Parasites, Bright Males, and the Immunocompetence Handicap
Abstract
It has been argued that females should be able to choose parasite-resistant mates on the basis of the quality of male secondary sexual characters and that such signals must be costly handicaps in order to evolve. To a large extent, handicap hypotheses have relied on energetic explanations for these costs. Here, we have presented a phenomenological model, operating on an intraspecific level, which views the cost of secondary sexual development from an endocrinological perspective. The primary androgenic hormone, testosterone, has a dualistic effect; it stimulates development of characteristics used in sexual selection while reducing immunocompetence. This "double-edged sword" creates a physiological trade-off that influences and is influenced by parasite burden. We propose a negative-feedback loop between signal intensity and parasite burden by suggesting that testosterone-dependent signal intensity is a plastic response. This response is modified in accordance with the competing demands of the potential costs of parasite infection versus that of increased reproductive success afforded by exaggerated signals. We clarify how this trade-off is intimately involved in the evolution of secondary sexual characteristics and how it may explain some of the equivocal empirical results that have surfaced in attempts to quantify parasite's effect on sexual selection.
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With rising parasite load, organisms should channel their energies away from display to fight parasites and so may be less able to invest in attractive traits.
“With rising parasite load, organisms should channel their energies away from display to fight parasites and so may be less able to invest in attractive traits (Folstad & Karter 1992).”
From Parasite-stress promotes in-group assortative sociality: The cases of strong family ties and heightened religiosity (2012) · cites this paper as Folstad & Karter 1992
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- Authors
- Folstad, I., & Karter, A. J.
- Venue
- The American Naturalist
- Publisher
- University of Chicago Press
- Published
- 1992-03
- Volume
- 139
- Issue
- 3
- Pages
- 603-622
- ISSN
- 0003-0147 (ISSN-L)
- 1537-5323
- OpenAlex
- W2078121933
- Cited by
- 2,799
- References
- 101
- Citations by year
- 2026: 28 · 2025: 41 · 2024: 64 · 2023: 74 · 2022: 123 · 2021: 111 · 2020: 94 · 2019: 82 · 2018: 98 · 2017: 101 · 2016: 115 · 2015: 130 · 2014: 155 · 2013: 101 · 2012: 129
- FWCI
- 33.31
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- The American Naturalist (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Agricultural and Biological Sciences › Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics › Animal Behavior and Reproduction
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Evolutionary Psychology and Human Behavior
- Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Evolutionary Game Theory and Cooperation
- Keywords
- parasite resistance, secondary sexual characteristics, sexual selection, testosterone, androgenic hormones, infection intensity, physiological trade-offs, signal intensity, negative feedback loop, endocrinology, intraspecific variation, female mate choice
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