Selection for parasitoid resistance alters mating success in Drosophila

Abstract

Parasite-mediated sexual selection is still a widely discussed hypothesis for the understanding of the evolution of secondary sex traits. Furthermore, it has sparked new fields such as ecological immunology. Despite this, most tests have been restricted to the manipulation of parasite loads. Here, we provide a new experimental approach, where resistance itself was manipulated. Parasitoid-resistant Drosophila melanogaster males achieved a higher mating success compared with non-resistant conspecifics. The underlying mechanism however remains elusive.