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Author: Kirby Kempe
The wide variety of mating systems and display behaviors in the animal kingdom today represents species’ adaptation and co-adaptation to their environments. Mating behavior is determined both by ecological conditions and by differences in parental care and family organization. Mating behavior can be classified as monogamous or mating multiply, though there are multiple subsets of each broad classification. For example, in a polygynous species, one form of mating multiply, one male can mate with multiple females, whereas in a polyandrous species, one female mates with multiple males ( [link] ). Whenever individuals of one sex can mate with multiple individuals of the other sex, it follows from sex ratio arguments that some to many individuals of the multiple mating sex will not get to mate at all. Species that mate multiply, as opposed to monogamous species, are far more common in the animal kingdom and life-pairs are extremely rare. In fact, the most common system is one in which no bond is formed whatsoever and there is no care by either parent, known as promiscuity. However, even among only multiply-mating species, mating behavior varies widely. Natural selection has worked to favor elaborate courtship rituals and complex mating displays that underline the process of sexual selection , giving rise to species that spend much of their time and energy attracting a mate. Perhaps the most puzzling of these displays, known as a lek, is the large aggregation of displaying males that females interact with solely for the purpose of procreation (Kokko 1996).
Monogamy : Research suggests monogamy occurs when there is no potential for polygamy or for taking advantage of limited polygamy potential. It is estimated that over 90% of avian species are monogamous, but monogamy is very rare among mammals (Emlen et al. 1977). It is hypothesized that monogamy is advantageous when male territories are small and equal and the cost of mating is high, so polygynous females are at a disadvantage, and where male assistance is necessary to raise offspring so the male rears more successful offspring more by assisting one female than by mating multiply (Clutton-Brock 1989).
Polygyny : Polygyny occurs in situations where behavioral and/or environmental conditions cause females to clump together, where males either monopolize them directly or by hoarding resources and mate with the same group multiple times (Emlen et al. 1977, Clutton-Brock 1989). Polygyny is seen in many marsupials, carnivores, and rodents (Clutton-Brock 1989). Polygyny is most common when male home ranges overlap with those of several females as opposed to monogamous ranges overlapping with that of only one female (Clutton-Brock 1989).
Polyandry : Females can monopolize males if resources are congregated and able to monopolize or by defending and directly controlling males (Emlen et al. 1977).
While these are the main systemic classifications, some species alternate between variations of these while some mate in different arrangements altogether.
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