Experimental reduction in dietary omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids depresses sperm competitiveness |
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| Authors: | Md Moshiur Rahman Clelia Gasparini Giovanni M Turchini Jonathan P Evans |
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| Institution: | 1.Centre for Evolutionary Biology, School of Animal Biology, University of Western Australia, Crawley, 6009 Western Australia, Australia;2.School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Science, Engineering and Built Environment, Deakin University, Warrnambool, Victoria 3280, Australia |
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| Abstract: | The health benefits of diets containing rich sources of long-chain omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 LC-PUFA) are well documented and include reductions in the risk of several diseases typical of Western societies. The dietary intake of n-3 LC-PUFA has also been linked to fertility, and there is abundant evidence that a range of ejaculate traits linked to fertility in humans, livestock and other animals depend on an adequate intake of n-3 LC-PUFA from dietary sources. However, relatively few studies have explored how n-3 LC-PUFA influence reproductive fitness, particularly in the context of sexual selection. Here, we show that experimental reduction in the level of n-3 LC-PUFA in the diet of guppies (Poecilia reticulata) depresses a male''s share of paternity when sperm compete for fertilization, confirming that the currently observed trend for reduced n-3 LC-PUFA in western diets has important implications for individual reproductive fitness. |
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| Keywords: | condition dependent sexual selection ejaculate quality fertilization |
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