Search Results (4)

Antlers are costly bone structures that grow every year. Thus, in addition to the genetic potential, its full potential size depends on the physiological state and food availability. Our aim was to examine antler characteristics related to genetic potential (burr perimeter) with final antler investment (antler weight) and how they relate with antler structural characteristics: beam length, circumference at mid and upper parts of the beam, and length of first (brow) and midbeam (third) tines. We measured 206 antlers from the University of Castilla-La Mancha experimental farm (UCLM) and from 203 top size antlers from Latvian International Antler Competition (LIAC). The results show that UCLM and LIAC had antlers of similar length (4.6% difference), but LIAC had 47% heavier antlers. The body growth explained that correlations of antler measurements with age were higher in males of 3 or more years, but much weaker in fully grown males (5 years or older). Weight reflected investment in antlers, as it showed the greatest correlation with all measurements, but length had weaker correlations. A large burr cross-section seems to reflect genetic potential, because it is necessary but not sufficient to grow large antlers. The results could be a useful tool for deer breeders. Full article

Population stability depends on environmental conditions and their changes, as well as the availability of energy resources. Animals allocate their energy to maintenance, growth, reproduction, and energy storage; therefore, trade-offs are expected between life history traits. Access to abundant resources is expected to manifest itself in the investment of male individuals in sexually selected traits, such as carcass mass and antler size. The study aimed to analyze environmental climate conditions on the carcass and antler mass, as well as on antler form in red deer (Cervus elaphus L.) populations. We analyzed the carcasses and the antler masses and forms of 550 red deer stags from three populations in Central–Western Europe that differ in climate conditions that were hunter-harvested between the 2017 and 2021 hunting seasons. Our data indicated that carcass mass was shaped by the location of the population, stag age, precipitation, and temperature, as well as the number of frost days from January to the harvest date. Antler mass and antler investment depended on stag age but not climatic factors. Regular antler forms were more often observed in the harsh environmental conditions. Our observation confirms that resource trade-off is related to carcass mass of red deer. Full article

The horns and antlers borne by the males of many species of ungulate are considered to be both badges of quality, and armaments for use during intraspecific combat. Underpinning arguments concerning their dual utility is the idea that these structures should be costly to produce in order that the signal value of the structure is maintained. In agreement with such theorising is the belief that fluctuating asymmetry (FA), small deviations from symmetry around a mean of zero, measures individual quality as it represents the ability of the individual to withstand stress. We investigated whether the antlers of fallow deer indicated something of the quality of the bearer by assessing whether the degree of antler FA was associated with breakage (i.e., badge of quality) or with tactical investment in fighting (i.e., armament). We show the anticipated relationship between FA and antler damage, however, there was no relationship between FA and contest tactics. The present study, therefore, shows partial support for the idea that the magnitude of fluctuating asymmetry expressed by weaponry is related to individual quality. Full article

In polyandrous species, males face reproductive competition both before and after mating. Sexual selection thus shapes the evolution of both pre- and postcopulatory traits, creating competing demands on resource allocation to different reproductive episodes. Traits subject to strong selection exhibit accelerated rates of phenotypic divergence, and examining evolutionary rates may inform us about the relative importance and potential fitness consequences of investing in traits under either pre- or postcopulatory sexual selection. Here, we used a comparative approach to assess evolutionary rates of key competitive traits in two artiodactyl families, bovids (family Bovidae) and cervids (family Cervidae), where male–male competition can occur before and after mating. We quantified and compared evolutionary rates of male weaponry (horns and antlers), body size/mass, testes mass, and sperm morphometrics. We found that weapons evolve faster than sperm dimensions. In contrast, testes and body mass evolve at similar rates. These results suggest strong, but differential, selection on both pre- and postcopulatory traits in bovids and cervids. Furthermore, we documented distinct evolutionary rates among different sperm components, with sperm head and midpiece evolving faster than the flagellum. Finally, we demonstrate that, despite considerable differences in weapon development between bovids and cervids, the overall evolutionary patterns between these families were broadly consistent. Full article