We recently reported a positive association between female promiscuity and genetic diversity across passerine birds, and launched the hypothesis that female promiscuity acts as a balancing selection, pressure maintaining genetic diversity in populations (Gohli et al.2013). Spurgin (2013) questions both our analyses and interpretations. While we agree that the hypothesis needs more comprehensive empirical testing, we find his specific points of criticism unjustified. In a more general perspective, we call for a more explicit recognition of female mating preferences as mechanisms of selection in population genetics theory.
Keywords: Balancing selection; MHC; comparative analysis; compatible genes; extrapair paternity; pathogen-mediated selection.
© 2013 The Author(s). Evolution © 2013 The Society for the Study of Evolution.