Mating and Parental Care: Test-Check Questions Flashcards
How would you describe the mating success of males who participate in leks?
not all participants are successful and small amount show success
Risk is taken since benefits outweigh the costs (males have opportunity to be noticed and could benefit from hotshot hypothesis)
Which parent is expected to provide the majority of parental care in monogamy? Polygyny? Polyandry? Promiscuity?
Monogamy: males and females both provide parental care
Polygyny: females provide parental care
Polyandry: males provide parental care
Promiscuity: either male or female provides parental care
What are the current theories of the evolutionary origin for polygyny?
Hypotheses for polygyny: sexy son hypothesis (likely to inherit father’s polygynous genes), deception(unaware of other partners/mates), and unmated males are hard to find
What are some advantages and disadvantages for males who hold harems?
Advantages: availability of multiple mates can greatly increase his offspring and spread of his genes
Disadvantages: mate defense uses lots of energy, females not receptive at all points of the year, compete with other male for harem control
What are the advantages for males and female who participate in leks?
Male advantage: males have opportunity to be noticed from gathering all in one place with population, could benefit from hotshot hypothesis
Female advantage: can compare all mate options in one place
Male and Female advantage: dilution effect (safety in numbers)
Under what mating system would males be expected to produce the most offspring in a lifetime?
Polygyny
How does an animal’s territory size predict the type of mating system they are likely to have?
- larger territory size could provide access to more resources and mates, leading to polygyny, polyandry, promiscuity (maybe even harems)
- less availability in territory could provide less resources and territory, leading to monogamy
Why is infanticidal behavior common in polygyny?
Inducing reproductive status(young care does not allow ovulation, will go into heat if no offspring)
Frees up genetic competition
Resources (does not want to provide for others’ offspring)
How does the paternity certainty and association hypotheses each predict which sex is expected to take care of the offspring in promiscuous species such as fish?
- paternity certanity predicts by whether or not the male is certain about the offspring being his, male often more sure through external fertilization than internal
- association hypothesis predicts by the proximity of parent to eggs/offspring, the closer they are the more likely they will be administering care
What hormones are important to the display of maternal behavior in mammals? Paternal behavior?
Maternal behavior: steroid hormones such as oxytocin, vasopressin, prolactin, etc. (dopamine and serotonin)
Paternal Behavior: prolactin, progesterone, oxytocin, vasopressin, testosterone
What can happen as a result of the energetic requirements necessary for a parent to take care of offspring?
- risk of predation, general lost of opportunities
- infanticide, siblicide, brood parasitism
Describe evolved polygyny in the Pied Flycatcher
Part 1:
Female #1 courted by male, female lays eggs; Male leaves, goes long distance from there; Female #2 courted by male, female lays eggs; Male leaves #2, goes back to #1, etc; Female #2 left behind on own
Show hypotheses of deception, sexy son hypothesis
Part 2:
Males went short distance instead of long distance, Females #1 and #2 in view of each other, still mate with male, Note deception not a part of this model, no longer being deceived
What are the current theories of the evolutionary origin for polyandry?
What are the current theories of the evolutionary origin for monogamy?
What are the current theories of the evolutionary origin for promiscuity?
