Biología del Comportamiento, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas Físicas y Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Vélez Sársfield 299, X5000JJC Córdoba, ArgentinaInstituto de Diversidad y Ecología Animal (IDEA), CONICET and Laboratorio de Biología del Comportamiento, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas Físicas y Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Vélez Sársfield 299, X5000JJC Córdoba, ArgentinaInstituto de Diversidad y Ecología Animal (IDEA), CONICET and Laboratorio de Biología del Comportamiento, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas Físicas y Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Vélez Sársfield 299, X5000JJC Córdoba, ArgentinaInstituto de Diversidad y Ecología Animal (IDEA), CONICET and Laboratorio de Biología del Comportamiento, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas Físicas y Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Vélez Sársfield 299, X5000JJC Córdoba, ArgentinaThe reproductive traits of males are under influence of sexual pressures before and after copulation. The strength of sexual selection varies across populations because they undergo varying competition for mating opportunities. Besides intraspecific pressures, individuals seem to be subjected to pressures driven by interspecific interactions in sympatry. Lizards may vary their reproductive strategies through varying sexual characters, body size, gonadal investment, and sperm traits. We evaluated the reproductive traits, involved in pre- and postcopulatory competition, in allopatric and sympatric populations of Salvator lizards. We observed a spatial gradient of male competition among populations, with the following order: allopatric zone of S. rufescens; sympatric zone; and allopatric zone of S. merianae. Accordingly, variation in secondary sexual character, the relative testis mass, and the length of sperm component was observed between allopatry and sympatry in each species, suggesting differences in the investment of reproductive traits. However, we found that these two Salvator species did not differ in secondary sexual characters in sympatry. Interestingly, the trade-off between testes and muscle varied differently from allopatry to sympatry between these Salvator species, suggesting that the influence of social context on reproductive traits investment would affect lizard species differently.http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2016/8176267
spellingShingle Sergio Naretto
Cecilia S. Blengini
Gabriela Cardozo
Margarita Chiaraviglio
Pre- and Postcopulatory Traits of Salvator Male Lizards in Allopatry and Sympatry
Scientifica
title Pre- and Postcopulatory Traits of Salvator Male Lizards in Allopatry and Sympatry
title_full Pre- and Postcopulatory Traits of Salvator Male Lizards in Allopatry and Sympatry
title_fullStr Pre- and Postcopulatory Traits of Salvator Male Lizards in Allopatry and Sympatry
title_full_unstemmed Pre- and Postcopulatory Traits of Salvator Male Lizards in Allopatry and Sympatry
title_short Pre- and Postcopulatory Traits of Salvator Male Lizards in Allopatry and Sympatry
title_sort pre and postcopulatory traits of salvator male lizards in allopatry and sympatry
url http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2016/8176267
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