Papers by Jessica Stapley
Animal Behaviour, Jan 1, 2010
Locating potential mates is critical to mating. We studied males’ association with females and ma... more Locating potential mates is critical to mating. We studied males’ association with females and mate-searching patterns in the guppy, Poecilia reticulata, a promiscuous live-bearer. In the field, we examined whether male guppies respond differently to a shoal of conspecific fish based on the members of the shoal. We found that more males were attracted to shoals that contained receptive females than to shoals of nonreceptive females or males. We also conducted laboratory experiments to investigate how males use olfactory cues of nonreceptive and receptive females to search for and associate with females. We gave males the option to associate with nonreceptive females when olfactory cues of receptive or nonreceptive females were present and absent, and when olfactory cues were presented alone. Males associated with females most strongly when both cues were presented simultaneously, but when cues were presented separately males’ association with females differed with respect to the olfactory cues that were added. Males associated with females equally with visual and olfactory cues presented separately when the odour cues were from receptive females. However, when the odour cues were from nonreceptive females, males associated with females less with olfactory than visual cues. Searching activity increased when males had access only to olfactory cues. Taken together these results suggest that olfactory cues influence males’ association with females and searching behaviour, and these changes in behaviour are likely to maximize a male’s opportunity to encounter receptive females.
Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology
Males vary in the degree to which they invest
in mating. Several factors can explain this variati... more Males vary in the degree to which they invest
in mating. Several factors can explain this variation,
including differences in males’ individual condition and
the fact that males allocate their energy depending on
the context they face in each mating attempt. Particularly,
female quality affects male reproductive success.
Here, we studied whether male guppies (Poecilia
reticulata) strategically allocated more mating effort, in
terms of mating behaviour and male–male competition,
when they were matched with a receptive (R) female than
a non-receptive one. In accordance with our prediction, we
found that males increased their mating behaviour when
they were with a receptive female. Even though male
guppies can inseminate non-receptive females, we only
found high levels of courtship between males that were
with a receptive female rather than a non-receptive one.
Although there was little affect of female receptivity on
male–male competition, we found that males chased and
interrupted courtships more with receptive females than
with non-receptive females regardless of odour. Finally,
we also studied whether the sexual pheromone produced
by receptive female guppies is a cue that males use in
order to increase their mating effort. We found that males
were more attracted to a female when they perceived the
sexual pheromone, but only increased their mating and
aggressive behaviours when females showed receptive
behaviour. This strategic increase in mating effort could
result in higher male reproductive success because mating
attempts towards receptive females are likely to be less
costly and males could have a greater probability of
fertilisation.
Keywords Sexual selection . Male mate choice . Mating
strategies . Female reproductive status . Male competition .
Poeciliidae
Nature, 2010
The zebra finch is an important model organism in several fields 1,2 with unique relevance to hum... more The zebra finch is an important model organism in several fields 1,2 with unique relevance to human neuroscience . Like other songbirds, the zebra finch communicates through learned vocalizations, an ability otherwise documented only in humans and a few other animals and lacking in the chicken 5 -the only bird with a sequenced genome until now 6 . Here we present a structural, functional and comparative analysis of the genome sequence of the zebra finch (Taeniopygia guttata), which is a songbird belonging to the large avian order Passeriformes 7 . We find that the overall structures of the genomes are similar in zebra finch and chicken, but they differ in many intrachromosomal rearrangements, lineage-specific gene family expansions, the number of long-terminal-repeat-based retrotransposons, and mechanisms of sex chromosome dosage compensation. We show that song behaviour engages gene regulatory networks in the zebra finch brain, altering the expression of long non-coding RNAs, microRNAs, transcription factors and their targets. We also show evidence for rapid molecular evolution in the songbird lineage of genes that are regulated during song experience. These results indicate an active involvement of the genome in neural processes underlying vocal communication and identify potential genetic substrates for the evolution and regulation of this behaviour.
