Divergence in reproductive behaviors is associated with the evolutionary loss of parental care

The mechanisms underlying the divergence of reproductive strategies between closely-related species are still poorly understood. Additionally, it is unclear which selective factors drive the evolution of reproductive behavioral variation and how these traits coevolve, particularly during early divergence. To address these questions, we quantified behavioral differences in a recently diverged pair of Nova Scotian three-spined stickleback (Gasterosteus aculeatus) populations, which vary in parental care, with one population displaying paternal care and the other lacking this. We compared both populations, and a full reciprocal F1 hybrid cross, across four major reproductive stages: territoriality, nesting, courtship, and parenting. We identified significant divergence in a suite of heritable behaviors. Importantly, F1 hybrids exhibited a mix of behavioral patterns, some of which suggest sex-linkage. This system offers fresh insights into the coevolutionary dynamics of reproductive behavio..., , , # Divergence in reproductive behaviors is associated with the evolutionary loss of parental care

*Authors: Colby Behrens (1), Meghan F. Maciejewski (1), Eric Arredondo (1), Anne C. Dalziel (2), Laura K. Weir (2), Alison M. Bell (1,3,4,5)
(1) Department of Evolution, Ecology and Behavior, School of Integrative Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA
(2) Department of Biology, St. Marys University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
(3) Program in Ecology, Evolution and Conservation, University of Illinois Urbana?Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA\
(4) Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, University of Illinois Urbana?Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA
(5) Program in Neuroscience, University of Illinois Urbana Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA

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## Associated manuscript:

*Title: Divergence in reproductive behaviors is associated with the evolutionary loss of pa...