Viviparity as a constraint on sex-ratio evolution.
In polytocous mammals, the sex ratio during gestation can influence a variety of morphological, physiological, and life-history traits because of steroid leakage between fetuses. Similar phenomena have also recently been described for a viviparous lizard. Some of these effects have important fitness consequences by influencing reproductive success later in life. Thus, biasing the sex ratio toward one sex may lead to a decreased fitness for the other sex, and therefore constrain the evolution of skewed sex ratios. By incorporating effects of sex ratio on offspring fitness in a simple sex-allocation model, I show that, under some circumstances (1) skewed sex ratios are predicted to evolve, and (2) this cost can constrain the evolution of skewed sex ratios.
Uller
Tobias
T
Department of Zoology, University of Gothenburg, Medicinaregatan 18, SE 405 30, Gothenburg, Sweden. tobias.uller@zool.gu.se
D000818:Animals; D005075:Biological Evolution; D008954:Models, Biological; D012098:Reproduction / Q000502:physiology; D012744:Sex Ratio