Geographical variation in sperm morphology in the red-winged blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus)

Stefan Lüpold; David F. Westneat; Tim R. Birkhead

doi:10.1007/s10682-010-9410-5

Geographical variation in sperm morphology in the red-winged blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus)

Stefan Lüpold, David F. Westneat, Tim R. Birkhead

Biology

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

31 Scopus citations

Abstract

Many species differ genetically, physiologically, and morphologically between geographically distinct populations, typically in response to variation in ecological and climatic variables. Little is known, however, about geographical variation in sperm morphology. Sperm morphology is under strong sexual selection, has been shown to evolve rapidly, and often co-varies with other reproductive traits (e. g., testis size or mating system) that differ between populations in some species. The aim of this study was to establish whether sperm morphology varies between populations of the red-winged blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus), a species with an enormous breeding range and marked inter-population variation in both body size and mating system. We found (1) highly significant variation in sperm morphology among study sites, (2) a gradual increase in sperm length from the southwest to the northeast of the breeding range, and (3) a strong negative association between sperm length and body size. However, the relationship with the mating system remains unclear. Several hypotheses to explain these patterns are proposed.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	373-390
Number of pages	18
Journal	Evolutionary Ecology
Volume	25
Issue number	2
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1007/s10682-010-9410-5
State	Published - Mar 2011

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
Acknowledgments We thank J. Homan, G. Linz, L. Reinhardt, A. Trutsch, and K. Yasukawa for their help in the field, R. Byrd, J. Cummins, D. Elwonger, L. Merrill, T. Muir, J. Rivers, V. Rohwer, S. Tupper, S. Werner, and M. Whitfield for providing additional sperm samples, the SPU meeting at Syracuse University for insightful discussion, and R. Montgomerie, R. Snook and three anonymous reviewers for valuable comments on the manuscript. S.L. was supported by the Janggen-Poehn Foundation, Swiss National Science Foundation, a Sheffield University ORS Award, a Lauff Research Award, a KBS Visiting Graduate Student Fellowship, and an NSF LTER Graduate Research Award; D.F.W. by the University of Kentucky; and T.R.B. by the Leverhulme Trust.

Funding

Acknowledgments We thank J. Homan, G. Linz, L. Reinhardt, A. Trutsch, and K. Yasukawa for their help in the field, R. Byrd, J. Cummins, D. Elwonger, L. Merrill, T. Muir, J. Rivers, V. Rohwer, S. Tupper, S. Werner, and M. Whitfield for providing additional sperm samples, the SPU meeting at Syracuse University for insightful discussion, and R. Montgomerie, R. Snook and three anonymous reviewers for valuable comments on the manuscript. S.L. was supported by the Janggen-Poehn Foundation, Swiss National Science Foundation, a Sheffield University ORS Award, a Lauff Research Award, a KBS Visiting Graduate Student Fellowship, and an NSF LTER Graduate Research Award; D.F.W. by the University of Kentucky; and T.R.B. by the Leverhulme Trust.

Funders	Funder number
National Science Foundation (NSF)
University of Kentucky
Leverhulme Trust
Schweizerischer Nationalfonds zur Förderung der Wissenschaftlichen Forschung	114636
Janggen-Pöhn-Stiftung

Keywords

Body size
Icteridae
Inter-population variation
Mating system
Sperm length

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics

Access to Document

10.1007/s10682-010-9410-5

Cite this

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title = "Geographical variation in sperm morphology in the red-winged blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus)",

abstract = "Many species differ genetically, physiologically, and morphologically between geographically distinct populations, typically in response to variation in ecological and climatic variables. Little is known, however, about geographical variation in sperm morphology. Sperm morphology is under strong sexual selection, has been shown to evolve rapidly, and often co-varies with other reproductive traits (e. g., testis size or mating system) that differ between populations in some species. The aim of this study was to establish whether sperm morphology varies between populations of the red-winged blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus), a species with an enormous breeding range and marked inter-population variation in both body size and mating system. We found (1) highly significant variation in sperm morphology among study sites, (2) a gradual increase in sperm length from the southwest to the northeast of the breeding range, and (3) a strong negative association between sperm length and body size. However, the relationship with the mating system remains unclear. Several hypotheses to explain these patterns are proposed.",

