Male Dominance and Sexual Selection in the Crayfish (Paperback)

In many taxa, social structures are mediated by agonistic interactions and the formation of dominance hierarchies. Success in such agonistic interactions often leads to increased access to vital resources, such as food, shelter, and mates. It has been suggested that males compete primarily for access to mates, with all other forms of competition being necessary only so far as they contribute to this ultimate goal. Therefore, the evolution of male dominance and related interactions may be influenced by sexual selection if this trait is at least partially heritable and confers reproductive advantages to one or both sexes. This work examines the possible role of sexual selection in the dominance interactions of the crayfish Orconectes quinebaugensis as a model system, as well as the selection pressures that may shape the male dominance trait from one generation to the next. Specifically, it tests the hypothesis that male dominance is positively correlated with reproductive success through either or both intra- and inter- sexual selection in O. quinebaugensis, under the assumption that dominance is at least partially heritable in this species.