Courtship Flashcards
1
Q
What is courtship in animals?
A
- behaviour and/or signals that are designed to attract another animal for mating and breeding
2
Q
What are the different forms of courtship?
A
- simple strategies
- complex strategies
3
Q
What are some examples of simple courtship strategies?
A
- chemical stimuli (pheromones)
- visual stimuli (brightly coloured body parts)
- auditory stimuli
4
Q
What is the main characteristic of more elaborate forms of courtship?
A
- they are unique to each species
5
Q
What characteristics in males do females usually favour?
A
- larger
- have more elaborate physical features
- display more energy in courtship activity than other males
6
Q
How does courtship maximise reproduction?
A
- ensures that males and females find suitable mates
- sexual behaviour is timed so that the male and female are ready for mating at the same time
- energy expenditure is usually by the male so that the female can conserve her energy for breeding
- these factors increase the likelihood of strongly healthy offspring being produced
