title: Sexual selection and mate choice.
abstract: The past two decades have seen extensive growth of sexual selection research. Theoretical and empirical work has clarified many components of pre- and postcopulatory sexual selection, such as aggressive competition, mate choice, sperm utilization and sexual conflict. Genetic mechanisms of mate choice evolution have been less amenable to empirical testing, but molecular genetic analyses can now be used for incisive experimentation. Here, we highlight some of the currently debated areas in pre- and postcopulatory sexual selection. We identify where new techniques can help estimate the relative roles of the various selection mechanisms that might work together in the evolution of mating preferences and attractive traits, and in sperm-egg interactions.
authors.affiliation: Department of Zoology, University of Gothenburg, SE 405 30 Gothenburg, Sweden. malte.andersson@zool.gu.se
authors.forename: Malte
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Andersson
authors.forename: Leigh W
authors.initials: LW
authors.lastname: Simmons
mesh_terms: D000222:Adaptation, Physiological; D000818:Animals; D005075:Biological Evolution; D002755:Choice Behavior; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D023421:Models, Animal; D012641:Selection, Genetic; D012726:Sexual Behavior, Animal