The best of both worlds: no apparent trade-off between immunity and reproduction in two group-living African mole-rat species

Author:

Wallace K. M. E.1,Hart Daniel W.1ORCID,Venter F.2,van Vuuren A. K. Janse1,Bennett N. C.1ORCID

Affiliation:

1. Department of Zoology and Entomology, University of Pretoria, Private Bag X20, Hatfield 0028, South Africa

2. Department of Biochemistry, Genetics and Microbiology and Forestry and Agricultural Biotechnology Institute (FABI), University of Pretoria, Private Bag X20, Hatfield 0028, South Africa

Abstract

Co-operatively breeding mammals often exhibit a female reproductive skew and suppression of the subordinate non-breeding group members. According to evolutionary theory and the immunity–fertility axis, an inverse relationship between reproductive investment and survival (through immunocompetence) is expected. As such, this study investigated if a trade-off between immunocompetence and reproduction arises in two co-operatively breeding African mole-rat species, namely the Damaraland mole-rat ( Fukomys damarensis ) and common mole-rat ( Cryptomys hottentotus hottentotus ), which possess female reproductive division of labour. This study also attempted to investigate the relationship between the immune and endocrine systems in Damaraland mole-rats. There was no trade-off between reproduction and immunocompetence in co-operatively breeding African mole-rat species, and in the case of the Damaraland mole-rats, breeding females (BFs) possessed increased immunocompetence compared with non-breeding females (NBFs). Furthermore, the increased levels of progesterone possessed by Damaraland mole-rat BFs compared with NBFs appear to be correlated to increased immunocompetence. In comparison, BF and NBF common mole-rats possess similar immunocompetence. The species-specific differences in the immunity–fertility axis may be due to variations in the strengths of reproductive suppression in each species. This article is part of the theme issue ‘Evolutionary ecology of inequality’.

Funder

National Research Foundation

Publisher

The Royal Society

Subject

General Agricultural and Biological Sciences,General Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology

Cited by 3 articles. 订阅此论文施引文献 订阅此论文施引文献,注册后可以免费订阅5篇论文的施引文献,订阅后可以查看论文全部施引文献

1. The best of both worlds: no apparent trade-off between immunity and reproduction in two group-living African mole-rat species;Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences;2023-06-26

2. Toward an evolutionary ecology of (in)equality;Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences;2023-06-26

3. Mechanisms of equality and inequality in mammalian societies;Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences;2023-06-26

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