Formål
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Queens of ants and bees normally obtain a lifetime supply of sperm on a single day of sexual activity and sperm competition is expected to occur in lineages where queens receive sperm from multiple males. We compared singly-mated (monandrous) and multiply-mated (polyandrous) sister groups of ants and bees and show that seminal fluid of polyandrous species has a more positive effect on the survival of a male’s own sperm than on other males’ sperm. This difference was not observed in the monandrous species, suggesting that incapacitation of competing sperm may have independently evolved in both bees and ants. In Atta leafcutter ants the negative effect of the seminal fluid of other males was negated by secretion from the queen sperm-storage organ, suggesting that queens may control ejaculate competition after sperm storage.
Indhold
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The data set is a processed dataset that underlies the figures and results presented in the associated research article (DOI: 10.1126/science.1184709). It consists of a single excel file with 5 sheets, 1 sheet per experiment. Each experiment consist of between 60 to 150 measurements of sperm cell viability. For each measurement (line in the excel sheet) we record the date, measurement ID, species and treatment, as well as the absolute number of live, dead and dying cells. The proportion of live sperm cells is calculated for each meaurement.