Females choose to mate with certain males to accrue either genetic or direct benefits, and male sexual attractiveness evolved to advertise those benefits to potential mates. Sexually attractive males are expected to be of higher genetic quality and thus possess greater body condition and perhaps greater disease resistance. Positive covariance between male sexual attractiveness and disease resistance should thus provide females an avenue for acquiring genes related to better disease resistance for their offspring. We support the hypothesis that sexually attractive males are in better body condition, but we did not support the hypothesis that they are more disease resistant. Contrary to prediction, the offspring of more attractive males were neither in better body condition nor more disease resistant than the offspring of less attractive males, thus suggesting that females do not gain indirect genetic benefits by mating with attractive males. We supported the hypothesis that females receive more material benefits from mating with more attractive males as females laid more eggs when mated to males having greater sexual attractiveness. The mechanism underlying this effect is unclear at present but could be due to more ejaculatory products (i.e., more sperm or seminal substances) being passed by more attractive mates or due to female processes such as cryptic female choice. Females are generally the choosier sex when it comes to finding mate. Choosiness benefits females because by mating with a preferred, sexually attractive male, females can accrue better or more material resources that they require for breeding or superior genes for their offspring. We experimentally tested whether and how mating with sexually attractive males benefits female sand crickets (Gryllus firmus). In line with prediction, we found that females laid more eggs when they copulated with attractive males rather than unattractive males. Contrary to prediction, however, our tests revealed that the offspring of attractive males were not significantly more disease resistant or more sexually attractive than the offspring of less attractive males. Not surprisingly, we found little evidence of strong heritability in these traits and that daughters of sexually attractive males were no less fit than sons (and vice versa).

中文翻译：

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与性吸引力雄性交配为雌性 Gryllus Firmus 蟋蟀提供直接而非间接的健身益处

雌性选择与某些雄性交配以获得遗传或直接好处，而雄性的性吸引力进化为向潜在配偶宣传这些好处。性吸引力的男性被认为具有更高的遗传质量，因此拥有更好的身体状况和更强的抗病能力。因此，男性性吸引力和抗病性之间的正协方差应该为女性提供一条途径，以获得与其后代更好的抗病性相关的基因。我们支持性感男性身体状况更好的假设，但我们不支持他们更抗病的假设。与预测相反，与不那么有吸引力的雄性的后代相比，更有吸引力的雄性的后代既没有更好的身体状况，也没有更强的抗病能力，因此表明雌性不会通过与有吸引力的雄性交配而获得间接的遗传优势。我们支持这样一个假设，即雌性从与更具吸引力的雄性交配中获得更多物质利益，因为当与具有更大性吸引力的雄性交配时，雌性会产下更多的卵。这种影响的潜在机制目前尚不清楚，但可能是由于更多的射精产物（即更多的精子或精液）被更有吸引力的配偶传递，或者是由于雌性过程，例如神秘的雌性选择。在寻找配偶时，女性通常是更挑剔的性别。挑剔对雌性有益，因为通过与喜欢的、性感的雄性交配，雌性可以积累更好或更多的物质资源，为后代繁殖或提供优良基因。我们通过实验测试了与性感雄性交配是否以及如何有益于雌性沙蟋蟀（Gryllus Firmus）。与预测一致，我们发现雌性在与有吸引力的雄性而不是没有吸引力的雄性交配时会产下更多的卵。然而，与预测相反，我们的测试表明，与不那么有吸引力的雄性的后代相比，有吸引力的雄性的后代并没有明显更具抗病性或更具性吸引力。毫不奇怪，我们几乎没有发现这些特征具有很强的遗传性的证据，而且性感男性的女儿并不比儿子更适合（反之亦然）。我们发现，当雌性与有吸引力的雄性而不是没有吸引力的雄性交配时，它们会产下更多的卵。然而，与预测相反，我们的测试表明，与不那么有吸引力的雄性的后代相比，有吸引力的雄性的后代并没有明显更具抗病性或更具性吸引力。毫不奇怪，我们几乎没有发现这些特征具有很强的遗传性的证据，而且性感男性的女儿并不比儿子更适合（反之亦然）。我们发现，当雌性与有吸引力的雄性而不是没有吸引力的雄性交配时，它们会产下更多的卵。然而，与预测相反，我们的测试表明，与不那么有吸引力的雄性的后代相比，有吸引力的雄性的后代并没有明显更具抗病性或更具性吸引力。毫不奇怪，我们几乎没有发现这些特征具有很强的遗传性的证据，而且性感男性的女儿并不比儿子更适合（反之亦然）。