DNA Fingerprinting Shows Within-Season Multiple Paternity in the Adder (Vipera berus)

DNA Fingerprinting Shows Within-Season Multiple Paternity in the Adder (Vipera berus)

Female adders (Vipera berus) have been observed to copulate several times per season with different males. Observations of matings may not truly reflect paternity because prolonged contractions of the female uterus may function as a "copulatory plug." We performed breeding experiments with...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Copeia Vol. 1995; no. 2; pp. 271 - 277
Main Authors: Höggren, Mats, Tegelström, Håkan, Hoggren, Mats, Tegelstrom, Hakan
Format: Journal Article
Language:English
Published: American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists 03-05-1995
Subjects:
Blood
DNA
DNA fingerprinting
DNA probes
Female animals
Male animals
Mating behavior
Reproduction
SPERM
Spermatozoa
Uterus
Sweden
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Summary:Female adders (Vipera berus) have been observed to copulate several times per season with different males. Observations of matings may not truly reflect paternity because prolonged contractions of the female uterus may function as a "copulatory plug." We performed breeding experiments with adders and used DNA fingerprinting to determine paternity and possible between-season sperm storage. Multiple paternity was detected in all broods investigated, and associated males were the genetical fathers in all cases but one. We conclude that, although there may be a copulatory plug, it does not prevent multiple paternity following multiple matings within a short period of time.
Bibliography:ObjectType-Article-2
SourceType-Scholarly Journals-1
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ISSN:0045-8511
1938-5110
DOI:10.2307/1446890