利用鱼类性逆转技术创制黄颡鱼XX雄鱼的方法

目前黄颡鱼(Pelteobagrus fulvidraco Richardson)生产上使用的母本非常混杂, 成为影响黄颡鱼产业发展的一个突出问题。建立一个优良性状稳定的全雌家系对于全雄黄颡鱼和杂交黄颡鱼的生产尤为重要, 而将XX雌性黄颡鱼逆转为XX雄性黄颡鱼是创制全雌家系中的关键一步。黄颡鱼性染色体连锁分子标记的开发为鉴定XX雄鱼提供了技术支撑。研究使用不同浓度的17α-甲基睾酮(MT)和芳香化酶抑制剂来曲唑(LZ)处理黄颡鱼鱼苗54d (7—60日龄)。61日龄测量并统计各组鱼的存活率、体长及体重。解剖观察性腺结构, 结合性腺组织切片和性别分子标记分析各组实验鱼中XX鱼性腺发育情况。结果显示: 2种药物对黄颡鱼的存活率影响较小, 与对照组没有显著差异; MT处理的XX性腺为空腔状精小囊结构, 不能逆转为功能性精巢; 适当剂量的LZ可以将XX雌性黄颡鱼性逆转成正常的XX雄鱼, 诱导效果随着剂量的增加而增强。用完全逆转的XX生理雄鱼分别与XX雌鱼和YY雌鱼交配, 能够正常繁殖并具备较好的繁殖能力。研究建立了一种使用芳香化酶抑制剂来曲唑创制黄颡鱼XX雄鱼的方法, 为全雄黄颡鱼的品种改良及新品种的培育奠定了基础。     

17β-雌二醇诱导斑点叉尾鮰雌性化研究

研究以人工配合饲料为17β-雌二醇(17β-estradiol, 17β-E₂)载体, 对斑点叉尾鮰(Ictalurus punctatus)开口仔鱼连续饲喂27d进行雌性性别诱导, 探究斑点叉尾鮰XY雄鱼雌性化的合适17β-E₂剂量。60日龄测量并统计各组试验鱼的生长数据、存活率, 解剖观察性腺结构, 结合遗传性别鉴定结果计算性逆转率, 并通过组织切片分析各组试验鱼中XX和XY雌鱼卵巢发育情况。270日龄检测XY雌鱼和对照组雌鱼的鳃、心脏、肝脏、肾脏、卵巢和肌肉等组织中17β-E₂含量。研究进一步地采用qRT-PCR检测270日龄雌雄性别分化基因foxl2和dmrt1在XX和XY雌鱼卵巢中的表达水平。结果显示: 各组XY雌鱼的比例和卵母细胞数量均随17β-E₂剂量的提高而增加, 且核仁数量也随之增多, 而核质比相应减小; 各组XY雌鱼的体重和体长随着17β-E₂剂量的提高先增加后减小, 但存活率没有显著性变化; 各组XY雌鱼与对照组雌鱼的鳃、心脏、肝脏、肾脏和肌肉组织中17β-E₂含量均无显著性差异, 卵巢中17β-E₂含量与添加剂量呈正相关; 雌性性别分化基因foxl2在XY雌鱼中的表达量显著升高, 雄性性别分化基因dmrt1在XY雌鱼中的表达量显著降低。研究建立了17β-E₂诱导XY雄性斑点叉尾鮰雌性化方法, 为后续全雄斑点叉尾鮰新品种的培育奠定基础。     

中华鳖Foxl2基因克隆及外源性激素对其表达的影响

外源性激素在中华鳖(Pelodiscus sinensis)性别决定有重要作用, 为给中华鳖性别决定机制研究提供生物学信息, 首次克隆和分析了中华鳖Foxl2 cDNA部分序列。为研究其在遗传和生理水平的差异, 以10 mg/kg剂量17α-甲基睾酮(MT)和17β-雌二醇(E₂)分别对中华鳖雌雄个体注射, 检测0、6h、12h、24h、48h、7d和14d性腺Foxl2 mRNA表达水平。获得中华鳖Foxl2基因(GenBank登录号: KP734210)部分 cDNA长903 bp, 共编码300个氨基酸, 属于叉头框转录因子家族, 参与卵巢发育和功能维持; 多重序列比对显示, Foxl2具有典型的FH结构域, 与红耳龟的同源性最高, 达到99%; 系统进化树分析显示, 中华鳖Foxl2基因与爬行动物Foxl2基因聚为一个亚支, 且与西部锦龟Foxl2基因距离最近。荧光定量PCR结果显示, 与对照组相比, 注射E₂后24h, 卵巢Foxl2 mRNA表达水平被极显著上调(P<0.001), 7d和14d后, 精巢Foxl2 mRNA表达水平极显著上升(P<0.001); 注射MT后24h, 精巢和卵巢Foxl2 mRNA的表达水平均极显著升高(P<0.001)。结果表明, E₂和MT促进Foxl2表达, E₂促进其表达的性别差异比MT明显。研究可为了解Foxl2的功能及明确外源性激素调控中华鳖Foxl2的分子机制提供基础资料。     

