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  • Benjamin Jarrett
  • Rahia Mashoodh
    University of Cambridge
  • Swastika Issar
    University of Cambridge
  • Sonia Pascoal
    University of Cambridge
  • Darren Rebar
    Emporia State University
  • Syuan-Jyun Sun
    National Taiwan University
  • Matthew Schrader
    University of the South, Sewanee
  • Rebecca Kilner
    University of Cambridge
The joint actions of animals in partnerships or social groups evolve under both natural selection from the wider environment and social selection imposed by other members of the pair or group. We used experimental evolution to investigate how jointly expressed actions evolve upon exposure to a new environmental challenge. Our work focused on the evolution of carrion nest preparation by pairs of burying beetles , a joint activity undertaken by the pair but typically led by the male. In previous work, we found that carrion nest preparation evolved to be faster in experimental populations without post-hatching care (No Care: NC lines) than with post-hatching care (Full Care: FC lines). Here, we investigate how this joint activity evolved. After 15 generations of experimental evolution, we created heterotypic pairs (NC females with FC males and NC males with FC females) and compared their carrion nest making with homotypic NC and FC pairs. We found that pairs with NC males prepared the nest more rapidly than pairs with FC males, regardless of the female's line of origin. We discuss how social coadaptations within pairs or groups could act as a post-mating barrier to gene flow.
Original languageEnglish
Article number20240876
JournalProceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences
Volume291
Issue number2024
Early online date12 Jun 2024
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Jun 2024
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