Immunogenetics, 2011
Genes of the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) have received much attention in immunology, g... more Genes of the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) have received much attention in immunology, genetics and ecology because they are highly polymorphic and play important roles in parasite resistance and mate choice. Until recently the MHC of passerine birds was not well described. However, the genome sequencing of the zebra finch (Taeniopygia guttata), has partially redressed this gap in our knowledge of avian MHC genes. Here we contribute further to the understanding of the zebra finch MHC organization by mapping SNPs within or close to known MHC genes in the zebra finch genome. MHC class I and IIB genes were both mapped to zebra finch chromosome 16 and there was no evidence that MHC class I genes are located on chromosome 22 (as suggested by the genome assembly). We confirm the location in the MHC region on chromosome 16 for several other genes (BRD2, FLOT1, TRIM7.2, GNB2L1 and CSNK2B). Two of these (CSNK2B and FLOT1) have not previously been mapped in any other bird species. In line with previous results we also find that orthologs to the immune related genes B-NK and CLEC2D, which are part of the MHC region in chicken, are situated on zebra finch chromosome Z and not among other MHC genes in the zebra finch.
Immunogenetics, 2011
Genes of the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) have received much attention in immunology, g... more Genes of the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) have received much attention in immunology, genetics and ecology because they are highly polymorphic and play important roles in parasite resistance and mate choice. Until recently the MHC of passerine birds was not well described. However, the genome sequencing of the zebra finch (Taeniopygia guttata), has partially redressed this gap in our knowledge of avian MHC genes. Here we contribute further to the understanding of the zebra finch MHC organization by mapping SNPs within or close to known MHC genes in the zebra finch genome. MHC class I and IIB genes were both mapped to zebra finch chromosome 16 and there was no evidence that MHC class I genes are located on chromosome 22 (as suggested by the genome assembly). We confirm the location in the MHC region on chromosome 16 for several other genes (BRD2, FLOT1, TRIM7.2, GNB2L1 and CSNK2B). Two of these (CSNK2B and FLOT1) have not previously been mapped in any other bird species. In line with previous results we also find that orthologs to the immune related genes B-NK and CLEC2D, which are part of the MHC region in chicken, are situated on zebra finch chromosome Z and not among other MHC genes in the zebra finch.
Nature, 2010
Abstract The zebra finch is an important model organism in several fields 1, 2 with unique releva... more Abstract The zebra finch is an important model organism in several fields 1, 2 with unique relevance to human neuroscience 3, 4. Like other songbirds, the zebra finch communicates through learned vocalizations, an ability otherwise documented only in humans and a few other animals and lacking in the chicken 5—the only bird with a sequenced genome until now 6. Here we present a structural, functional and comparative analysis of the genome sequence of the zebra finch (Taeniopygia guttata), which is a songbird belonging to the ...
BMC Genomics, 2010
Background: Genetic linkage maps are essential tools when searching for quantitative trait loci (... more Background: Genetic linkage maps are essential tools when searching for quantitative trait loci (QTL). To maximize genome coverage and provide an evenly spaced marker distribution a combination of different types of genetic marker are sometimes used. In this study we created linkage maps of four zebra finch (Taeniopygia guttata) chromosomes (1, 1A, 2 and 9) using two types of marker, Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNPs) and microsatellites. To assess the effectiveness and accuracy of each kind of marker we compared maps built with each marker type separately and with both types of marker combined. Linkage map marker order was validated by making comparisons to the assembled zebra finch genome sequence.
Molecular Ecology, 2010
In recent years there has been a dramatic increase in the availability of high density genetic ma... more In recent years there has been a dramatic increase in the availability of high density genetic marker data for both model and non-model organisms. A potential application of these data is to infer relatedness in the absence of a complete pedigree. Using a marker panel of 771 SNPs genotyped in three generations of an extensive zebra finch pedigree, correlations between pedigree relatedness and seven marker-based estimates of relatedness were examined, as was the relationship between heterozygosity and inbreeding. Although marker-based and pedigree relatedness were highly correlated, the variance in estimated relatedness was high. Further, the correlation between heterozygosity and inbreeding was weak, even though mean inbreeding coefficient is typical of that seen in wild vertebrate pedigrees; the weak relationship was in part due to the small variance in inbreeding in the pedigree. Our data suggest that using marker information to reconstruct the pedigree, and then calculating relatedness from the pedigree, is likely to give more accurate relatedness estimates than using marker-based estimators directly.
