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Male condition and group heterogeneity predict extra-group paternity in a Neotropical bat

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Abstract

Extra-group paternity, in which offspring are sired by a male outside the breeding group, may alter the distribution of reproductive success in a population, thus affecting the opportunity for sexual selection. Both inter- and intraspecific studies have focused largely on mating systems in which females choose their social mates, and less is known about extra-group paternity in polygynous systems in which social mates are largely dictated by male-male competition. In this study, we examine the frequency and distribution of extra-group paternity in a harem-forming bat, Phyllostomus hastatus. We find that despite aggressive harem defense, males are unable to fully monopolize reproduction within their harem and over 70% of harems contain extra-group offspring. Harem males in better body condition suffered less paternity loss, but we found no effect of male age or body size. Even though the age and size of individual females did not predict offspring paternity, we found a significant effect of age heterogeneity within the group. Harems composed of differently aged females were more likely to contain extra-group offspring. Our results not only provide evidence for the role of male defense in preventing extra-group paternity but also suggest that social group composition has consequences for male reproductive success.

Significance statement

In polygynous societies, the ability to monopolize mating is critical to reproductive success. As the group size increases, defense often becomes more difficult, resulting in increased rates of extra-group paternity. We find that among greater spear-nosed bats, extra-group offspring occur in most harems, but the overall rate of extra-group paternity is relatively low despite their large harems (15–30 females). Variation in the rate of extra-group paternity between harems is explained by male body condition (i.e., relative mass) but not harem size. Additionally, the rate of extra-group paternity is not explained entirely by male attributes, as we find that age heterogeneity within the female group is a significant predictor of the extra-group paternity rate. Our results support the hypothesis that not only the physical condition of a male influences his ability to monopolize reproduction but also the group composition influences the female mating behavior.

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Data availability

The datasets generated and/or analyzed during the current study are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.

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Acknowledgments

We would like to thank the Wildlife Section of the Forestry Division of Trinidad and Tobago for their permission and cooperation during field observations and sample collection. Additionally, we thank Anika Ross, Beatrice Mao, Gerald Carter, and Sally Yanuzzi for their assistance in the field, and Julia Clark for her assistance in the lab. We thank Kim Paczolt and two anonymous reviewers for their helpful comments on previous versions of this manuscript. We are grateful for the funding provided by the American Society of Mammalogists, the Animal Behavior Society, the Society for the Study of Evolution, and the Cosmos Foundation.

Funding

This work was funded by grants awarded to DMA from the American Society of Mammalogists, the Animal Behavior Society, the Society for the Study of Evolution, and the Cosmos Foundation and grants from the NSF to GSW.

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  1. Department of Biology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, 20742, USA

    Danielle M. Adams & Gerald S. Wilkinson

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  1. Danielle M. Adams
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Correspondence to Danielle M. Adams.

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Ethical standards

All procedures performed in studies involving animals were in accordance with the ethical standards set forth by the American Society of Mammalogists (Sikes 2016) and were approved by the University of Maryland Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (Protocol # R-11-21). Permission to work with wild populations was granted by the Forestry Division of Trinidad and Tobago.

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Adams, D.M., Wilkinson, G.S. Male condition and group heterogeneity predict extra-group paternity in a Neotropical bat. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 74, 136 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00265-020-02919-9

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