Re: KillieTalk Digest V3 #70

[Doug Karpa-Wilson <dkarpawi at imap_ucs.indiana.edu>]

BizEcology at aol_com wrote:

> > In an evolutionary sense neither would make much sense, since if she's past
> >  breeding age, there's no way selection could ever operate on a sex change.
>
> No, no, no...  you miss my point.  The female changes to male APPEARANCE, not
> functionality.  That way the males do not see her as a mate and do not waste
> time chasing her.  I have seen old female swordtails develop swords many
> times.  they never breed again, nor do they chase females.  They just get
> left alone.

>

  But still there's no evolutionary advantage to not being chased.  It is hard
to see how this would evolve since can do nothing to affect her fitness.  I
guess that interpreting the trait as functional in this way when it confers no
advantage doesn't seem right, that's all I meant.

Doug


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• Re: KillieTalk Digest V3 #70
• From: BizEcology at aol_com

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