Ethology, 2003
... E-mail: jessica. [email protected] Introduction ... Evolution 53, 889898. Thoen, C., Bauwen... more ... E-mail: jessica. [email protected] Introduction ... Evolution 53, 889898. Thoen, C., Bauwens, D. & Verheyen, RF 1986: Chemoreceptive and behavioural responses of the common lizard Lacerta vivipara to snake chemical deposits. Anim. Behav. 34, 18051813. ...
Molecular ecology, Jan 21, 2015
Rapid adaptation of invasive species to novel habitats has puzzled evolutionary biologists for de... more Rapid adaptation of invasive species to novel habitats has puzzled evolutionary biologists for decades, especially as this often occurs in the face of limited genetic variability. Although some ecological traits common to invasive species have been identified, little is known about the possible genomic/genetic mechanisms that may underlie their success. A common scenario in many introductions is that small founder population sizes will often lead to reduced genetic diversity, but that invading populations experience large environmental perturbations, such as changes in habitat and environmental stress. Although sudden and intense stress is usually considered in a negative context, these perturbations may actually facilitate rapid adaptation by affecting genome structure, organization and function via interactions with transposable elements (TEs), especially in populations with low genetic diversity. Stress-induced changes in TE activity can alter gene action and can promote structur...
PloS one, 2015
Climate change threatens biodiversity worldwide, however predicting how particular species will r... more Climate change threatens biodiversity worldwide, however predicting how particular species will respond is difficult because climate varies spatially, complex factors regulate population abundance, and species vary in their susceptibility to climate change. Studies need to incorporate these factors with long-term data in order to link climate change to population abundance. We used 40 years of lizard abundance data and local climate data from Barro Colorado Island to ask how climate, total lizard abundance and cohort-specific abundance have changed over time, and how total and cohort-specific abundance relate to climate variables including those predicted to make the species vulnerable to climate change (i.e. temperatures exceeding preferred body temperature). We documented a decrease in lizard abundance over the last 40 years, and changes in the local climate. Population growth rate was related to the previous years' southern oscillation index; increasing following cooler-wette...
Genome Research, 2010
The extent of nonrandom association of alleles at two or more loci, termed linkage disequilibrium... more The extent of nonrandom association of alleles at two or more loci, termed linkage disequilibrium (LD), can reveal much about population demography, selection, and recombination rate, and is a key consideration when designing association mapping studies. Here, we describe a genome-wide analysis of LD in the zebra finch (Taeniopygia guttata) using 838 single nucleotide polymorphisms and present LD maps for all assembled chromosomes. We found that LD declined with physical distance approximately five times faster on the microchromosomes compared to macrochromosomes. The distribution of LD across individual macrochromosomes also varied in a distinct pattern. In the center of the macrochromosomes there were large blocks of markers, sometimes spanning tens of mega bases, in strong LD whereas on the ends of macrochromosomes LD declined more rapidly. Regions of high LD were not simply the result of suppressed recombination around the centromere and this pattern has not been observed previously in other taxa. We also found evidence that this pattern of LD has remained stable across many generations. The variability in LD between and within chromosomes has important implications for genome wide association studies in birds and for our understanding of the distribution of recombination events and the processes that govern them.
