一妻多夫交配方式的演化機制與結果，是演化生物學中一個重要且有挑戰性的研究主題。對體外受精的蛙類來說，同時性的一妻多夫交配定義為任一產卵事件中，來自兩個以上的雄性精子讓卵受精，包括一次假交配中，一個雌性同時與多個雄性交配，兩性同時釋放精與卵的生殖方式。樹蛙科(Rhacophoridae)卵泡生殖的物種，是同時性一妻多夫交配發生比例最高的蛙類類群，是研究同時性一妻多夫交配方式的的演化機制與結果之最佳生物題材。本研究擬以三年為期，以樹蛙科的白頷樹蛙 (Polypedates braueri)為研究對象，利用野外的行為觀察及實驗，以及以微衛星為分子遺傳標記，分析一妻多夫交配的成蛙及子代的親子關係，探討一妻多夫交配方式在演化適應上的意義。第一年將以分子技術開發白頷樹蛙特有的微衛星基因座，作為日後親子關係分析的分子遺傳標記。第二年將以野外標放、夜間觀察及受精卵分析實驗，比較同時性一妻一夫及一妻多夫交配所產的卵之受精成功率，探討同時性一妻多夫的交配方式，是否能提高雌蛙的卵受精成功率。第三年將以白頷樹蛙特有的微衛星基因座，進行雄蛙及受精卵的親子關係分析，研究同時性一妻多夫的交配是否因多個雄性提供精子，造成同母的子代有多重父子關係的現象，而增加一窩子代內的遺傳多樣性。
Study of the evolutionary causes and consequences of polyandry is an important and challenging subject in evolutionary biology. For anurans with external fertilization, simultaneous polyandry is defined as any egg deposition event where sperm from two or more males fertilize eggs, including the mating that a female mates with multiple males at the same time. Simultaneous polyandry has been observed in 10 species of foam‐nesting frogs in Rhacophoridae, and these foam‐nesters serve as good animal models to study the evolution of polyandry. The objective of this project is to study the adaptive significances of simultaneous polyandry in a foam‐nester, Polypedates braueri by field observation, analyses of the fertilization success in the clutches, and genetic analyses of the relationship between male frogs and fertilized eggs. The aim of the first year project is to develop microsatellite loci as genetic maker in Polypedates braueri. The markers will be applied to analyze parentage between adult frogs and tadpoles in a clutch. In the second year, the fertilization success will be compared between the egg clutches deposited by simultaneous monogamous and polyandrous matings which will help us to find out whether polyandry can increase fertilization success and female fecundity. In the third year, we will reveal if multiple paternity occurs within a clutch naturally deposited by simultaneous polyandrous mating via genetic techniques. The occurrence of multiple paternity may providing an evidence that simultaneous polyandry could increase of the offspring's genetic diversity within a single clutch.
