Comparative Behavioral Biology Presents:

Teri Orr 

The University of Massachusetts, Amherst & University of Utah

From form to function: female sperm storage and male anatomy

Wednesday, February 10 @ 12pm

in Biopsychological Sciences Building (BPSB), 940 E 57th St., Seminar Room 122

ABSTRACT: Genitalia may evolve via several processes, including sperm competition, cryptic female choice or sexually antagonistic coevolution. Bats present an excellent group for investigations of male genital elaborations. Amid diverse ecologies and mating systems bats have three types of reproductive delays including; delayed fertilization, implantation and development. Sperm storage also termed ‘delayed fertilization’ (DF) occurs when females store sperm prior to ovulating. By increasing the time over which fertilization occurs, DF may result in increased sperm competition or cryptic female choice and glans elaborations. I discuss data indicating that taxa with DF have more elaborations (spines), which may function for locking, sperm removal or female stimulation. Moving beyond bats I will summarize what is known about similar elaborations in other mammalian taxa. Finally, I address the important but tricky question: what does it mean to store sperm (DF)? The answer has clear implications for natural selection, mating system evolution, and sexual conflict but the criteria for defining female sperm storage are unclear. This is particularly true of female mammals which often lack specialized sperm storage structures. However in regards to sperm storage in mammals – bats remain the ‘champions’ and present valuable study species for those interested in mammalian sperm storage.

If you would like to meet with this speaker during her visit, please contact me at cfleener@uchicago.edu