Meeting Abstract

89.4  Wednesday, Jan. 7  Does whole-organism performance indicate genetic quality? A test using the black field cricket (Teleogryllus commodus) LAILVAUX, S.P.*; HALL, M.D.; BROOKS, R.C.; University of New South Wales; University of New South Wales; University of New South Wales slailvaux@gmail.com

The genetic benefits that attractive males confer on their offspring are a source of ongoing debate in evolutionary biology. Females are considered likely to mate preferentially with males of high genetic quality, but it is currently unclear which traits best reflect good genes. A growing number of studies examining whole-organism performance capacities have shown that males who are good performers not only enjoy a survival advantage in several species, but may accrue fitness benefits in terms of increased number of offspring as well. Males exhibiting superior performance capacities might therefore be considered to be high "quality" males. Here, we present the results of a large breeding experiment wherein we tested for genetic correlations between jump performance, male sexual advertisement and male sexual attractiveness in a model organism for the study of sexual selection, the black field cricket (Teleogryllus commodus). In particular, we examine whether jump performance might be under direct or indirect sexual selection in this species, and consider the potential evolutionary implications of links between performance and sexual selection from the perspective of quantitative genetics.