Sperm length evolution in relation to body mass is shaped by multiple trade-offs in tetrapods

Abstract

Sperm size is highly variable across species and is influenced by various factors including fertilization mode, female reproductive traits and sperm competition. Despite considerable efforts, many questions about sperm size variation remain open. Variation in body size may affect sperm size evolution through its influence on these factors, but the extent to which sperm size variation is linked to body mass remains elusive. In this study, we use the general theory of Pareto Optimality to investigate the relationship between sperm size and body mass across tetrapods. We find that tetrapods fall within a triangular-shaped Pareto front in the trait space of body mass and sperm length suggesting that the evolution of sperm size in relation to body size is shaped by trade-offs. We then explore the three main factors predicted to influence sperm size evolution, namely sperm competition, clutch size and genome size. Our results demonstrate that body mass optimally shapes sperm size evolution in tetrapods mainly through its association with sperm competition and clutch size. Finally, we show that the triangular-shaped Pareto front is maintained when tested separately within mammals, birds, endothermic species and internal fertilizers, suggesting that similar evolutionary trade-offs characterize the evolution of sperm size in relation to body size within taxonomic/phylogenetic and functional subgroups of tetrapods. This study provides insights into the evolutionary mechanisms driving interspecific sperm size variation and highlights the importance of considering multiple trade-offs in optimizing reproductive traits.