Courtship and Female Choice Essay (6)

What do animals use courtship rituals to do?

Animals use courtship rituals to attract a mate.

What can courtship behaviour be a result of?

Courtship behaviour can be a result of species specific sign stimuli and fixed action pattern responses.

What does sexual selection increase?

Sexual selection increases chance of mating.

What is sexual dimorphism a product of?

Sexual dimorphism is a product of sexual selection.

What are the differences between males and females in sexually dimorphic species?

In sexually dimorphic species, females are generally inconspicuous while males usually have more conspicuous markings, structures, or behaviours. In some species there is reversed sexual dimorphism, this is when…. For example,

What does female choice involve?

Female choice involves females assessing honest signals.

What do honest signals indicate?

Honest signals indicate:

• Alleles that increase male fitness and the chances of survival of offspring

• A low parasite burden, suggesting a healthy individual

What do males do in lekking species?

In lekking species, males gather to display at a lek where female choice occurs. For example,

What is the structure of a lek?

In a lek, dominant males occupy the centre of the lek and subordinates and juveniles occupy the fringes of the lek as satellite males.