Genetics, 2008
Passeriformes are the largest order of birds and one of the most widely studied groups in evoluti... more Passeriformes are the largest order of birds and one of the most widely studied groups in evolutionary biology and ecology. Until recently genomic tools in passerines relied on chicken genomic resources. Here we report the construction and analysis of a whole-genome linkage map for the zebra finch (Taeniopygia guttata) using a 354-bird pedigree. The map contains 876 SNPs dispersed across 45 linkage groups and we found only a few instances of interchromosomal rearrangement between the zebra finch and the chicken genomes. Interestingly, there was a greater than expected degree of intrachromosomal rearrangements compared to the chicken, suggesting that gene order is not conserved within avian chromosomes. At 1068 cM the map is approximately only one quarter the length of the chicken linkage map, providing further evidence that the chicken has an unusually high recombination rate. Male and female linkage-map lengths were similar, suggesting no heterochiasmy in the zebra finch. This whole-genome map is the first for any passerine and a valuable tool for the zebra finch genome sequence project and for studies of quantitative trait loci.
Ethology Ecology & Evolution, 2006
This study aimed to first investigate the relationship between male ventral colour, body size and... more This study aimed to first investigate the relationship between male ventral colour, body size and ectoparasite load, and then test, using an enclosure experiment, how body size and ventral colour influence male reproductive success in a non-territorial lizard. Individuals of the sexually dimorphic Australian skink, Pseudemoia entrecasteauxii, were sampled in the field and male body size and ventral coloration were recorded. The frequency of orange and white ventral colour appeared bimodal; males either had orange or white ventral colour. While larger males were more likely to have orange ventral colour, there was considerable variation and small males with orange ventral colour and large males with white ventral colour were common. The number of mites each male had was positively correlated with snout vent length, weight and head depth corrected for body size and was greater for males with orange ventral colour. Mating trials in outdoor enclosures were used to investigate the separate and combined effects of male ventral colour, body size and male behavior on reproductive success. Behavioural observations revealed that males with orange ventral colour were dominant over males with white ventral colour and, contrary to expectations, male body size was not related to dominance. A total of 32 neonates were genotyped along with their mothers and potential fathers using three polymorphic DNA loci. Large males with orange ventral colour fathered the most neonates. These findings suggest that although males with orange ventral colour were dominant, both body size and ventral colour influenced male reproductive success.
Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology, 2013
Sexual selection theory predicts different optima for multiple mating in males and females. We us... more Sexual selection theory predicts different optima for multiple mating in males and females. We used mating experiments and genetic paternity testing to disentangle preand postcopulatory mechanisms of sexual selection and alternate reproductive tactics in the highly promiscuous lizard Eulamprus heatwolei. Both sexes mated multiply: 30-60 % of clutches were sired by two to four fathers, depending on the experiment. Larger males sired more offspring when we allowed male contest competition: 52 % of large males but only 14 % of small males sired at least one offspring. In the absence of male contest competition, females mated promiscuously and there was no large male advantage: 80 % of large males and 90 % of small males sired at least one offspring, and there was no evidence for last-male precedence. Multiple mating did not yield obvious direct or indirect benefits to females. E. heatwolei represents a complex system in which males attempt to improve their fertility success by limiting rivals from access to females and through adopting alternate reproductive tactics. Conversely, females exhibit no obvious precopulatory mate choice but may influence fitness through postcopulatory means by either promoting sperm competition or through cryptic female choice. Our results support the hypothesis that female multiple mating in nonavian reptiles is best explained by the combined effect of mate encounter frequency and high benefits to males but low costs to females.