黄颡鱼雌雄性的生理生化和mTOR信号通路基因表达分析

同龄的黄颡鱼（Pelteobagrus fulvidraco）呈现明显的两性生长差异，即雄性个体的体长、体重皆大于雌性个体。而mTOR信号通路在细胞生长、发育以及蛋白合成过程中起重要作用。为了了解黄颡鱼两性差异的营养生长机制与mTOR信号通路之间的关联性，本试验首先在生理生化特性方面对雌、雄黄颡鱼的肌肉营养成分进行了比较分析。结果表明，在雌、雄黄颡鱼的比较分析中，除了两者的水分、粗蛋白、粗脂肪含量差别不大以外，在矿物元素、氨基酸组成、蛋白的氨基酸组成和脂肪酸组成等方面，雌性黄颡鱼肌肉的营养品质相对雄性更优。针对mTOR信号通路主要基因开展实时荧光定量PCR分析，结果显示，除性腺组织外，AKT1、AKT2、AKT3、mTOR、S6KA、S6KB、4E-BP1基因在雄性黄颡鱼的肌肉、肝、肾和心脏组织中的表达均显著高于雌性，这可能与雌雄黄颡鱼生长差异有关。本研究为进一步探索黄颡鱼两性生长差异的分子机制奠定了试验基础。     

黄颡鱼和杂交黄颡鱼“黄优1号”形态及性腺发育的比较

选取相同养殖条件的10月、22月和34月龄的黄颡鱼和新品种杂交黄颡鱼(黄颡鱼P. fulvidraco♀×瓦氏黄颡鱼P. vachelli♂)“黄优1号”进行形态及性腺发育的比较研究。通过形体指标测量发现“黄优1号”生长性能显著优于黄颡鱼; 在22月和34月龄黄颡鱼中, 雄性的体重是雌性的2倍左右, 雄性生长速度显著高于雌性; 而在“黄优1号”中, 两性生长异形现象被显著减弱。基于性腺解剖形态分析发现雌性“黄优1号”卵巢完全退化, 呈细线状结构且没有卵子产生, 故“黄优1号”雌鱼完全不育; 雄性“黄优1号”精巢组织呈现透明状和退化状态。精巢组织切片HE染色分析发现10月龄“黄优1号”的精小囊为空腔状几乎没有精子产生, 22月和34月龄“黄优1号”的精小囊内出现极少量精子。计算机辅助精子分析系统(CASA)分析发现, 相比于黄颡鱼, “黄优1号”精巢中精子量非常少, 有效活力低下; 经过繁殖能力测试, 22月龄“黄优1号”雄鱼不具备繁殖能力。新品种杂交黄颡鱼“黄优1号”在生长性能提高上显现了杂交优势, 具有推动黄颡鱼产业发展的潜力。     

脊椎动物雌雄生长差异的研究进展

综述了有关脊椎动物雌雄生长差异的研究,分别从摄食消化、生长与生殖能量配置、物种遗传、基因型与表现型、类固醇激素水平和生长轴基因表达等几个方面分析了脊椎动物雌雄生长差异的原因.     

