title: Evolution: lending a helping hand in sperm competition?
abstract: Most females mate with many males. This can be costly, but the benefits to females are often unclear. A new study raises the possibility that females could benefit through an unconventional genetic pathway, while also showing that males can inadvertently increase rival males' fitness in surprising ways.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Ecology and Conservation, School of Biosciences, University of Exeter, Cornwall TR10 9EZ, UK.
authors.forename: Clarissa M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: House
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hunt
authors.forename: David J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Hosken
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D005075:Biological Evolution; D004625:Embryo, Nonmammalian / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D006135:Gryllidae / Q000196:embryology / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D012726:Sexual Behavior, Animal; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000502:physiology*