Volume 6, Number 4—August 2000
Perspective
Male-Killing Bacteria in Insects: Mechanisms, Incidence, and Implications
Table 3
Population and evolutionary effects of invasion of a host by male-killing bacteria
| Effects on population level | Evolutionary effects |
|---|---|
| Reduced population density at larval level due to death of male embryos | Selection for increased host clutch size |
| Failure of females to find mates where parasite prevalence leads to shortage of males, with potential effects on adult population size | Selection for genes that prevent transmission or action of male-killer |
| Altered epidemiology of sexually transmitted pathogens due to increased reproductive success of males | Alteration in host pattern of sexual selection due to alteration in population sex ratio |
