Competitive Ability in Male House Mice (Mus musculus): Genetic Influences

@article{Cunningham2013CompetitiveAI,
  title={Competitive Ability in Male House Mice (Mus musculus): Genetic Influences},
  author={Christopher B. Cunningham and James S. Ruff and Kevin D. Chase and Wayne K Potts and David R. Carrier},
  journal={Behavior Genetics},
  year={2013},
  volume={43},
  pages={151-160}
}
Conspecifics of many animal species physically compete to gain reproductive resources and thus fitness. Despite the importance of competitive ability across the animal kingdom, specific traits that influence or underpin competitive ability are poorly characterized. Here, we investigate whether there are genetic influences on competitive ability within male house mice. Additionally, we examined if litter demographics (litter size and litter sex ratio) influence competitive ability. We phenotyped… 
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16 Citations
Background Citations
7
Methods Citations
4
Results Citations
2

16 Citations

Musculoskeletal mass and shape are correlated with competitive ability in male house mice (Mus musculus)
TLDR
These results identify musculoskeletal traits associated with competitive ability in male house mice and suggest that the current understanding of mammalian fighting performance is incomplete and more nuanced than previously considered.
A disparity between locomotor economy and territory-holding ability in male house mice
TLDR
Male house mice that control exclusive polygynous territories are less economical runners compared with non-territory-holding males, and this disparity between physical competitive ability and economical locomotion may impose viability costs on males in species for which competition over mates is common.
Phenotypic plasticity in genitalia: baculum shape responds to sperm competition risk in house mice
TLDR
Plasticity in baculum shape paralleled evolutionary responses to selection from sperm competition reported in previous studies of house mice and provides experimental evidence of socially mediated phenotypic plasticity in male genitalia.
Transitions in paternal dominance regulate offspring growth and metabolic transcription
TLDR
It is shown that social competition status results in robust parental effects on growth in mice, and paternal social status reversibly conditions offspring growth in naturalistic environments.
A competitive environment influences sperm production, but not testes tissue composition, in house mice
TLDR
The investigation revealed that males reared in an environment with a perceived risk of reproductive competition produced more sperm in the absence of changes in testes morphology, and concluded that adaptive adjustments in sperm number in response to the social environment are likely attributable to variation in sperm production rate.
Exposure to male‐dominated environments during development influences sperm sex ratios at sexual maturity
TLDR
It is found that male density in both environments was predictive of sperm sex ratios at sexual maturity: males from more male‐biased litters and males maturing under high male density produced elevated levels of Y‐chromosome‐bearing sperm.
Paroxetine exposure skews litter sex ratios in mice suggesting a Trivers-Willard process.
  • S. Gaukler, J. Ruff, W. Potts
  • Biology, Psychology
    Behavioral ecology : official journal of the International Society for Behavioral Ecology
  • 2016
While conducting a toxicity assessment of the antidepressant paroxetine (Paxil®), in wild-derived mice (Mus musculus), we observed that exposed dams (P0) produced female biased litters (32:68 M:F).…
Genetic engineering to eradicate invasive mice on islands: modeling the efficiency and ecological impacts
TLDR
A mathematical model was constructed to analyze the population dynamics of eradication with this genetically engineered mouse and found that there is a trade-off between the speed of an eradication and the intensity of increased disruptive ecological interactions.
A potential new tool for the toolbox: assessing gene drives foreradicating invasive rodent populations
TLDR
The Genetic Biocontrol of Invasive Rodents partnership is an interdisciplinary collaboration to develop and evaluate gene drive technology for eradicating invasive rodent populations on islands and may provide such a tool for invasive species management.
Low-dose paroxetine exposure causes lifetime declines in male mouse body weight, reproduction and competitive ability as measured by the novel organismal performance assay.
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