Selection for male aggression is associated with changes in reproductive traits, chemical signaling and lifespan in Drosophila melanogaster
Abstract
Life history traits are all essential traits linked to development, survival and reproduction, directly influencing individual fitness. Limited environmental or physiological resources force organisms to balance competing demands, leading to fundamental trade-offs, particularly between survival and reproduction. Male aggression is often assumed to enhance reproductive success, yet its broader association with other fitness-related traits remains unclear. To address this, we used Drosophila melanogaster Bully lines selected for high levels of male aggression, to examine relationships between aggression, chemical signaling, and essential life-history traits including reproductive behaviors and lifespan. Our results reveal that increased male aggressiveness shifts the balance of a major life-history trade-off, favoring survival over reproductive success. Bully males exhibited lower mating success, shorter mating duration and less effective chemical mate-guarding. However, this was traded-off with increased lifespan, enabling more reproductive opportunities. We also uncover potential mechanistic underpinnings of the reproductive deficits. Bully males showed differences in their cuticular hydrocarbon (CHCs) profiles and transferred lower levels of cVA to females, a mate-guarding pheromone, thereby weakening their post-mating strategy. Overall, our findings indicate that selection for male aggression is associated with a shift in a key life-history trade-off, highlighting aggression as an evolutionary force shaping adaptation of life-history traits and providing a foundation for future genetic and mechanistic studies.
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BibTeX
@article{defert2026selection,
title = {{Selection for male aggression is associated with changes in reproductive traits, chemical signaling and lifespan in Drosophila melanogaster}},
author = {Anthony Defert and Romane Gout and Gaelle Pennot and Fanny Jamme and Amandine Castex and Anissa Handjar and Thomas Guilleman and Jean-Christophe Billeter and Séverine Trannoy},
journal = {eLife},
year = {2026},
month = sep,
doi = {10.7554/elife.107559.2},
url = {https://hal.science/hal-05760571v1},
note = {CC BY 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Selection for male aggression is associated with changes in reproductive traits, chemical signaling and lifespan in Drosophila melanogaster
AU - Anthony Defert
AU - Romane Gout
AU - Gaelle Pennot
AU - Fanny Jamme
AU - Amandine Castex
AU - Anissa Handjar
AU - Thomas Guilleman
AU - Jean-Christophe Billeter
AU - Séverine Trannoy
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/09/08
JO - eLife
DO - 10.7554/elife.107559.2
UR - https://hal.science/hal-05760571v1
AB - Life history traits are all essential traits linked to development, survival and reproduction, directly influencing individual fitness. Limited environmental or physiological resources force organisms to balance competing demands, leading to fundamental trade-offs, particularly between survival and reproduction. Male aggression is often assumed to enhance reproductive success, yet its broader association with other fitness-related traits remains unclear. To address this, we used Drosophila melanogaster Bully lines selected for high levels of male aggression, to examine relationships between aggression, chemical signaling, and essential life-history traits including reproductive behaviors and lifespan. Our results reveal that increased male aggressiveness shifts the balance of a major life-history trade-off, favoring survival over reproductive success. Bully males exhibited lower mating success, shorter mating duration and less effective chemical mate-guarding. However, this was traded-off with increased lifespan, enabling more reproductive opportunities. We also uncover potential mechanistic underpinnings of the reproductive deficits. Bully males showed differences in their cuticular hydrocarbon (CHCs) profiles and transferred lower levels of cVA to females, a mate-guarding pheromone, thereby weakening their post-mating strategy. Overall, our findings indicate that selection for male aggression is associated with a shift in a key life-history trade-off, highlighting aggression as an evolutionary force shaping adaptation of life-history traits and providing a foundation for future genetic and mechanistic studies.
SN - 2050-084X
ER -