Indirect evidence of an early mating advantage in wild cooperatively breeding male banded mongooses.

Graham Birch, Michael A Cant, Hazel J Nichols, Magali Meniri, Robert Businge, Francis Mwanguhya, Jonathan D Blount

Abstract read

In one paragraph

Article in Scientific reports, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it

0cells of the map it votes in

0citing papers in PubMed

–field-weighted citation impact

1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors.

Graham BirchCentre for Ecology and Conservation, Faculty of Environment, Science & Economy, University of Exeter, Penryn Campus, Cornwall, TR10 9FE, UK. gb357u@gmail.com.

Michael A CantCentre for Ecology and Conservation, Faculty of Environment, Science & Economy, University of Exeter, Penryn Campus, Cornwall, TR10 9FE, UK.

Hazel J NicholsDepartment of Biosciences, Swansea University, Singleton Campus, Swansea, SA2 8PP, UK.

Magali MeniriCentre for Ecology and Conservation, Faculty of Environment, Science & Economy, University of Exeter, Penryn Campus, Cornwall, TR10 9FE, UK.

Robert BusingeBanded Mongoose Research Project, Queen Elizabeth National Park, Kasese, Uganda.

Francis MwanguhyaBanded Mongoose Research Project, Queen Elizabeth National Park, Kasese, Uganda.

Jonathan D BlountCentre for Ecology and Conservation, Faculty of Environment, Science & Economy, University of Exeter, Penryn Campus, Cornwall, TR10 9FE, UK. j.d.blount@exeter.ac.uk.

Funding

European Research Council 309249Natural Environment Research Council NE/E015441/1Natural Environment Research Council NE/N011171Natural Environment Research Council NE/S007504/1

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Promiscuous females reduce male reproductive control. Males can attempt to monopolise access to these females, but distractions and sneaky rivals mean extra copulations cannot always be blocked. By mating first, males can obtain a headstart in sperm competition, but this may be negated by sperm storage and cryptic female choice mechanisms. We carry out an indirect rare test of an early mating advantage in a population of free-living wild animals. Using Bayesian GLMM analysis of a long-term life history database spanning 17 years, we show that banded mongoose males who interacted with females in earlier days of oestrus had a higher chance of siring their offspring compared with later rivals. An early mating advantage would intensify initial male-male competition and hence selection for male choice, as any initial mistake identifying preferred mating partners could see paternity lost to rivals.

Indexed as

HerpestidaeSexual Behavior, AnimalAnimalsBayes TheoremBreedingFemaleMaleMating Preference, AnimalReproductionCooperative breederCopulatory plugMate competitionPaternityPolyandrySperm competitionSperm precedence

Identifiers

PMID39789011

DOI10.1038/s41598-024-80518-8

PMCPMC11718076

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY

Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.