Indirect evidence of an early mating advantage in wild cooperatively breeding male banded mongooses
Abstract Promiscuous females reduce male reproductive control. Males can attempt to monopolise access to these females, but distractions and sneaky rivals mean extra copulations cannot always be blocked. By mating first, males can obtain a headstart in sperm competition, but this may be negated by s...
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| Language: | English |
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Nature Portfolio
2025-01-01
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| Series: | Scientific Reports |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-80518-8 |
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| author | Graham Birch Michael A. Cant Hazel J. Nichols Magali Meniri Robert Businge Francis Mwanguhya Jonathan D. Blount |
| author_facet | Graham Birch Michael A. Cant Hazel J. Nichols Magali Meniri Robert Businge Francis Mwanguhya Jonathan D. Blount |
| author_sort | Graham Birch |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Promiscuous females reduce male reproductive control. Males can attempt to monopolise access to these females, but distractions and sneaky rivals mean extra copulations cannot always be blocked. By mating first, males can obtain a headstart in sperm competition, but this may be negated by sperm storage and cryptic female choice mechanisms. We carry out an indirect rare test of an early mating advantage in a population of free-living wild animals. Using Bayesian GLMM analysis of a long-term life history database spanning 17 years, we show that banded mongoose males who interacted with females in earlier days of oestrus had a higher chance of siring their offspring compared with later rivals. An early mating advantage would intensify initial male-male competition and hence selection for male choice, as any initial mistake identifying preferred mating partners could see paternity lost to rivals. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-4afb5f704fd449b0bd0894717b6d5afc |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2045-2322 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
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| series | Scientific Reports |
| spelling | doaj-art-4afb5f704fd449b0bd0894717b6d5afc2025-01-12T12:23:13ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222025-01-011511910.1038/s41598-024-80518-8Indirect evidence of an early mating advantage in wild cooperatively breeding male banded mongoosesGraham Birch0Michael A. Cant1Hazel J. Nichols2Magali Meniri3Robert Businge4Francis Mwanguhya5Jonathan D. Blount6Centre for Ecology and Conservation, Faculty of Environment, Science & Economy, University of Exeter, Penryn CampusCentre for Ecology and Conservation, Faculty of Environment, Science & Economy, University of Exeter, Penryn CampusDepartment of Biosciences, Swansea UniversityCentre for Ecology and Conservation, Faculty of Environment, Science & Economy, University of Exeter, Penryn CampusBanded Mongoose Research ProjectBanded Mongoose Research ProjectCentre for Ecology and Conservation, Faculty of Environment, Science & Economy, University of Exeter, Penryn CampusAbstract Promiscuous females reduce male reproductive control. Males can attempt to monopolise access to these females, but distractions and sneaky rivals mean extra copulations cannot always be blocked. By mating first, males can obtain a headstart in sperm competition, but this may be negated by sperm storage and cryptic female choice mechanisms. We carry out an indirect rare test of an early mating advantage in a population of free-living wild animals. Using Bayesian GLMM analysis of a long-term life history database spanning 17 years, we show that banded mongoose males who interacted with females in earlier days of oestrus had a higher chance of siring their offspring compared with later rivals. An early mating advantage would intensify initial male-male competition and hence selection for male choice, as any initial mistake identifying preferred mating partners could see paternity lost to rivals.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-80518-8Cooperative breederMate competitionSperm competitionPolyandryPaternitySperm precedence |
| spellingShingle | Graham Birch Michael A. Cant Hazel J. Nichols Magali Meniri Robert Businge Francis Mwanguhya Jonathan D. Blount Indirect evidence of an early mating advantage in wild cooperatively breeding male banded mongooses Scientific Reports Cooperative breeder Mate competition Sperm competition Polyandry Paternity Sperm precedence |
| title | Indirect evidence of an early mating advantage in wild cooperatively breeding male banded mongooses |
| title_full | Indirect evidence of an early mating advantage in wild cooperatively breeding male banded mongooses |
| title_fullStr | Indirect evidence of an early mating advantage in wild cooperatively breeding male banded mongooses |
| title_full_unstemmed | Indirect evidence of an early mating advantage in wild cooperatively breeding male banded mongooses |
| title_short | Indirect evidence of an early mating advantage in wild cooperatively breeding male banded mongooses |
| title_sort | indirect evidence of an early mating advantage in wild cooperatively breeding male banded mongooses |
| topic | Cooperative breeder Mate competition Sperm competition Polyandry Paternity Sperm precedence |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-80518-8 |
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