Comment on Schielzeth et al. (2014): "Genome size variation affects song attractiveness in grasshoppers: Evidence for sexual selection against large genomes".
Schielzeth et al. (2014) concluded that attractive grasshopper singers have significantly smaller genomes thus suggesting a possible role for sexual selection on genome size. Whereas this conclusion could still be conceivably valid, it is not supported by the data presented due to some technical flaws. In addition, the interpretation of the results, speculating on the possible presence of B chromosomes, is not justified.
Departamento de Genética, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Granada, 18071, Granada, Spain. jpmcamac@ugr.es.
Juan Pedro M
JP
Camacho
D000818:Animals; D002875:Chromosomes; D059646:Genome Size; D006110:Grasshoppers / Q000235:genetics*; D012725:Sexual Behavior