Publications by authors named "N L Ratterman"
Microsatellite parentage analysis was applied to 22 broods of the northern pipefish Syngnathus fuscus for the first time. The majority of males mated singly, 23% of males mated with two females, and no males mated with more than two females. The arrangement of embryos within the brood pouch of multiply mated males reflects a previously undocumented fill pattern where full-sib groups are segregated within the pouch by both right and left sides as well as anterior and posterior ends.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFArticle Synopsis
- Mating preferences in evolutionary biology are still not fully understood, partly due to a disconnect between theoretical models and real-world data.
- Researchers conducted a detailed study using Drosophila melanogaster to examine how both male and female flies assess attractiveness, finding that female preferences varied genetically while males had consistent preferences.
- A significant finding was the positive genetic correlation between male attractiveness and female choosiness, suggesting that as males evolve traits that are more attractive, females might simultaneously evolve to be choosier, contributing to the process of sexual selection.
The use of molecular techniques for parentage analysis has been a booming science for over a decade. The most important technological breakthrough was the introduction of microsatellite markers to molecular ecology, an advance that was accompanied by a proliferation and refinement of statistical techniques for the analysis of parentage data. Over the last several years, we have seen steady progress in a number of areas related to parentage analysis, and the prospects for successful studies continue to improve.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFMate choice and sexual selection: what have we learned since Darwin?
Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A
June 2009
Article Synopsis
- Darwin's book, The Descent of Man, expanded on his hypothesis of sexual selection from The Origin of Species, providing extensive evidence and implications of mate choice.
- The text highlights two main questions about sexual selection: why mate choice evolves and what determines its strength in different sexes, both of which Darwin partially addressed.
- Despite significant advancements in understanding sexual selection over the past 150 years, confusion and disagreement remain in key areas, underscoring the continued relevance of Darwin's contributions to evolutionary biology.