饲料中维生素D3的添加水平对黄颡鱼幼鱼生长和Toll样受体TLR18、TLR19和TLR21的影响

为了探讨饲料中维生素D₃添加水平对黄颡鱼(Pelteobagrus fulvidraco)生长和Toll样受体的影响, 研究设计了5个不同浓度梯度的维生素D₃饲料(1120、2260、3950、8030和16600 IU/kg), 对体重为(5.0±0.2) g的黄颡鱼进行了为期12周的生长实验, 并在生长实验结束后进行鮰爱德华氏菌(Edwardsiella ictaluri)攻毒72h。于攻毒前(0)和攻毒后(72h)采样, 每个饲料组分别取6尾鱼的脾脏、头肾、肝脏和前肠四个组织, 检测不同浓度维生素D₃处理对攻毒前和攻毒后TLR18、TLR19和TLR21基因表达量的影响。同时另取6条新鲜黄颡鱼的肌肉、头肾、肾脏、皮肤、脑、鳃、脾脏、胃上皮、小肠和肝脏, 检测TLR18、TLR19和TLR21基因在黄颡鱼中的组织分布。结果表明: 不同的维生素D₃添加水平会显著影响黄颡鱼幼鱼的生长性能; TLR18、TLR19和TLR21基因在所检测的组织中均有表达, 但在脾脏中表达量最高; 饲料中不同维生素D₃含量在攻毒前后均会显著影响TLR18、TLR19和TLR21在头肾、脾脏、肝脏和前肠中的表达, 攻毒后基因的表达显著高于攻毒前; TLR18、TLR19和TLR21在不同组织中的表达和饲料中维生素D₃的浓度相关, 研究结果表明饲料中添加合适剂量的维生素D₃, 可以促进相关免疫基因的表达, 从而增强黄颡鱼对病原微生物的抵抗力。     

乙炔基雌二醇(EE2)对雄性黄颡鱼GtH3个亚基基因表达的影响

为研究乙炔基雌二醇(EE2)是否能影响雄性黄颡鱼(Pelteobagrus fulvidraco)垂体中促性腺激素3个亚基基因的表达,从而干扰FSH和LH的分泌,研究采用末端快速扩增(RACE)的方法在黄颡鱼垂体中克隆了促性腺激素的2个亚基(FSH和LH)的全长cDNA,对其组织表达模式和雌雄性垂体中的季节表达模式进行了研究;另外,研究还用100 ng/L的EE2对雄性黄颡鱼(2龄)进行了28d的暴露处理。结果发现,黄颡鱼FSH cDNA全长528 bp, ORF为399 bp,编码132个氨基酸; LH全长为870 bp, ORF为417 bp,编码138个氨基酸。序列分析结果表明,黄颡鱼FSH含有一个17氨基酸的信号肽, 2个保守的N-糖基化位点和13个半胱氨酸残基,而LH含有一个18个氨基酸的信号肽, 1个N-糖基化位点和12个半胱氨酸残基,与其他鲶形目鱼类极其相似。进化分析显示,黄颡鱼FSH和LH与鲶形目的鱼类进化关系较近。组织分布结果发现,黄颡鱼3亚基均仅在垂体中表达。季节表达模式结果表明,雌雄黄颡鱼GtH和LH表达水平在5月份左右达到最高,随后降低; FSH在雌性的表达模式与GtH和LH相同,而在雄性, FSH的表达没有明显变化。半定量RT-PCR结果显示, 100 ng/L的EE2能显著抑制黄颡鱼促性腺激素3个亚基基因的表达。研究认为, EE2抑制黄颡鱼雄性垂体FSH和LH的分泌,可能阻碍其正常的精子发生、精子成熟和排精过程,从而影响其正常的繁殖和发育。       

饲料脂肪水平对瓦氏黄颡鱼生长及脂蛋白脂酶基因表达的影响

研究采用脂肪水平分别为4.7%、7.9%、10.9%、15.4%、18.9%的五种等氮配合饲料饲喂瓦氏黄颡鱼早期幼鱼,进行了为期30d的生长实验,探讨了瓦氏黄颡鱼早期幼鱼的脂肪需求。并克隆了瓦氏黄颡鱼脂蛋白脂酶(LPL)cDNA序列片段,采用实时荧光定量PCR研究了饲料脂肪水平对肝脏LPL基因表达水平的影响。结果表明,饲料脂肪水平从4.7%增加到10.9%显著促进了瓦氏黄颡鱼早期幼鱼的生长(P<0.05)。饲料脂肪水平显著影响了实验鱼的鱼体体成分,随着饲料脂肪水平的升高,鱼体干物质和脂肪含量显著增加而蛋白含量显著下降(P<0.05)。高脂诱导了瓦氏黄颡鱼肝脏LPL基因表达,摄食15.4%、18.9%这两组较高脂肪水平的实验鱼肝脏LPLmRNA表达水平显著升高(P<0.05)。根据特定生长率通过折线回归分析得出瓦氏黄颡鱼早期幼鱼最适脂肪水平为11.2%。       

