Sexual Selection and the Evolution of Egg-Sperm Interactions in Broadcast-Spawning Invertebrates

2013/06/01 by Jonathan P. Evans, Craig D. H. Sherman · 109 citations
Agricultural and Biological Sciences · Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology · Environmental Science · #Animal Behavior and Reproduction #Biology #Crustacean biology and ecology #Ecology #Embryo #Evolutionary biology #Gamete #Gene #Genetics #Human fertilization #In vitro fertilisation #Insect and Arachnid Ecology and Behavior #Marine invertebrates #Mate choice #Mating #Mating system #Multicellular organism #Polyspermy #Population #Reproductive success #Sexual conflict #Sexual reproduction #Sexual selection #Sperm #Sperm competition #Zoology

paper · doi:10.1086/bblv224n3p166

published in Biological Bulletin 224(3), 166-183 (Marine Biological Laboratory (MBL))

openalex publication_date 2013/06/01 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/15

Abstract

Many marine invertebrate taxa are broadcast spawners, where multiple individuals release their gametes into the water for external fertilization, often in the presence of gametes from heterospecifics. Consequently, sperm encounter the considerable challenges of locating and fertilizing eggs from conspecific females. To overcome these challenges, many taxa exhibit species-specific attraction of sperm toward eggs through chemical signals released from eggs (sperm chemotaxis) and species-specific gamete recognition proteins (GRPs) that mediate compatibility of gametes at fertilization. In this prospective review, we highlight these selective forces, but also emphasize the role that sexual selection, manifested through sperm competition, cryptic female choice, and evolutionary conflicts of interest between the sexes (sexual conflict), can also play in mediating the action of egg chemoattractants and GRPs, and thus individual reproductive fitness. Furthermore, we explore patterns of selection at the level of gametes (sperm phenotype, gamete plasticity, and egg traits) to identify putative traits targeted by sexual selection in these species. We conclude by emphasizing the excellent, but relatively untapped, potential of broadcast-spawning marine invertebrates as model systems to illuminate several areas of research in post-mating sexual selection.

Citations

• Intra-sexual selection in Drosophila
• The relationship between egg size and fertilization success in broadcast-spawning marine invertebrates

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• Sperm competition risk drives rapid ejaculate adjustments mediated by seminal fluid. [europepmc]
• Gamete-mediated mate choice: towards a more inclusive view of sexual selection. [europepmc]
• RNA-seq coupled to proteomic analysis reveals high sperm proteome variation between two closely related marine mussel species. [europepmc]
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• Do metrics of sexual selection conform to Bateman's principles in a wind-pollinated plant? [europepmc]
• Endless forms of sexual selection. [europepmc]
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• Ocean acidification during prefertilization chemical communication affects sperm success. [europepmc]
• Sexual selection after gamete release in broadcast spawning invertebrates. [europepmc]
• Conceptual developments in sperm competition: a very brief synopsis. [europepmc]
• The role of female reproductive fluid in sperm competition. [europepmc]
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• Sperm Accumulation Induced by the Female Reproductive Fluid: Putative Evidence of Chemoattraction Using a New Tool. [europepmc]
• Density-dependent patterns of multivariate selection on sperm motility and morphology in a broadcast spawning mussel. [europepmc]
• Ocean acidification alters sperm responses to egg-derived chemicals in a broadcast spawning mussel. [europepmc]
• Polyandry and non-random fertilisation maintain long-term genetic diversity in an isolated island population of adders (Vipera berus). [europepmc]
• Frequency-dependent viscosity of salmon ovarian fluid has biophysical implications for sperm-egg interactions. [europepmc]
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• Extensive introgression among strongylocentrotid sea urchins revealed by phylogenomics. [europepmc]
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