Mating Strategies, Courtship and Sexual Selection Flashcards
What does monogamy mean
Animals which mate with only one individual. Parental care is shared
What does polyandry mean
One female that mates with many males
What does polygyny
One male mates with numerous females who will only mates with that one male. Shared parental care amongst females
What does polygamy mean
Animals that mate with numerous individuals and do not mate for life. Shared parental care in large groups
What does promiscuity mean
Both males and females mate with many mates, no permanent bond is made. Male and female can take on parental care
What does k strategist mean
Produce much fewer young, require high level of care and investment
Long gestation period and life spans
Slow growth rate
Higher likelihood of survival into adulthood
What is an r strategist
Produce many offspring, low survival rate
Short gestation and lifespans
Fast growth rates
Low level of parental care/investment, lower liklihood of survival into adulthood
What is courtship behaviour
Behaviour exhibited by animals in order to attract a mate, demonstrate the desire to copulation and reproduce
Examples:
-competition for mates means that animals must demonstrate their biological fitness
What is sexual dimorphism
It’s the difference in appearance between males and females of same species, such as in colour, shape, size, and structure. Eg male peacocks have colourful feathers and females are just brown
What is sexual selection
An organisms ability to successfully compete for a mate or the ability to choose a mate. This allows certain members of the population to reproduce more than others, therefore passing on their traits more than others
