Data from: MHC-associated mate choice under competitive conditions in captive versus wild Tasmanian devils

Mate choice contributes to driving evolutionary processes when animals
choose breeding partners that confer genetic advantages to offspring, such
as increased immunocompetence. The major histocompatibility complex (MHC)
is an important group of immunological molecules, as MHC antigens bind and
present foreign peptides to T-cells. Recent studies suggest that mates may
be selected based on their MHC profile, leading to an association between
an individual’s MHC diversity and their breeding success. In conservation,
it may be important to consider mate choice in captive breeding programs,
as this mechanism may improve reproductive rates. We investigated the
reproductive success of Tasmanian devils in a group housing facility to
determine whether increased MHC-based heterozygosity led individuals to
secure more mating partners and produce more offspring. We also compared
the breeding success of captive females to a wild devil population. MHC
diversity was quantified using 12 MHC-linked microsatellite markers,
including 11 previously characterised markers and one newly identified
marker. Our analyses revealed that there was no relationship between
MHC-linked heterozygosity and reproductive success either in captivity or
the wild. The results of this study suggest that, for Tasmanian devils,
MHC-based heterozygosity does not produce greater breeding success, and
that no specific changes to current captive management strategies are
required with respect to preserving MHC diversity.