Male medaka continue to mate with females despite sperm depletion
In animals where males engage in multiple matings, sperm depletion can substantially reduce the reproductive success of both sexes. However, little is known about how successive matings affect sperm depletion, fertilization rates and mating behaviour. Here, we investigated this phenomenon under labo...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
The Royal Society
2025-01-01
|
| Series: | Royal Society Open Science |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rsos.241668 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1841555822413348864 |
|---|---|
| author | Yuki Kondo Masanori Kohda Satoshi Awata |
| author_facet | Yuki Kondo Masanori Kohda Satoshi Awata |
| author_sort | Yuki Kondo |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | In animals where males engage in multiple matings, sperm depletion can substantially reduce the reproductive success of both sexes. However, little is known about how successive matings affect sperm depletion, fertilization rates and mating behaviour. Here, we investigated this phenomenon under laboratory conditions. Medaka (Oryzias latipes), an externally fertilizing fish, is an ideal model to test predictions of sperm depletion because there are established methods to observe its mating and count sperm. Medaka males mated with multiple females (19 per day, on average; range, 4–27), experiencing significant sperm depletion, with sperm release declining markedly after the first few matings, reaching only 0.5–6.3% by the last mating of the day. Fertilization rates decreased, particularly after approximately 10 consecutive matings, although there was some recovery in the next-day’s matings. The decline in courtship effort and mating duration probably resulted from the males becoming increasingly fatigued. Despite the reduced sperm availability, females did not adjust their clutch size as a counterstrategy. These results suggest substantial reproductive costs for males and the potential for sexual conflict owing to limited sperm availability. For species with frequent successive mating, these findings highlight the need to reconsider reproductive strategies and their impact on sexual selection. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-44bc7d4be7194193a30138c70b98e6e7 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2054-5703 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | The Royal Society |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Royal Society Open Science |
| spelling | doaj-art-44bc7d4be7194193a30138c70b98e6e72025-01-08T00:06:24ZengThe Royal SocietyRoyal Society Open Science2054-57032025-01-0112110.1098/rsos.241668Male medaka continue to mate with females despite sperm depletionYuki Kondo0Masanori Kohda1Satoshi Awata2Laboratory of Animal Sociology, Department of Biology, Graduate School of Science, Osaka City University, Osaka 558-8585, JapanLaboratory of Animal Sociology, Department of Biology, Graduate School of Science, Osaka City University, Osaka 558-8585, JapanLaboratory of Animal Sociology, Department of Biology, Graduate School of Science, Osaka City University, Osaka 558-8585, JapanIn animals where males engage in multiple matings, sperm depletion can substantially reduce the reproductive success of both sexes. However, little is known about how successive matings affect sperm depletion, fertilization rates and mating behaviour. Here, we investigated this phenomenon under laboratory conditions. Medaka (Oryzias latipes), an externally fertilizing fish, is an ideal model to test predictions of sperm depletion because there are established methods to observe its mating and count sperm. Medaka males mated with multiple females (19 per day, on average; range, 4–27), experiencing significant sperm depletion, with sperm release declining markedly after the first few matings, reaching only 0.5–6.3% by the last mating of the day. Fertilization rates decreased, particularly after approximately 10 consecutive matings, although there was some recovery in the next-day’s matings. The decline in courtship effort and mating duration probably resulted from the males becoming increasingly fatigued. Despite the reduced sperm availability, females did not adjust their clutch size as a counterstrategy. These results suggest substantial reproductive costs for males and the potential for sexual conflict owing to limited sperm availability. For species with frequent successive mating, these findings highlight the need to reconsider reproductive strategies and their impact on sexual selection.https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rsos.241668sperm depletionfertilization ratemating behaviourmedakaOryzias latipes |
| spellingShingle | Yuki Kondo Masanori Kohda Satoshi Awata Male medaka continue to mate with females despite sperm depletion Royal Society Open Science sperm depletion fertilization rate mating behaviour medaka Oryzias latipes |
| title | Male medaka continue to mate with females despite sperm depletion |
| title_full | Male medaka continue to mate with females despite sperm depletion |
| title_fullStr | Male medaka continue to mate with females despite sperm depletion |
| title_full_unstemmed | Male medaka continue to mate with females despite sperm depletion |
| title_short | Male medaka continue to mate with females despite sperm depletion |
| title_sort | male medaka continue to mate with females despite sperm depletion |
| topic | sperm depletion fertilization rate mating behaviour medaka Oryzias latipes |
| url | https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rsos.241668 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT yukikondo malemedakacontinuetomatewithfemalesdespitespermdepletion AT masanorikohda malemedakacontinuetomatewithfemalesdespitespermdepletion AT satoshiawata malemedakacontinuetomatewithfemalesdespitespermdepletion |