2m- Reproductive behaviours and mating systems in animals Flashcards
What are mating systems based on?
How many mates an individual has during one breeding season
What are the four mating systems?
- polygamy
- polygyny
- polyandry
- monogamy
What is monogamy?
The mating of a pair of animals to the exclusion of all others
What is polygamy?
Individuals of one sex have more than one mate
What is polygyny?
One male mates exclusively with a group of females
What is polyandry?
One female mates with a number of males in the same breeding season
What can successful courtship behaviour in birds and fish be a result of?
Species-specific stimuli and fixed action pattern responses
What does sexual selection select for?
Characteristics that have little survival benefit for the individual, but increase their chances of mating
What do most species exhibit as a product of sexual selection?
Sexual dimorphism
What is usually different between males and females of the same species?
Females are generally inconspicuous, whereas males have more conspicuous markings, structures and behaviours
What does female choice involve?
Females assessing honest signals of the fitness of males
What can honest signals indicate?
Favourable alleles that increase the chance of survival of offspring (fitness) or a low parasite burden suggesting a healthy individual
Reversed sexual dimorphism can occur in some species, what is this?
Where females are the more conspicuous of the two sexes
What occurs in lekking species?
Males gather at a lek, where female choice occurs
Some bird species exhibit lekking behaviour, what does this involve?
Dominant males occupy the centre of the lek, with subordinates and juveniles at the fringes as “satellite” males. During the display, female choice occurs
