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Figure 1 | BMC Evolutionary Biology

Figure 1

From: Sperm competition dynamics: ejaculate fertilising efficiency changes differentially with time

Figure 1

Time-dependent dynamics of competitive fertilisation. (a) The probability that a low-mobility ejaculate wins sperm competition declines drastically over a laying sequence, and more so when its numerical advantage is reduced. The fertilising advantage of the low-mobility ejaculates was restricted to the first eggs ovulated following insemination. The extent of this initial fertilising advantage was determined by the numerical superiority of the low-mobility ejaculate over the high mobility ejaculate. In the 4:1 treatment, the low-mobility ejaculate retained a fertilising advantage over the eggs produced in the first five days, in the 2:1 treatment, this fertilising advantage was restricted to the eggs produced in the first day. Data points represent paternity share averaged for all the hens of a male pair, and across the five male pairs (vertical bars: SE). (b) The difference in sperm mobility between competing ejaculates had a progressively stronger influence on paternity towards the last days of a laying sequence and more so when the numerical advantage to the low-mobility ejaculate was reduced (2:1 treatment). For each laying day (1–12), within each insemination treatment (2:1 and 4:1), we analysed the linear regression of the probability of paternity by the low-mobility ejaculate of a male pair over its mobility ratio (n = 5 for each treatment/laying day combination). The graph presents the slope (b) of these regression functions obtained over successive laying days for the 2:1 (black data points) and the 4:1 (grey) insemination treatments. The slope of probability of paternity over mobility ratio becomes steeper over the laying sequence, and more so in the 2:1 treatment.

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