Behavioral Ecology, 2005
Variation in correlated behaviors or behavioral syndromes could have interesting effects on matin... more Variation in correlated behaviors or behavioral syndromes could have interesting effects on mating systems, especially if the variation in syndrome exists in both sexes. Both males and females of the lizard Eulamprus heatwolei display two behavioral types of a behavioral syndrome, defined by correlations between territorial, exploratory, and predator avoidance behaviors. We tested how this variation in behavioral syndrome influences reproductive success, pairing patterns, and offspring weight. We used spatial behavior and residency in the field to identify territorial and floater individuals. Females were relocated to the laboratory to give birth, and all offspring, dams, and potential sires were genotyped to determine offspring paternity. During field surveys, 164 lizards were caught of which 27.5% were territorial and the rest were floaters. Paternity was assigned to 66% of the 104 offspring produced by 33 dams. Territorial sires fathered a greater proportion of the offspring of territorial dams than floater sires. Larger territorial males were more likely to sire the entire clutch or share paternity with fewer additional sires than smaller territorial males. Floater sire size, however, did not influence the number of fathers per litter. Floater females produced heavier offspring than their territorial counterparts, and offspring fathered by floaters were heavier than maternal half-sibs fathered by territorial males. We speculate that differences in offspring weight may be the result of differences in yolk provisioning by females and parent genetic compatibility. Figure 4 Mean (6SE) weight of offspring from (a) territorial and floater dams and (b) half-sibs sired by floater and territorial males. Stapley and Keogh • Floaters produce heavier offspring 5 by guest on October 16, 2015 http://beheco.oxfordjournals.org/ Downloaded from
Animal Behaviour, 2008
To understand the evolution and exaggeration of male traits, we need to clarify the combined and ... more To understand the evolution and exaggeration of male traits, we need to clarify the combined and separate contributions of male competition and mate choice to male reproductive success. Here, I tested whether female skinks discriminate between males based on ...
Animal Behaviour, 2010
Animal Behaviour xxx Please cite this article in press as: Guevara-Fiore, P., et al., Male mate-s... more Animal Behaviour xxx Please cite this article in press as: Guevara-Fiore, P., et al., Male mate-searching strategies and female cues: how do male guppies find receptive females?, Animal Behaviour (2010),
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Papers by Jessica Stapley
in mating. Several factors can explain this variation,
including differences in males’ individual condition and
the fact that males allocate their energy depending on
the context they face in each mating attempt. Particularly,
female quality affects male reproductive success.
Here, we studied whether male guppies (Poecilia
reticulata) strategically allocated more mating effort, in
terms of mating behaviour and male–male competition,
when they were matched with a receptive (R) female than
a non-receptive one. In accordance with our prediction, we
found that males increased their mating behaviour when
they were with a receptive female. Even though male
guppies can inseminate non-receptive females, we only
found high levels of courtship between males that were
with a receptive female rather than a non-receptive one.
Although there was little affect of female receptivity on
male–male competition, we found that males chased and
interrupted courtships more with receptive females than
with non-receptive females regardless of odour. Finally,
we also studied whether the sexual pheromone produced
by receptive female guppies is a cue that males use in
order to increase their mating effort. We found that males
were more attracted to a female when they perceived the
sexual pheromone, but only increased their mating and
aggressive behaviours when females showed receptive
behaviour. This strategic increase in mating effort could
result in higher male reproductive success because mating
attempts towards receptive females are likely to be less
costly and males could have a greater probability of
fertilisation.
Keywords Sexual selection . Male mate choice . Mating
strategies . Female reproductive status . Male competition .
Poeciliidae
in mating. Several factors can explain this variation,
including differences in males’ individual condition and
the fact that males allocate their energy depending on
the context they face in each mating attempt. Particularly,
female quality affects male reproductive success.
Here, we studied whether male guppies (Poecilia
reticulata) strategically allocated more mating effort, in
terms of mating behaviour and male–male competition,
when they were matched with a receptive (R) female than
a non-receptive one. In accordance with our prediction, we
found that males increased their mating behaviour when
they were with a receptive female. Even though male
guppies can inseminate non-receptive females, we only
found high levels of courtship between males that were
with a receptive female rather than a non-receptive one.
Although there was little affect of female receptivity on
male–male competition, we found that males chased and
interrupted courtships more with receptive females than
with non-receptive females regardless of odour. Finally,
we also studied whether the sexual pheromone produced
by receptive female guppies is a cue that males use in
order to increase their mating effort. We found that males
were more attracted to a female when they perceived the
sexual pheromone, but only increased their mating and
aggressive behaviours when females showed receptive
behaviour. This strategic increase in mating effort could
result in higher male reproductive success because mating
attempts towards receptive females are likely to be less
costly and males could have a greater probability of
fertilisation.
Keywords Sexual selection . Male mate choice . Mating
strategies . Female reproductive status . Male competition .
Poeciliidae