The evolution of sex-specific grandparental harm

Abstract

Recent empirical studies indicate that grandparents favour some categories of grandchildren over others. Here, we expand the previous theoretical foundation for this finding and show that grandchild-harming phenotypes are predicted to evolve by 'sexually antagonistic zygotic drive (SA-zygotic drive) of the sex chromosomes'. We use the logic of Hamilton's rule to develop a new 'no-cost-to-self nepotism rule' that greatly simplifies the determination of the invasion criteria for mutations that cause grandparents to harm grandchildren. We use this theory to generate predictions that distinguish SA-zygotic drive from theory based solely on paternity assurance. The major diagnostic prediction is that grandmothers, and to a lesser degree grandfathers, will evolve grandson-harming phenotypes that reduce the level of sib competition experienced by their more closely related granddaughters, especially in their sons' families. This prediction is supported by data from recent studies showing (i) grandmothers invest more in granddaughters than grandsons, and counterintuitively, (ii) paternal grandmothers reduce the survival of their grandsons. We conclude that SA-zygotic drive is plausibly operating in humans via sexually antagonistic grandparental care. © 2010 The Royal Society.