Data from: Female choice for male cuticular hydrocarbon profile in decorated crickets is not based on similarity to their own profile

Indirect genetic benefits derived from female mate choice comprise additive (good genes) and non-additive genetic benefits (genetic compatibility). Although good genes can be revealed by condition-dependent display traits, the mechanism by which compatibility alleles are detected is unclear because evaluation of the genetic similarity of a prospective mate requires the female to assess the genotype of the male and compare it to her own. Cuticular hydrocarbons (CHCs), lipids coating the exoskeleton of most insects, influence female mate choice in a number of species and offer a way for females to assess genetic similarity of prospective mates. Here, we determine whether female mate choice in decorated crickets is based on male CHCs, and whether it is influenced by females’ own CHC profiles. We used multivariate selection analysis to estimate the strength and form of selection acting on male CHCs through female mate choice, and employed different measures of multivariate dissimilarity to determine whether a female’s preference for male CHCs is based on similarity to her own CHC profile. Female mating preferences were significantly influenced by CHC profiles of males. Male CHC attractiveness was not, however, contingent on the CHC profile of the choosing female, as certain male CHC phenotypes were equally attractive to most females, evidenced by significant linear and stabilizing selection gradients. These results suggest that additive, rather than non-additive genetic benefits accrue to female mate choice, in support of earlier work showing that CHC expression of males, but not females, are condition dependent. --

雌性配偶选择所带来的间接遗传收益，可分为加性遗传收益（优质基因（good genes））与非加性遗传收益（遗传兼容性（genetic compatibility））两类。尽管优质基因可通过依赖于状态的展示性状（condition-dependent display traits）得以体现，但目前学界尚未明确雌性识别兼容性等位基因的具体机制——这是因为，雌性若要评估潜在配偶的遗传相似性，需先测定雄性的基因型并与自身基因型进行比对。表皮碳氢化合物（Cuticular hydrocarbons, CHCs）是覆盖多数昆虫外骨骼的脂类物质，在多个物种中均会对雌性配偶选择产生调控作用，同时也为雌性评估潜在配偶的遗传相似性提供了可行路径。本研究以装饰蟋蟀（decorated crickets）为实验对象，旨在探究其雌性配偶选择是否以雄性的表皮碳氢化合物为依据，以及该选择是否会受到雌性自身表皮碳氢化合物谱型的影响。我们采用多元选择分析，估算雌性配偶选择对雄性表皮碳氢化合物所施加选择的强度与形式；同时借助多种多元相异性测度方法，判断雌性对雄性表皮碳氢化合物的偏好是否基于自身表皮碳氢化合物谱型的相似性。实验结果表明，雌性的交配偏好显著受到雄性表皮碳氢化合物谱型的影响。但雄性表皮碳氢化合物的吸引力并不受择偶雌性自身表皮碳氢化合物谱型的调控：特定的雄性表皮碳氢化合物表型对多数雌性均具有同等吸引力，这一点可通过显著的线性选择梯度与稳定选择梯度得以证实。本研究结果提示，雌性配偶选择所获得的遗传收益为加性遗传收益，而非非加性遗传收益，这与此前的研究结论相符——此前研究显示，雄性（而非雌性）的表皮碳氢化合物表达具有状态依赖性。