Warm waters undermine cryptic female choice

Abstract

Reproduction is often more thermally sensitive than survival. Thus, understanding the thermal sensitivity of reproductive interactions is crucial given global warming. However, it is unknown how temperature influences female control over fertilization after mating (i.e., cryptic female choice). We tested how temperatures relevant to current conditions and climate change projections influence cryptic female choice in a marine fish, Symphodus ocellatus. Under typical conditions, females bias fertilization dynamics to favor dominant males. We find that warmer temperatures decrease female influence on sperm velocity and reduce the expected paternity of dominant males. Our results demonstrate that temperatures relevant to climate change can shift the balance between mate choice and male-male competition. Thus, climate change may influence sexual selection, leading to evolutionary changes in reproductive traits.