Stealing, scavenging, or storing? Breeding behaviors of unisexual Ambystoma salamanders

<p>The unisexual <em>Ambystoma</em> salamander complex is a lineage of all-female salamanders that use a unique form of reproduction: kleptogenesis. Kleptogenesis requires sperm from male salamanders of co-occurring sexual species, potentially putting unisexual and sexual females in breeding competition. We investigated if unisexual salamanders require courtship from sexual males or if they can use sperm left over from previous breeding events. We put unisexual salamanders into boxes containing spermatophores from a previous courtship and examined if they laid viable eggs. We also genotyped adults and embryos to assess parentage. Some of the unisexuals in the boxes produced viable eggs; however, the varied combinations of alleles in the eggs suggest unisexuals may be using a combination of breeding, spermatophore scavenging, and sperm storage to reproduce. Unisexual salamander breeding is a genetically and behaviorally complex process, and their ecological success may be due to the diversity of their reproductive strategies.</p>

Name thesis:degree_name

Master of Science (MS)

Level thesis:degree_level

Open Access Thesis

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Biology

Year dc:date.available

2024

Author dc:creator

• Venezia, Jane

Contributors dc:contributor

• Katy Greenwald, PhD
• Cara Shillington, PhD
• Kristin Judd, PhD

• Ecology and Evolutionary Biology

Repository record dc:identifier

https://commons.emich.edu/theses/1234

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:commons.emich.edu:theses-2611