Data from: Male competition and the evolution of mating and life history traits in experimental populations of Aedes aegypti

Aedes aegypti is an important disease vector and a major target of
reproductive control efforts. We manipulated the opportunity for sexual
selection in populations of Ae. aegypti by controlling the number of males
competing for a single female. Populations exposed to higher levels of
male competition rapidly evolved higher male competitive mating success
relative to populations evolved in the absence of competition, with an
evolutionary response visible after only five generations. We also
detected correlated evolution in other important mating and life history
traits, such as acoustic signalling, fecundity and body size. Our results
indicate that there is ample segregating variation for determinants of
male mating competitiveness in wild populations and that increased male
mating success trades-off with other important life history traits. The
mating conditions imposed on laboratory-reared mosquitoes are likely a
significant determinant of male mating success in populations destined for
release.