Classification Using Courtship Behaviour Worksheet Flashcards
What is courtship?
Courtship in animals is the behaviour by which different species select their partners for reproduction. Usually, the male starts the courtship, and the female chooses to either mate or reject the male based on his “performance”.
What will all members of the same species do?
They have exactly the same courtship behaviour, while members of different species show different behaviour.
Why is courtship behaviour important?
Used to identify individuals as members of the same species or different species.
What 5 reasons does courtship behaviour allow animals to do?
Recognise members of their own species. Attract mate of opposite sex. Identify mate capable of breeding. Synchronise production of egg and sperm. Form a bond to help raise offspring.
For reproduction to occur, what do the 2 partners need to be?
Sexually mature, fertile and receptive to mating.
Many females produce eggs at specific times a year.
Give an example of courtship behaviour which has been studied extensively.
3-spined stickleback by Niko Tinbergen.
EXAMPLE.
Stickleback.
During breeding season males develop red bellies and build a nest in territory - defend from other males.
Female attracted by red belly.
Male preforms zigzag dance and female follows him into nest.
Female enters nest and make prods base of her taile which stimulates her to lay eggs in nest.
Male then drives female from the nest, enters himself and releases sperm to fertilise eggs.
What is external fertilisation?
is a male organism’s sperm fertilizing a female organism’s egg outside of the female’s body.
EXAMPLE.
During the experiment what did Tinbergen find out?
The female will follow almost anything small and red to the nest and any object which prods the base of her tail will cause her to release her eggs.
EXAMPLE.
How do firefiles produce flashes of light?
Using a special chemical reaction catalysed by enzyme luciferase.
EXAMPLE.
How do firefiles mate?
At night.
Males produce unique pattern of light flashes combined with unique flight path.
Females will only mate with males showing correct pattern of flashes and lights.
Making sure mating only takes place between same species.
EXAMPLE.
How is the flashing and flight patterns in males significant?
As they’re genetically-determined.