黄颡鱼XX伪雄鱼诱导与全雌种群规模化繁育

研究利用3种雄性化因素, 包括17α-甲基睾丸酮(MT, 5 mg/kg)、来曲唑(LZ, 300 mg/kg)和高温(33.5℃) 联合处理12—65日龄黄颡鱼幼鱼, 并将性成熟的XX伪雄鱼与正常XX雌鱼进行人工繁殖, 开展了全雌黄颡鱼(Tachysurus fulvidraco)规模化繁殖与苗种培育工作。研究发现, MT、LZ和高温共同作用可诱导XX黄颡鱼逆转为生理型雄性, 完全性逆转个体运动型精子比例与XY雄鱼无显著性差异, 组织学切片也显示其精巢中存在大量精子细胞, 推测XX伪雄鱼具有正常的繁殖功能。随后, 以XX伪雄鱼为父本, 正常XX雌鱼为母本开展了规模化人工繁殖, 获得了57万尾基因型全部为XX的黄颡鱼苗种, 并将其成功培育成大规格鱼种。在幼鱼60日龄和120日龄时取样发现, 分别有2.8%和12.0%的个体发生了不同程度的雄性化, 推测其可能受到池塘自然高温的影响而发生了性逆转。其余XX雌鱼卵巢发育良好, 来年繁殖季节可作为规模化人工繁殖的雌性亲本。研究成功开展了全雌黄颡鱼规模化繁育工作, 为全雌黄颡鱼规模化繁育体系的建立提供了基础, 也为黄颡鱼新品种选育中雌性选育提供了保障。     

Lazy males? Bioenergetic differences in energy acquisition and metabolism help to explain sexual size dimorphism in percids

1. Differences in energy use between genders is a probable mechanism underlying sexual size dimorphism (SSD), but testing this hypothesis in the field has proven difficult. We evaluated this mechanism as an explanation for SSD in two North American percid species--walleye Sander vitreus and yellow perch Perca flavescens. 2. Data from 47 walleye and 67 yellow perch populations indicated that SSD is associated with the onset of maturation: typically, males of both species matured smaller and earlier and attained a smaller asymptotic size than females. Males also demonstrated equal (perch) or longer (walleye) reproductive life spans compared with females. 3. To examine whether reduced post-maturation growth in males was due to lower energy acquisition or higher reproductive costs we applied a contaminant mass-balance model combined with a bioenergetics model to estimate metabolic costs and food consumption of each sex. Mature males exhibited lower food consumption, metabolic costs and food conversion efficiencies compared with females. 4. We propose that slower growth in males at the onset of maturity is a result of decreased feeding activity to reduce predation risk. Our finding that SSD in percids is associated with the onset of maturity is supported by laboratory-based observations reported elsewhere, showing that changes in growth rate, consumption and food conversion efficiency were elicited by oestrogen (positive effects) or androgen (negative effects) exposure in P. flavescens and P. fluviatilis. 5. Researchers applying bioenergetic models for comparative studies across populations should use caution in applying bioenergetic models in the absence of information on population sex ratio and potential differences between the sexes in energetic parameters.     

Molecular characterization and sex-specific tissue expression of estrogen receptor alpha (esr1), estrogen receptor betaa (esr2a) and ovarian aromatase (cyp19a1a) in yellow perch (Perca flavescens)

Yellow perch (Perca flavescens) exhibits an estrogen-stimulated sexual size dimorphism (SSD) wherein females grow faster and larger than males. To aid in the examination of this phenomenon, the cDNA sequences encoding estrogen receptor-alpha (esr1), estrogen receptor-betaa (esr2a) and ovarian aromatase (cyp19a1a) for the teleost yellow perch were obtained. Several tissues were analyzed from both male and female adult yellow perch for sex-specific tissue expression. The full length cDNAs of yellow perch esr1, esr2a and cyp19a1a consist of 3052 bp, 2462 bp and 1859 bp with open reading frames encoding putative proteins of 576 amino acids, 555 amino acids and 518 amino acids, respectively. Esr1 and esr2a expression was highest in female ovary and liver tissues with low to moderate expression in other tissues. Esr2a showed a more global tissue expression pattern than esr1, particularly in males but also in females. Cyp19a1a expression was highest in both male and female spleen tissue and oocytes with moderate expression in male pituitary and gill tissue. Cyp19a1a expression was moderately high in female liver tissue with undetectable expression in male liver tissue, suggesting its involvement in sexually dimorphic growth. These sequences are valuable molecular tools that can be used in future studies investigating estrogen mechanisms and actions, such as SSD, in yellow perch.     

