Using fish to understand how cities affect sexual selection before and after mating

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dc.contributor.authorMarques, Piatã
dc.contributor.authorZandonà, Eugenia
dc.contributor.authorAmaral, Jeferson
dc.contributor.authorSelhorst, Yasmin
dc.contributor.authorEl-Sabaawi, Rana
dc.contributor.authorMazzoni, Rosana
dc.contributor.authorCastro, Letícia
dc.contributor.authorPilastro, Andrea
dc.date.accessioned2025-10-27T18:40:32Z
dc.date.available2025-10-27T18:40:32Z
dc.date.issued2022
dc.description.abstractUrbanization transforms natural and agricultural areas into built landscapes. Such profound habitat alteration imposes strong pressure for phenotypic trait changes through processes related to natural and/or sexual selection. Evidence for how natural selection drives changes to traits in urban biota is increasing, but little is known about the role of sexual selection. In this study, we assess the effect of urbanization on the expression and interaction of males` pre-mating traits (body size and color) and a post-mating trait (sperm load). We used a widespread invasive species, the guppy (Poecilia reticulata), which is a well-known model for studying sexual selection, but has never been studied in urban systems for this purpose. We found that urbanization did not affect mean body size or condition, but it resulted in size-dependent reductions in the expression of orange and iridescent colors, as well as sperm load. Orange color was reduced in small urban guppies, while the iridescent colors were reduced in large urban guppies compared to non-urban guppies. Difference in sperm load was only found in large males, with lower sperm load in urban guppies. The relationship between orange color and sperm load was positive in urban guppies but negative in non-urban guppies, while the association between iridescent color and sperm load followed the opposite pattern. Our findings suggest that sexual selection on pre- and post-mating traits is weaker in urban than non-urban systems and that interactions between such traits are context dependent. These responses can be related to the pollution and altered visual environment of urban systems and provide an opportunity to advance our understanding of the mechanisms determining adaptation in cities.
dc.description.reviewstatusReviewed
dc.description.scholarlevelFaculty
dc.description.sponsorshipThis research was supported by the Science Without Borders Program (CAPES 1212/13-3 and CNPq 401258/2014-9) with the doctorate fellowship to PM and the visiting professor grant to RE-S. This work was also supported by the CAPES-PrInt Program (88887.369182/2019-00) with a postdoctoral fellowship to PM and a visiting professor grant to AP (88887.311746/2018-00). Support also came from the CNPq (PQ 1D−301463/2017-4 to RM and PQ2 – 308261/2017-8 to EZ) and FAPERJ (CNE–E-01/2016DSC and E-26/202.762/2018 to RM and JCNE–E-26/203.213/2017 and E-26/201.286/2021 to EZ) and Prociência UERJ to RM and EZ.
dc.identifier.citationMarques, P., Zandonà, E., Amaral, J., Selhorst, Y., El-Sabaawi, R., Mazzoni, R., Castro, L., & Pilastro, A. (2022). Using fish to understand how cities affect sexual selection before and after mating. Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution, 10. https://doi.org/10.3389/fevo.2022.928277
dc.identifier.urihttps://doi.org/10.3389/fevo.2022.928277
dc.identifier.urihttps://hdl.handle.net/1828/22875
dc.language.isoen
dc.publisherFrontiers in Ecology and Evolution
dc.rightsCC BY 4.0
dc.rights.urihttps://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
dc.subjectintraspecific trait
dc.subjectpolyandry
dc.subjecturban ecology
dc.subjecturban evolution
dc.subjecturban stream syndrome
dc.subject.departmentDepartment of Biology
dc.titleUsing fish to understand how cities affect sexual selection before and after mating
dc.typeArticle

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