Evolution of male nuptial gift and female remating: A quantitative genetic model

In some species of separate sexes, males present a nuptial gift containing nutrition to their mate. Producing a large nuptial gift is a considerable cost to the male, but it may improve his siring success if the female reduces the likelihood to accept another male after receiving a large gift. The female may receive a direct benefit by accepting another male who provides an additional nuptial gift. Additionally, the female may receive an indirect fitness benefit via laying offspring sired by a male who is able to produce a large nuptial gift. We formalized the multivariate quantitative genetics model describing the coevolution of the size of nuptial gift produced by the male (x) and the female's propensity to engage in remating (y). We analyzed the model focusing two cases: [1] remating females receive no indirect fitness benefit, but enjoy direct benefit of nutrition; and [2] remating females receive no direct benefit, but enjoy an indirect fitness benefit due to a positive genetic correlation of x and y, which is possible if random mutations tend to make males produce small nuptial gifts. In both cases, the stable evolutionary equilibrium with neither nuptial gift nor remating ((x) over bar = (y) over bar = 0) always exists. Another stable equilibrium may exist in which male produces nuptial gifts ((x) over bar > 0) and female engage in multiple mating ((y) over bar > 0). We discussed implications to the sexual conflict. (C) 2021 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Automated summary

In species with separate sexes, males provide nuptial gifts containing nutrition to their mates, which can affect the male's reproductive success and bring direct and indirect benefits to the female. By formalizing and analyzing a quantitative genetics model describing the coevolution of nuptial gift size and female's propensity to remate, it was found that various evolutionary equilibriums exist, including scenarios with no nuptial gifts or remating, as well as scenarios where males produce nuptial gifts and females engage in multiple matings.