Sexual variation in assimilation efficiency: its link to phenotype and potential role in sexual dimorphism

Sex-specific variation in morphology (sexual dimorphism) is a prevalent phenomenon among animals, and both dietary intake and resource allocation strategies influence sexually dimorphic traits (e.g., body size or composition). However, we investigated whether assimilation efficiency (AE), an intermediate step between dietary intake and allocation, can also vary between the sexes. Specifically, we tested whether sex-based differences in AE can explain variation in phenotypic traits. We measured morphometric characteristics (i.e., body length, mass, condition, and musculature) and AE of total energy, crude protein, and crude fat in post-reproductive adult Children’s pythons (which exhibit a limited female-biased sexual size dimorphism) fed both low and high dietary intakes. Meal size was negatively related to AE of energy. Notably, male snakes absorbed crude protein more efficiently and increased epaxial (dorsal) musculature faster than females, which demonstrates a link between AE and phenotype. However, females grew in body length faster but did not absorb any nutrient more efficiently than males. Although our results do not provide a direct link between AE and sexual size dimorphism, they demonstrate that sexual variation in nutrient absorption exists and can contribute to other types of sex-based differences in phenotype (i.e., sexual dimorphism in growth of musculature). Hence, testing the broader applicability of AE’s role in sexually dimorphic traits among other species is warranted.     

Evolution of Sexual Size Dimorphism in a Frog Obeys the Inverse of Rensch’s Rule

Rensch’s rule refers to a pattern in sexual size dimorphism (SSD) in which SSD increases with body size when males are the larger sex and decreases with body size when females are the larger sex. Using data on body size from 40 populations and age from 31 populations of the rice frog Rana limnochari with female-biased size dimorphism, I tested the consistency of allometric relationships between males and females with Rensch’s rule and evaluated the hypothesis that SSD was largely a function of age differences between the sexes. Statistical comparisons of body sizes between the sexes showed the evidence for the inverse of Rensch’s rule, indicating the level of SSD increased with increasing mean body size. One of the explanations for the occurrence of the inverse of Rensch’s rule may be the fecundity selection hypothesis assuming increased reproductive output in large females. However, differences in age between males and females among populations could explain mildly the variation in SSD.     

Sex differences in digestive traits in sexually size-dimorphic birds: Insights from an assimilation efficiency experiment on Black-tailed Godwit

Digestive assimilation efficiency is considered a trait with important implications for animal ecology. However, practically all studies have ignored the importance of sex differences in food assimilation efficiency (AE). Here, we investigated sex differences in dietary and physiological parameters in the Black-tailed Godwit Limosa limosa limosa feeding on rice seeds, a species with sexual dimorphism in body size and body mass. Gross daily food intake, gross energy intake, gross energy output and metabolizable energy intake did not vary significantly between sexes, but godwit females showed lower faeces energy density and higher AE than males. Mass-specific AE was similar in males and females, and the difference in AE could be attributed to the females' greater body mass. We suggest that a differential AE could play a role in explaining sex differences in habitat or micro-habitat selection during the non-breeding season in bird species with sexual dimorphism in size. Finally, we addressed the question about assimilation efficiency accuracy in models that estimate prey acquisitions by declining shorebirds as the Black-tailed Godwit.     

Testosterone inhibits growth in juvenile male eastern fence lizards (Sceloporus undulatus): implications for energy allocation and sexual size dimorphism

In the eastern fence lizard, Sceloporus undulatus, female-larger sexual size dimorphism develops because yearling females grow faster than males before first reproduction. This sexual growth divergence coincides with maturational increases in male aggression, movement, and ventral coloration, all of which are influenced by the sex steroid testosterone (T). These observations suggest that male growth may be constrained by energetic costs of activity and implicate T as a physiological regulator of this potential trade-off. To test this hypothesis, we used surgical castration and subsequent administration of exogenous T to alter the physiological and behavioral phenotypes of field-active males during the period of sexual growth divergence. As predicted, T inhibited male growth, while castration promoted long-term growth. Males treated with T also exhibited increased daily activity period, movement, and home range area. Food consumption did not differ among male treatments or sexes, suggesting that the inhibitory effects of T on growth are mediated by patterns of energy allocation rather than acquisition. On the basis of estimates derived from published data, we conclude that the energetic cost of increased daily activity period following T manipulation is sufficient to explain most (79%) of the associated reduction in growth. Further, growth may have been constrained by additional energetic costs of increased ectoparasite load following T manipulation. Similar studies of the proximate behavioral, ecological, and physiological mechanisms involved in growth regulation should greatly improve our understanding of sexual size dimorphism.     

