Abstract
A model for sex allocation is presented where mothers have differing abilities to assess their arrival order at a patch in low-density populations. Mothers either oviposit with no knowledge, some knowledge, or they know their arrival order exactly. Furthermore they deposit single eggs in patches hence all matings within a patch are between unrelated individuals. The male offspring however, are also able to mate with females from male-less patches through dispersal. Whereas the first model predicted sex ratios of equality, the models incorporating knowledge both predicted female biased sex ratios. This is shown to be due to an asymmetry in mating opportunities that we have termed random asymmetrical mate competition (RAMC) that only knowledgeable females are able to use to their advantage. Data from the out-breeding non-pollinating fig wasp Otitesella pseudoserrata, suggests that these mothers do have knowledge of their arrival orders and supports the concept and predictions of RAMC.
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Pienaar, J., Greeff, J.M. Adaptive non-Fisherian sex ratios in a patchily distributed population with outbreeding. Evol Ecol 20, 431–445 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10682-006-0012-1
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10682-006-0012-1