Females choose gentle, but not healthy or macho males in Campbell dwarf hamsters （Phodopus campbelli Thomas 1905）  

作　　者：Konstantin A. ROGOVIN Anastasiya M. KHRUSHCHOVA Olga N. SHEKAROVA Nina A. VASlLIEVA Nina Yu VASILIEVA 

机构地区：[1]A.N. Severtsov Institute of Ecology and EvoLution, RAS, Leninskii prospect 33, Moscow 119071, Russia

出　　处：《Current Zoology》2017年第5期545-554,共10页动物学报（英文版）

摘　　要：Androgen-dependent male sexual traits （STs） as well as immunocompetence are theoreticallyassumed to be key indicators of a male＇s quality for the mate-choosing female. We studied matechoice by sexually motivated （SM） females of Campbell＇s dwarf hamsters. Females chose between2 tethered male siblings that differed in expression of STs. Males were unrelated to the female andable to contact and copulate with her. In both males, we measured sex-related morphology ofbody mass, mid-ventral specific skin gland, ano-genital distance, and external testicular diameter.We also estimated levels of blood testosterone and cortisol, specific T- and B-cell immune re-sponses to antigens, as well as aggressive and sexual dominance in sibling males through add-itional encounter experiments with another SM female （male sibs could freely compete for thefemale）. We found that SM females chose a partner among 2 male sibs and spent over 80% of theirtime on average with the preferred male compared with the non-preferred one. Her choice was notassociated with the first visit of the chosen male, with a higher expression of sex-related traits,higher levels of blood testosterone, or with aggressive dominance. The choice was not associatedwith the intensity of T-cell immune response to phitohemagglutinin （PHA）. Instead there was a ten-dency for a negative relationship with the expression of STs and B-cell response to the antigenchallenge. The only character that unambiguously influenced female choice was the non-aggressive male to female grooming during sexual contact. There was no difference in breedingsuccess between preferred and non-preferred males paired with virgin females.

关 键 词：Campbell's DWARF hamsters  female mate choice  IMMUNOCOMPETENCE handicap  male-male aggression  sexual traits testosterone. 

分 类 号：Q9[生物学]