Clutch size: A major sex ratio determinant in fig pollinating wasps?

Finn Kjellberg; Judith L. Bronstein; Glen van Ginkel; Jaco M. Greeff; Jamie C. Moore; Nathalie Bossu-Dupriez; Malia Chevolot; Georges Michaloud

doi:10.1016/j.crvi.2004.11.005

Clutch size: A major sex ratio determinant in fig pollinating wasps?

Finn Kjellberg, Judith L. Bronstein, Glen van Ginkel, Jaco M. Greeff, Jamie C. Moore, Nathalie Bossu-Dupriez, Malia Chevolot, Georges Michaloud

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

24 Scopus citations

Abstract

Under local mate competition, sex ratio theory predicts that increasing numbers of ovipositing females (foundresses) on a site should lead to higher proportions of males in their broods. Fig pollinators have confirmed this prediction. It is also predicted that with decreasing clutch size, solitary foundresses should produce increasing proportions of sons. We show this to be true. Further, when several females compete, brood size decreases. As a result, the proportion of males increases, and this could provide a mechanistic explanation of sex ratio response to numbers of colonizing females. Therefore, sex ratio data on fig wasps need to be reassessed to determine whether females 'count' other foundresses, as is generally accepted, or whether they simply 'count' the number of eggs that they lay.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	471-476
Number of pages	6
Journal	Comptes Rendus - Biologies
Volume	328
Issue number	5
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.crvi.2004.11.005
State	Published - May 2005

Keywords

Brood size
Evolution
Ficus
Fig wasps
Sex ratio

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology(all)
Immunology and Microbiology(all)
Agricultural and Biological Sciences(all)

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10.1016/j.crvi.2004.11.005

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title = "Clutch size: A major sex ratio determinant in fig pollinating wasps?",

abstract = "Under local mate competition, sex ratio theory predicts that increasing numbers of ovipositing females (foundresses) on a site should lead to higher proportions of males in their broods. Fig pollinators have confirmed this prediction. It is also predicted that with decreasing clutch size, solitary foundresses should produce increasing proportions of sons. We show this to be true. Further, when several females compete, brood size decreases. As a result, the proportion of males increases, and this could provide a mechanistic explanation of sex ratio response to numbers of colonizing females. Therefore, sex ratio data on fig wasps need to be reassessed to determine whether females 'count' other foundresses, as is generally accepted, or whether they simply 'count' the number of eggs that they lay.",

keywords = "Brood size, Evolution, Ficus, Fig wasps, Sex ratio",

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T2 - A major sex ratio determinant in fig pollinating wasps?

AU - Kjellberg, Finn

AU - Bronstein, Judith L.

AU - van Ginkel, Glen

AU - Greeff, Jaco M.

AU - Moore, Jamie C.

AU - Bossu-Dupriez, Nathalie

AU - Chevolot, Malia

AU - Michaloud, Georges

PY - 2005/5

Y1 - 2005/5

N2 - Under local mate competition, sex ratio theory predicts that increasing numbers of ovipositing females (foundresses) on a site should lead to higher proportions of males in their broods. Fig pollinators have confirmed this prediction. It is also predicted that with decreasing clutch size, solitary foundresses should produce increasing proportions of sons. We show this to be true. Further, when several females compete, brood size decreases. As a result, the proportion of males increases, and this could provide a mechanistic explanation of sex ratio response to numbers of colonizing females. Therefore, sex ratio data on fig wasps need to be reassessed to determine whether females 'count' other foundresses, as is generally accepted, or whether they simply 'count' the number of eggs that they lay.

AB - Under local mate competition, sex ratio theory predicts that increasing numbers of ovipositing females (foundresses) on a site should lead to higher proportions of males in their broods. Fig pollinators have confirmed this prediction. It is also predicted that with decreasing clutch size, solitary foundresses should produce increasing proportions of sons. We show this to be true. Further, when several females compete, brood size decreases. As a result, the proportion of males increases, and this could provide a mechanistic explanation of sex ratio response to numbers of colonizing females. Therefore, sex ratio data on fig wasps need to be reassessed to determine whether females 'count' other foundresses, as is generally accepted, or whether they simply 'count' the number of eggs that they lay.

KW - Brood size

KW - Evolution

KW - Ficus

KW - Fig wasps

KW - Sex ratio

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Clutch size: A major sex ratio determinant in fig pollinating wasps?

Abstract

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

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