Abstract
Variation in the sex ratio at hatching in the chinstrap penguin Pygoscelis antarctica was investigated, using molecular sexing to test predictions of sex allocation theory. The sex ratio was slightly male-biased (0.54) but did not differ significantly from parity. The proportion of males increased with nest size, an estimator of parental quality in chinstrap penguins. High-quality parents were able to produce and rear a higher proportion of male offspring, the more costly sex in this slightly sexually dimorphic species. Our results may be in agreement with Trivers and Willard’s (1973) argument on biases in the offspring sex ratio being contingent on parental condition or quality.
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Acknowledgements
We thank J. Moreno for comments, and the military and scientific staff of the Antarctic Spanish Base “Gabriel de Castilla” for their invaluable support during our stay at Deception Island. Transport to and from the island by the ship of the Spanish Navy “Hespérides” is gratefully acknowledged. This is a contribution to project ANT98-1443-E CICYT. The Spanish Antarctic Research Program C.I.C.Y.T gave permission to work in the study area and for penguin manipulations.
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Fargallo, J.A., Dávila, J.A., Potti, J. et al. Nest size and hatchling sex ratio in chinstrap penguins. Polar Biol 27, 339–343 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00300-004-0596-2
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00300-004-0596-2