title: Receipt of seminal fluid proteins causes reduction of male investment in a simultaneous hermaphrodite.
abstract: Mating partners often have conflicting interests when copulating. One of the major agents affecting female mating partners is seminal fluid, transferred along with sperm. The role of seminal fluid proteins (SFPs) in reproductive success is well studied in separate-sexed animals but is much less so in simultaneous hermaphrodites. The latter potentially have a unique target to exploit for the sperm donor's own benefit: the male function of their mating partners. Here we show that, in the great pond snail Lymnaea stagnalis, receipt of specific SFPs reduces both sperm transfer and paternity success in a subsequent insemination event. Lowering investment in the mating partner's male function constitutes a novel role for SFPs. This demonstrates for the first time that hermaphrodites alter their mates' male as well as female reproductive output. Although it remains to be tested whether this represents mate manipulation or an adaptive response of recipients, our findings identify male investment as a new target for postcopulatory sexual selection.
authors.affiliation: Animal Ecology Section, Department of Ecological Science, Faculty of Earth and Life Sciences, VU University Amsterdam, De Boelelaan 1085, 1081 HV, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
authors.forename: Yumi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Nakadera
authors.affiliation: Animal Ecology Section, Department of Ecological Science, Faculty of Earth and Life Sciences, VU University Amsterdam, De Boelelaan 1085, 1081 HV, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
authors.forename: Elferra M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Swart
authors.affiliation: Animal Ecology Section, Department of Ecological Science, Faculty of Earth and Life Sciences, VU University Amsterdam, De Boelelaan 1085, 1081 HV, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
authors.forename: Jeroen N A
authors.initials: JN
authors.lastname: Hoffer
authors.affiliation: Animal Ecology Section, Department of Ecological Science, Faculty of Earth and Life Sciences, VU University Amsterdam, De Boelelaan 1085, 1081 HV, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
authors.forename: Onno
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: den Boon
authors.affiliation: Animal Ecology Section, Department of Ecological Science, Faculty of Earth and Life Sciences, VU University Amsterdam, De Boelelaan 1085, 1081 HV, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
authors.forename: Jacintha
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ellers
authors.affiliation: Animal Ecology Section, Department of Ecological Science, Faculty of Earth and Life Sciences, VU University Amsterdam, De Boelelaan 1085, 1081 HV, Amsterdam, the Netherlands. Electronic address: joris.koene@vu.nl.
authors.forename: Joris M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Koene
mesh_terms: D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D005260:Female; D057850:Hermaphroditic Organisms / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D008195:Lymnaea / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D052586:Mating Preference, Animal / Q000502:physiology; D012098:Reproduction / Q000502:physiology; D029589:Seminal Plasma Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D012737:Sex Factors; D012726:Sexual Behavior, Animal / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D029589:Seminal Plasma Proteins