title: The causes of variation in the presence of genetic covariance between sexual traits and preferences.
abstract: Mating traits and mate preferences often show patterns of tight correspondence across populations and species. These patterns of apparent coevolution may result from a genetic association between traits and preferences (i.e. trait-preference genetic covariance). We review the literature on trait-preference covariance to determine its prevalence and potential biological relevance. Of the 43 studies we identified, a surprising 63% detected covariance. We test multiple hypotheses for factors that may influence the likelihood of detecting this covariance. The main predictor was the presence of genetic variation in mate preferences, which is one of the three main conditions required for the establishment of covariance. In fact, 89% of the nine studies where heritability of preference was high detected covariance. Variables pertaining to the experimental methods and type of traits involved in different studies did not greatly influence the detection of trait-preference covariance. Trait-preference genetic covariance appears to be widespread and therefore represents an important and currently underappreciated factor in the coevolution of traits and preferences.
authors: Department of Biology, Saint Louis University, Macelwane Hall, 3507 Laclede Ave., Saint Louis, MO 63103-2010, U.S.A.
authors: Kasey D
authors: KD
authors: Fowler-Finn
authors: Behavioral and Molecular Ecology Group, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Lapham Hall, 3209 N. Maryland Ave., Milwaukee, WI 53201, U.S.A.
authors: Rafael L
authors: RL
authors: Rodríguez
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D005075:Biological Evolution; D005260:Female; D014644:Genetic Variation; D008297:Male; D052586:Mating Preference, Animal
keywords: Fisherian covariance; Fisherian selection; genetic correlation; genetic covariance; runaway; sexual selection; speciation; trait-preference coevolution