QInfoMating: Sexual selection and assortative mating estimation

Abstract

AbstractMotivationSexual selection theory is a multifaceted area of evolutionary research that has profound implications across various disciplines, including population genetics, evolutionary ecology, animal behavior, sociology, and psychology. It explores the mechanisms by which certain traits and behaviors evolve due to mate choice and competition within a species. In the context of this theory, the Jeffreys divergence measure plays a key role in quantifying the information obtained when a deviation from random mating occurs for both discrete and continuous data.Despite the critical importance of understanding mating patterns in the context of sexual selection, there is currently no software available that can perform model selection and multimodel inference with mating data. Recognizing this gap, we have developed QInfoMating, a dedicated software program designed to address this specific need. QInfoMating is poised to significantly advance research in the field by providing a comprehensive solution for analyzing and interpreting mating data within the framework of sexual selection theory.ResultsThe program QInfoMating incorporates a user-friendly interface for performing statistical tests, best-fit model selection, and parameter estimation using multimodel inference for both discrete and continuous data.Availability and implementationQInfoMating, its source code and documentation are available athttps://acraaj.webs.uvigo.es/InfoMating/QInfomating.htm.Contactacraaj@uvigo.es