Evolution of male parental care and female multiple mating: Game-theoretical and two-locus diploid models

Authored by JY Wakano, Y Ihara

Date Published: 2005

DOI: 10.1086/431252

Sponsors: No sponsors listed

Platforms: No platforms listed

Model Documentation: Other Narrative Mathematical description

Model Code URLs: Model code not found

Abstract

Males gain a fitness benefit by mating with many females, whereas the number of progeny per female does not increase as a function of additional mates. Furthermore, males run the risk of investing in the offspring of other males if they provide parental care. Nevertheless, in various species, males provide parental care, and females mate with multiple males. We investigate a game-theoretical model in which females gain a direct benefit by multiple mating from the paternal care they elicit for their offspring. The parameters that directly favor male parental care, such as small cost of paternal care, have indirect positive effects on the evolution of female multiple mating, while they have negative effects in the opposite case. Both traits are more likely to evolve when the number of matings is smaller. The individual-based model of a diploid two-locus, two-allelic genetic model confirms the result.

Tags

behavior patterns investment Reproductive success Polyandry Extra-pair copulations Maximize paternal care Peromyscus-californicus Mate preference Monogamy