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      Condition-dependent signalling of genetic variation in stalk-eyed flies.

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      Nature
      Springer Science and Business Media LLC

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          Abstract

          Handicap models of sexual selection predict that male sexual ornaments have strong condition-dependent expression and this allows females to evaluate male genetic quality. A number of previous experiments have demonstrated heightened condition-dependence of sexual ornaments in response to environmental stress. Here we show that genetic variation underlies the response to environmental stress (variable food quality) of a sexual ornament (male eye span) in the stalk-eyed fly Cyrtodiopsis dalmanni. Some male genotypes develop large eye span under all conditions, whereas other genotypes progressively reduce eye span as conditions deteriorate. Several non-sexual traits (female eye span, male and female wing length) also show genetic variation in condition-dependent expression, but their genetic response is entirely explained by scaling with body size. In contrast, the male sexual ornament still reveals genetic variation in the response to environmental stress after accounting for differences in body size. These results strongly support the hypothesis that female mate choice yields genetic benefits for offspring.

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          Author and article information

          Journal
          Nature
          Nature
          Springer Science and Business Media LLC
          0028-0836
          0028-0836
          Jul 13 2000
          : 406
          : 6792
          Affiliations
          [1 ] Department of Biology, University College London, UK.
          Article
          10.1038/35018079
          10910358
          f2dad672-900a-445f-b2e7-7dd3aeeb3644
          History

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