Exam 14: Reproductive Behavior

The findings that male field crickets increase the refractory period rather than produce smaller spermatophores between successive matings, that the costs of spermatophore production reduce the life span in male stalk-eyed flies, and that sperm counts decrease in successive ejaculates in male deer mice suggest that

Cryptic female choice refers to a female's

Who was the first to suggest that spectacular structures, such as the enormous claw of the male fiddler crab, could arise and be maintained through the process of sexual selection?

Willis and Dill (2007) observed Dall's porpoises (Phocoenoides dalli) to determine whether or not mate guarding occurs in this species. To do so, they compared the behavior of 18 male-female pairs with that of 24 male-male interacting pairs and found that

The ability to provide sufficient sperm, to provide resources such as nuptial gifts, to hold a high quality territory, to provide high quality parental care, or to provide good genes are all examples of

Several studies have suggested that some species seem to base their selection of a mate on the makeup of the other individual's major histocompatibility complex (MHC). It appears that a female, for example, will seek an MHC makeup in a potential mate that

The term sexual conflict refers to

Linn and colleagues (2007) allowed members of male-female dyads of orb-weaving spiders to mate for either: (1) two natural copulations, (2) 2 hours, or (3) 48 hours (the natural mating period following the female's molt). 93% of group 1 females, 90% of group 2 females, and 28% of group 3 females mated with a second male when provided an opportunity to do so. The female's group membership did not influence the number of sperm found in the female's spermathecae. These results support

Takahashi and Kohda (2004) found that female gobies (Rhinogobius brunneus) preferentially choose to mate with males that perform their courtship dance in the fastest water currents. This seems to be related to the fact that males who are unable to court in fast moving water are

Zahavi's handicap principle suggests that females

Petrie (1994) paired each of several peacocks with four peahens, chosen randomly, in a laboratory. The peacocks varied in terms of the number of eye-spots on their trains. All the offspring were raised under common conditions. When the offspring were 84 days old, the offspring of the males with more elaborate trains weighed more than the offspring of those with less elaborate trains. This difference in offspring viability cannot be due to differences in the quality of the females because the

Schütz and Taborsky (2005) directly observed and conducted experiments with cichlid fish (Lamprologus callipterus), a species in which the males are 12 times the size of females. Territorial males guard nests of empty snail shells. Schütz and Taborsky tested four hypotheses concerning sexual size dimorphism (SSD): 1) SSD results from intrasexual selection; 2) SSD results from intersexual selection; 3) SSD results from an ecological constraint on male body size; and 4) SSD results from an ecological constraint on female body size. They found strong support for

An increase in the probability of fertilization, an increase in the genetic diversity of offspring, and/or an increase in the accumulation of material benefits, such as nutritional nuptial gifts, are all potential benefits that have been proposed for a

Which of the following does NOT accurately represent a portion of the argument in support of differences in gamete production being the basis for different male and female mating strategies?

Sato and Goshima (2007) studied mate preferences of female stone crabs (Hapalogaster dentata) in aquaria and found that the females use chemical cues rather than visual cues to make their choice between two males. The results indicated that females

Bright coloration, symmetrical body structures or markings, or the elaborateness of a structural display, such as a bower, are indicators that a female might use to judge a male's genetic quality because they

Hamilton and Zuk (1982) were the first to propose that the elaborate ornaments of males represent reliable signals of health and nutritional status. They tested this by surveying the literature on avian parasites and determining the risk of infection for each bird species. Specifically, they predicted that in species with a low risk of parasite infection,

Komdeur and colleagues (2007) examined the effectiveness of mate guarding in reducing extra-pair fertilizations in the Seychelle's warbler (Acrocephalus sechellensis). They did so by inducing an experimental group of males to stop guarding their females. The results indicated that

Male bluegill sunfish (Lepomis macrochirus) may be either a parental male or a cuckholder. Cuckholders, in turn, may be either sneakers or female mimics. Each of these three forms represents an alternative reproductive strategy. The three strategies are

Inducing a female to eject the sperm of another male is a type of