keywords = "Body size, Icteridae, Inter-population variation, Mating system, Sperm length",

author = "Stefan L{\"u}pold and Westneat, {David F.} and Birkhead, {Tim R.}",

note = "Funding Information: Acknowledgments We thank J. Homan, G. Linz, L. Reinhardt, A. Trutsch, and K. Yasukawa for their help in the field, R. Byrd, J. Cummins, D. Elwonger, L. Merrill, T. Muir, J. Rivers, V. Rohwer, S. Tupper, S. Werner, and M. Whitfield for providing additional sperm samples, the SPU meeting at Syracuse University for insightful discussion, and R. Montgomerie, R. Snook and three anonymous reviewers for valuable comments on the manuscript. S.L. was supported by the Janggen-Poehn Foundation, Swiss National Science Foundation, a Sheffield University ORS Award, a Lauff Research Award, a KBS Visiting Graduate Student Fellowship, and an NSF LTER Graduate Research Award; D.F.W. by the University of Kentucky; and T.R.B. by the Leverhulme Trust.",

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AU - Westneat, David F.

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N1 - Funding Information: Acknowledgments We thank J. Homan, G. Linz, L. Reinhardt, A. Trutsch, and K. Yasukawa for their help in the field, R. Byrd, J. Cummins, D. Elwonger, L. Merrill, T. Muir, J. Rivers, V. Rohwer, S. Tupper, S. Werner, and M. Whitfield for providing additional sperm samples, the SPU meeting at Syracuse University for insightful discussion, and R. Montgomerie, R. Snook and three anonymous reviewers for valuable comments on the manuscript. S.L. was supported by the Janggen-Poehn Foundation, Swiss National Science Foundation, a Sheffield University ORS Award, a Lauff Research Award, a KBS Visiting Graduate Student Fellowship, and an NSF LTER Graduate Research Award; D.F.W. by the University of Kentucky; and T.R.B. by the Leverhulme Trust.

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N2 - Many species differ genetically, physiologically, and morphologically between geographically distinct populations, typically in response to variation in ecological and climatic variables. Little is known, however, about geographical variation in sperm morphology. Sperm morphology is under strong sexual selection, has been shown to evolve rapidly, and often co-varies with other reproductive traits (e. g., testis size or mating system) that differ between populations in some species. The aim of this study was to establish whether sperm morphology varies between populations of the red-winged blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus), a species with an enormous breeding range and marked inter-population variation in both body size and mating system. We found (1) highly significant variation in sperm morphology among study sites, (2) a gradual increase in sperm length from the southwest to the northeast of the breeding range, and (3) a strong negative association between sperm length and body size. However, the relationship with the mating system remains unclear. Several hypotheses to explain these patterns are proposed.

AB - Many species differ genetically, physiologically, and morphologically between geographically distinct populations, typically in response to variation in ecological and climatic variables. Little is known, however, about geographical variation in sperm morphology. Sperm morphology is under strong sexual selection, has been shown to evolve rapidly, and often co-varies with other reproductive traits (e. g., testis size or mating system) that differ between populations in some species. The aim of this study was to establish whether sperm morphology varies between populations of the red-winged blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus), a species with an enormous breeding range and marked inter-population variation in both body size and mating system. We found (1) highly significant variation in sperm morphology among study sites, (2) a gradual increase in sperm length from the southwest to the northeast of the breeding range, and (3) a strong negative association between sperm length and body size. However, the relationship with the mating system remains unclear. Several hypotheses to explain these patterns are proposed.

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Geographical variation in sperm morphology in the red-winged blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus)

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Funding

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Access to Document

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