QInfoMating: Sexual Selection and Assortative Mating Estimation Software

QInfoMating: Sexual Selection and Assortative Mating Estimation Software | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Research Article QInfoMating: Sexual Selection and Assortative Mating Estimation Software A. Carvajal-Rodríguez This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-5498449/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Published Journal Publication published 23 May, 2025 Read the published version in BMC Ecology and Evolution → Version 1 posted 6 You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract Background: Sexual selection theory is a multifaceted area of evolutionary research that has profound implications across various disciplines, including population genetics, evolutionary ecology, animal behavior, sociology, and psychology. It explores the mechanisms by which certain traits and behaviors evolve due to mate choice and competition within a species. In the context of this theory, the Jeffreys divergence measure, also known as population stability index, plays a key role in quantifying the information obtained when a deviation from random mating occurs for both discrete and continuous data. Despite the critical importance of understanding mating patterns in the context of sexual selection, there is currently no software available that can perform model selection and multimodel inference with quantitative mating data to test hypotheses about the dynamics underlying observed mating patterns. Recognizing this gap, I have developed QInfoMating which provides a comprehensive solution for analyzing and interpreting mating data within the framework of sexual selection theory. Results: The program QInfoMating incorporates a user-friendly interface for performing statistical tests, best-fit model selection, and parameter estimation using multimodel inference for both discrete and continuous mating data. A use case is presented with real data of the species Echinolittorina malaccana . Conclusions: The application of information theory, model selection, and parameter estimation using multimodel inference are presented as powerful tools for the analysis of mating data, whether quantitative or categorical. The QInfoMating program is a tool designed to perform this type of analysis. Contact: [email protected] assortative mating sexual selection Jeffreys divergence population stability index Echinolittorina malaccana Full Text Additional Declarations No competing interests reported. Cite Share Download PDF Status: Published Journal Publication published 23 May, 2025 Read the published version in BMC Ecology and Evolution → Version 1 posted Editorial decision: Revision requested 02 May, 2025 Reviews received at journal 24 Apr, 2025 Reviewers agreed at journal 11 Apr, 2025 Reviewers invited by journal 10 Apr, 2025 Submission checks completed at journal 02 Apr, 2025 First submitted to journal 01 Apr, 2025 You are reading this latest preprint version Research Square lets you share your work early, gain feedback from the community, and start making changes to your manuscript prior to peer review in a journal. As a division of Research Square Company, we’re committed to making research communication faster, fairer, and more useful. We do this by developing innovative software and high quality services for the global research community. Our growing team is made up of researchers and industry professionals working together to solve the most critical problems facing scientific publishing. Also discoverable on Platform About Our Team In Review Editorial Policies Advisory Board Help Center Resources Author Services Accessibility API Access RSS feed Manage Cookie Preferences © Research Square 2026 | ISSN 2693-5015 (online) Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information {"props":{"pageProps":{"initialData":{"identity":"rs-5498449","acceptedTermsAndConditions":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"archivedVersions":[],"articleType":"Research Article","associatedPublications":[],"authors":[{"id":441639182,"identity":"aca5d55e-8f69-406a-b3dc-6f29858f3b45","order_by":0,"name":"A. Carvajal-Rodríguez","email":"data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAZAAAAAyAQMAAABI0h/eAAAABlBMVEX///8AAABVwtN+AAAACXBIWXMAAA7EAAAOxAGVKw4bAAAAvElEQVRIiWNgGAWjYNACHhsGBmYStaSRrIXhMAlq+dvPPvzwQ+Z84obj7BcfMFTUEdYicSbdWLKH53bihsM8xQYMZ4ix7gYbgwQPUMvMZp40Cca2A4R1yN9gY/75h+ccVMs/IhxmcIONTZqH50BiPzP7MQnGBiLCzfBMGpu1DE+ycT8zD7NBwjEi/CJ3/Bjzzbc9drJt/McfPvhQQ4TDwICxB0TyGDAkEKkBCH6ACPYHxGsYBaNgFIyCEQUAE7o0sICD/SoAAAAASUVORK5CYII=","orcid":"","institution":"Universidade de Vigo","correspondingAuthor":true,"prefix":"","firstName":"A.","middleName":"","lastName":"Carvajal-Rodríguez","suffix":""}],"badges":[],"createdAt":"2024-11-21 14:08:20","currentVersionCode":1,"declarations":"","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-5498449/v1","doiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-5498449/v1","draftVersion":[],"editorialEvents":[{"content":"https://doi.org/10.1186/s12862-025-02394-8","type":"published","date":"2025-05-23T15:57:17+00:00"}],"editorialNote":"","failedWorkflow":false,"files":[{"id":83459987,"identity":"3c1c1453-5453-4ad1-bfc6-aefe67fab724","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-05-26 16:07:52","extension":"pdf","order_by":1,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"manuscript-pdf","size":449261,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"QIMCarvajalRodriguezv2.1010425.pdf","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-5498449/v1_covered_2bbb1b59-2ad5-4c8c-b35b-0a5039c46282.pdf"}],"financialInterests":"No competing interests reported.","formattedTitle":"QInfoMating: Sexual Selection and Assortative Mating Estimation