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r
e s e a r c h.. f o c u s :
Sexual
conflict
The
evolution of traits that contribute to differential male reproductive
success in species where males provide no directbenefitsto females or their young is currently being re-considered with
respect to sexually antagonistic coevolution. For example, the function
of male ornaments may not be to honestly signal male quality to
females, but rather to coerce or manipulate females into acting
in ways that benefit the males' reproductive interests to the detriment
of the females' fitness. Because male and female reproductive interests
are only confluent under strict genetic monogamy, sexual conflict
is expected to be widespread. We have been examining the evolutionary
causes and consequences of sexual conflict in D. melanogaster.
Selected
Related Publications:
Morrow,
E.H., G. Arnqvist, and S. Pitnick. 2003. Adaptation versus
pleiotropy: why do males harm their mates? Behavioral Ecology,
.
Pitnick,
S. and F. García-González. 2002. Harm to females
increases with male body size in Drosophila melanogaster.
Proceedings of the Royal Society of London B, 269:1821-1828.
[PDF]
Pitnick,
S., Miller, G.T., Reagan, J. and B. Holland. 2001. Males' evolutionary
responses to experimental removal of sexual selection. Proceedings
of the Royal Society of London B, 268:1071-1080. [PDF]
Pitnick,
S., Brown, W.D. and G.T. Miller. 2001. Evolution of female
remating behaviour following experimental removal of sexual selection.
Proceedings of the Royal Society of London B 268:557-563.
[PDF]
For
more details and selected publications on the different aspects
of my research program, follow these links:
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