Skip to main content

Lund University Publications

LUND UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES

Low frequency of extra-pair paternity in Savi's Warblers (Locustella luscinioides)

Neto, Julio LU ; Hansson, Bengt LU orcid and Hasselquist, Dennis LU (2010) In Behaviour 147(11). p.1413-1429
Abstract
Although the frequency of extra-pair paternity (EPP) has been described for many species, the relative importance of the various contemporary and historical factors explaining EPP variation is still the subject of debate. In this study, we found 11 polymorphic microsatellite loci in the Savi's Warbler (Locustella luscinioides), and used eight loci to analyze the paternity of 392 nestlings belonging to 102 broods of this little-known species. The frequency of EPP was 4.1% of nestlings and 5.9% of broods, which is surprisingly low given what is known about Savi's Warbler's life history and ecology, and among the lowest found of any socially-monogamous passerine bird. Comparisons with similar species indicate that this low frequency is... (More)
Although the frequency of extra-pair paternity (EPP) has been described for many species, the relative importance of the various contemporary and historical factors explaining EPP variation is still the subject of debate. In this study, we found 11 polymorphic microsatellite loci in the Savi's Warbler (Locustella luscinioides), and used eight loci to analyze the paternity of 392 nestlings belonging to 102 broods of this little-known species. The frequency of EPP was 4.1% of nestlings and 5.9% of broods, which is surprisingly low given what is known about Savi's Warbler's life history and ecology, and among the lowest found of any socially-monogamous passerine bird. Comparisons with similar species indicate that this low frequency is unlikely to have been determined by the ancient evolution of life history strategies. Our observations suggest that the costs of engaging in extra-pair copulations might be high for the females. Larger males, particularly those with longer bill and tarsus, are more likely to be cuckolded; and the few possible comparisons between cuckolded males and extra-pair sires reveal a similar pattern. We further show that bill and tarsus lengths correlate with arrival date, which is associated with individual quality in many migratory bird species. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
genetic breeding system, microsatellites, body size, sexual selection
in
Behaviour
volume
147
issue
11
pages
1413 - 1429
publisher
Brill
external identifiers
  • wos:000283484800002
  • scopus:77956911913
ISSN
1568-539X
DOI
10.1163/000579510X517217
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
b996cc44-71c6-4b95-bef9-5ed603115e53 (old id 1720565)
date added to LUP
2016-04-01 14:25:36
date last changed
2024-01-10 03:39:49
@article{b996cc44-71c6-4b95-bef9-5ed603115e53,
  abstract     = {{Although the frequency of extra-pair paternity (EPP) has been described for many species, the relative importance of the various contemporary and historical factors explaining EPP variation is still the subject of debate. In this study, we found 11 polymorphic microsatellite loci in the Savi's Warbler (Locustella luscinioides), and used eight loci to analyze the paternity of 392 nestlings belonging to 102 broods of this little-known species. The frequency of EPP was 4.1% of nestlings and 5.9% of broods, which is surprisingly low given what is known about Savi's Warbler's life history and ecology, and among the lowest found of any socially-monogamous passerine bird. Comparisons with similar species indicate that this low frequency is unlikely to have been determined by the ancient evolution of life history strategies. Our observations suggest that the costs of engaging in extra-pair copulations might be high for the females. Larger males, particularly those with longer bill and tarsus, are more likely to be cuckolded; and the few possible comparisons between cuckolded males and extra-pair sires reveal a similar pattern. We further show that bill and tarsus lengths correlate with arrival date, which is associated with individual quality in many migratory bird species.}},
  author       = {{Neto, Julio and Hansson, Bengt and Hasselquist, Dennis}},
  issn         = {{1568-539X}},
  keywords     = {{genetic breeding system; microsatellites; body size; sexual selection}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{11}},
  pages        = {{1413--1429}},
  publisher    = {{Brill}},
  series       = {{Behaviour}},
  title        = {{Low frequency of extra-pair paternity in Savi's Warblers (Locustella luscinioides)}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1163/000579510X517217}},
  doi          = {{10.1163/000579510X517217}},
  volume       = {{147}},
  year         = {{2010}},
}