Software","fulltext":[],"fulltextSource":"","fullText":"","funders":[],"hasAdminPriorityOnWorkflow":false,"hasManuscriptDocX":false,"hasOptedInToPreprint":true,"hasPassedJournalQc":"","hasAnyPriority":false,"hideJournal":false,"highlight":"","institution":"","isAcceptedByJournal":true,"isAuthorSuppliedPdf":true,"isDeskRejected":"","isHiddenFromSearch":false,"isInQc":false,"isInWorkflow":false,"isPdf":true,"isPdfUpToDate":true,"isWithdrawnOrRetracted":false,"journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"bmc-ecology-and-evolution","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"externalIdentity":"evob","sideBox":"Learn more about [BMC Ecology and Evolution](http://bmcevolbiol.biomedcentral.com/)","snPcode":"","submissionUrl":"https://www.editorialmanager.com/evob/default.aspx","title":"BMC Ecology and Evolution","twitterHandle":"BMC_series","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":false,"editorialSystem":"em","reportingPortfolio":"BMC Series","inReviewEnabled":true,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true},"keywords":"assortative mating, sexual selection, Jeffreys divergence, population stability index, Echinolittorina malaccana","lastPublishedDoi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-5498449/v1","lastPublishedDoiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-5498449/v1","license":{"name":"CC BY 4.0","url":"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/"},"manuscriptAbstract":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBackground:\u003c/strong\u003e Sexual selection theory is a multifaceted area of evolutionary research that has profound implications across various disciplines, including population genetics, evolutionary ecology, animal behavior, sociology, and psychology. It explores the mechanisms by which certain traits and behaviors evolve due to mate choice and competition within a species. In the context of this theory, the Jeffreys divergence measure, also known as population stability index, plays a key role in quantifying the information obtained when a deviation from random mating occurs for both discrete and continuous data.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDespite the critical importance of understanding mating patterns in the context of sexual selection, there is currently no software available that can perform model selection and multimodel inference with quantitative mating data to test hypotheses about the dynamics underlying observed mating patterns. Recognizing this gap, I have developed QInfoMating which provides a comprehensive solution for analyzing and interpreting mating data within the framework of sexual selection theory.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eResults:\u003c/strong\u003e The program QInfoMating incorporates a user-friendly interface for performing statistical tests, best-fit model selection, and parameter estimation using multimodel inference for both discrete and continuous mating data. A use case is presented with real data of the species \u003cem\u003eEchinolittorina malaccana\u003c/em\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eConclusions:\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe application of information theory, model selection, and parameter estimation using multimodel inference are presented as powerful tools for the analysis of mating data, whether quantitative or categorical. The QInfoMating program is a tool designed to perform this type of analysis.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eContact:\u003c/strong\u003e [email protected]\u003c/p\u003e","manuscriptTitle":"QInfoMating: Sexual Selection and Assortative Mating Estimation Software","msid":"","msnumber":"","nonDraftVersions":[{"code":1,"date":"2025-04-14 11:24:33","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-5498449/v1","editorialEvents":[{"type":"communityComments","content":0},{"type":"decision","content":"Revision requested","date":"2025-05-02T04:40:18+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"editorInvitedReview","content":"","date":"2025-04-24T19:35:26+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewerAgreed","content":"16088903008801859180337241302978949357","date":"2025-04-11T10:52:16+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewersInvited","content":"","date":"2025-04-11T00:42:01+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"checksComplete","content":"","date":"2025-04-02T11:31:49+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"submitted","content":"BMC Ecology and Evolution","date":"2025-04-01T17:20:34+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""}],"status":"published","journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"bmc-ecology-and-evolution","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"externalIdentity":"evob","sideBox":"Learn more about [BMC Ecology and Evolution](http://bmcevolbiol.biomedcentral.com/)","snPcode":"","submissionUrl":"https://www.editorialmanager.com/evob/default.aspx","title":"BMC Ecology and Evolution","twitterHandle":"BMC_series","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":false,"editorialSystem":"em","reportingPortfolio":"BMC Series","inReviewEnabled":true,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true}}],"origin":"","ownerIdentity":"c6b8544a-b6e8-420c-ba45-e13f776880b6","owner":[],"postedDate":"April 14th, 2025","published":true,"recentEditorialEvents":[],"rejectedJournal":[],"revision":"","amendment":"","status":"published-in-journal","subjectAreas":[],"tags":[],"updatedAt":"2025-05-26T16:00:24+00:00","versionOfRecord":{"articleIdentity":"rs-5498449","link":"https://doi.org/10.1186/s12862-025-02394-8","journal":{"identity":"bmc-ecology-and-evolution","isVorOnly":false,"title":"BMC Ecology and Evolution"},"publishedOn":"2025-05-23 15:57:17","publishedOnDateReadable":"May 23rd, 2025"},"versionCreatedAt":"2025-04-14 11:24:33","video":"","vorDoi":"10.1186/s12862-025-02394-8","vorDoiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1186/s12862-025-02394-8","workflowStages":[]},"version":"v1","identity":"rs-5498449","journalConfig":"researchsquare"},"__N_SSP":true},"page":"/article/[identity]/[[...version]]","query":{"redirect":"/article/rs-5498449","identity":"rs-5498449","version":["v1"]},"buildId":"8U1c8b4HqxoKbykW_rLl7","isFallback":false,"isExperimentalCompile":false,"dynamicIds":[84888],"gssp":true,"scriptLoader":[]}