ABS 2023
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A meta-analysis on alternative mating tactics: when the main and the alternative yield similar success
Paulo Peixoto1, Amanda Silva2, Jo�o Almeida1, Stef�nia Ventura3, Reisla Oliveira4. 1Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil; 2Federal University of ABC, S�o Paulo, S�o Paulo, Brazil; 3University of S�o Paulo, S�o Paulo, S�o Paulo, Brazil; 4No Affiliation, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil

In species adopting alternative mating tactics (AMTs), there is a general assumption that the main tactic yields higher mating success than the secondary tactic. This is assumed for species in which different tactics are restricted by morphology (fixed AMTs) as well as for species in which individuals can alternate between tactics (flexible AMTs). However, because different mating tactics are associated to different morphologies in species with fixed AMTs, it may be that there is a greater specialization of individuals to each mating tactic when compared to species with flexible AMTs. Therefore, we hypothesized that the difference in reproductive success between tactics will be smaller in species expressing fixed than flexible AMTs. To investigate this hypothesis, we developed a meta-analysis and found that in species with flexible AMTs, the main tactic yielded a higher mating success than the secondary tactic, while in species with fixed AMTs, distinct tactics had similar reproductive success. Thus, the widespread assumption that males adopting the main tactic have higher reproductive success than males adopting the secondary tactic may be restricted to species with fixed AMTs.