Does size dimorphism reduce competition between sexes? The diet of male and female pine martens at local and wider geographical scales

Sex-specific niche segregation is often used to explain sexual size dimorphism (SSD). However, whether food niche partitioning between sexes occurs as a case of sexual size dimorphism or by other mechanisms, such as behavioural dimorphism or habitat segregation, remains poorly understood. To evaluate the nature and extent of food-niche differentiation between sexes in a solitary predator I examined variation in the diet of male and female pine martensMartes martes Linnaeus, 1758 in years of high and low rodent abundance. Small mammals were the most important prey for pine martens in years of both low and high rodent abundance (occurring in more than 49% of scats). Birds, invertebrates and plant material were relatively common food items in summer diet, whereas ungulate carcasses were often consumed in autumn—winter. In general, males consumed more ungulate carcasses, plant material, amphibians and reptiles than did females, whereas females preyed more on squirrels and birds than males. There was significant seasonally dependent, between-sex variation in the occurrence of shrews, small rodents, other mammals, birds and invertebrates in marten diet. Whereas the occurrence of bank vole, birds, carcasses and plant material changed between sexes, seasons and years with various rodent abundances, both sexes consumed larger prey and had increased food niche breadth in years of low compared with high rodent abundance. Neither prey size nor food niche breadth were significantly different between males and females. The food-niche overlap between sexes was consistently lower in spring and in years of low rodent abundance. A wider geographical comparison of different marten populations showed that the diet of males and females varied significantly between locations. Females consistently preyed on squirrels and birds, whereas males fed more often on ungulate carcasses and plant material. Local and geographical comparison of male and female diets suggest that food-niche partitioning between male and female pine martens changes across different habitat and food conditions, and is not related to sexual size dimorphism, but rather to behavioural differences between sexes.     

The Proximate Causes of Sexual Size Dimorphism in Phrynocephalus przewalskii

Sexual size dimorphism (SSD) is a common phenomenon and is a central topic in evolutionary biology. Recently, the importance of pursuing an ontogenetic perspective of SSD has been emphasized, to elucidate the proximate physiological mechanisms leading to its evolution. However, such research has seldom focused on the critical periods when males and females diverge. Using mark-recapture data, we investigated the development of SSD, sex-specific survivorship, and growth rates in Phrynocephalus przewalskii (Agamidae). We demonstrated that both male and female lizards are reproductively mature at age 10–11 months (including 5 months hibernation). Male-biased SSD in snout-vent length (SVL) was only found in adults and was fully expressed at age 11 months (June of the first full season of activity), just after sexual maturation. However, male-biased SSD in tail length (TL), hind-limb length (LL), and head width (HW) were fully expressed at age 9–10 months, just before sexual maturation. Analysis of age-specific linear growth rates identified sexually dimorphic growth during the fifth growth month (age 10–11 months) as the proximate cause of SSD in SVL. The males experienced higher mortality than females in the first 2 years and only survived better than females after SSD was well developed. This suggests that the critical period of divergence in the sizes of male and female P. przewalskii occurs between 10 and 11 months of age (May to June during the first full season of activity), and that the sexual difference in growth during this period is the proximate cause. However, the sexual difference in survivorship cannot explain the male-biased SSD in SVL. Our results indicate that performance-related characteristics, such as TL, HW, and LL diverged earlier than SVL. The physiological mechanisms underlying the different growth patterns of males and females may reflect different energy allocations associated with their different reproductive statuses.     

Sex-specific plasticity of growth and maturation size in a spider: implications for sexual size dimorphism

Sex-specific plasticity in body size has been recently proposed to cause intraspecific patterns of variation in sexual size dimorphism (SSD). We reared juvenile male and female Mediterranean tarantulas (Lycosa tarantula) under two feeding regimes and monitored their growth until maturation. Selection gradients calculated across studies show how maturation size is under net stabilizing selection in females and under directional selection in males. This pattern was used to predict that body size should be more canalized in females than in males. As expected, feeding affected male but not female maturation size. The sex-specific response of maturation size was related to a dramatic divergence between subadult male and female growth pathways. These results demonstrate the existence of sex-specific canalization and resource allocation to maturation size in this species, which causes variation in SSD depending on developmental conditions consistent with the differential-plasticity hypothesis explaining Rensch's Rule.