Facultative sex should allow normally asexual lineages to gain from the advantages of sex – so what happens if you allow asexual lineages to mate?
In our new preprint (led by Becky Boulton) we used the sexually polymorphic aphid parasitoid wasp Lysiphlebus fabarum to test this and found that mothers produce a mixed brood of sexually and asexually produced offspring, and the sexually produced offspring appear to suffer reduced fecundity.
This suggests facultative sex actually results in costs that may help to explain why facultative sex is rare in nature.
Thanks to all involved! <3
Photo credit: Bart Zijlstra