Genetic variation in age-dependent attractiveness in a fish with a mixed mating system

Reproductive senescence is common in many taxa and females often show a predictable decline in fecundity after maturity. Attending to these age-dependent cues in female fecundity could help males make optimal mate choice decisions. In this study, we examined reproductive senescence and male mate choice in the androdioecious mangrove rivulus (Kryptolebias marmoratus) where self-fertilizing hermaphrodites exist with rare males and where generations of self-fertilization result in genetically distinct lineages. Hermaphrodites showed a strong decline in fecundity as they aged and genetic lineages varied in their fecundity both at young and old ages. Surprisingly, when given a simultaneous choice between genetically identical old and young hermaphrodites, and with access to both visual and olfactory cues, males did not simply prefer younger hermaphrodites. Instead, male preference for younger vs older partners depended on the genetic lineage of the partners, resulting in a strong genotype x ..., , , # Genetic variation in age-dependent attractiveness in a fish with a mixed mating system

[https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.6djh9w1bp](https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.6djh9w1bp)

## Description of the data and file structure

**PART 1:** Fecundity assay

We measured the number of embryos produced by younger and older hermaphrodites across 4 different lineages

**PART 2:** Male preference assays

We measured how much time single males spent with simultaneously presented younger and older hermaphrodites across 4 different lineages

### Files and variables

#### **PART 1:** Fecundity assay

file 1A: embryo_data.csv

columns:

A. lineage = the particular genetic lineage the focal fish belongs to ( BP16, BP21, CROC27, or  CROC31)

B. generation = the generation in the lab that the focal fish belongs to (eg. F8 to F10)

C. ID = individual ID number for the focal hermaphrodite fish

D. days_old = the age of the focal fish in days (embryo collection minus birthdate)

E. age = category of age (young ...