Monogamy is related to equivalent
Monogamy and Parental Investment
- Monogamy arises when male and female parental investments are equal.
- Natural selection favors genes for cooperative parenting when a single parent cannot adequately raise offspring.
Monogamy in Birds and Mammals
- Over 90% of bird species exhibit monogamy, needing both parents for offspring care (Cézilly & Zayan, 2000).
- In mammals, monogamous behavior is found in carnivores and some rodents, where the male aids in crucial roles like protecting young and providing food.
Social vs. Sexual Monogamy
- Social monogamy (pairing for child-rearing) does not always imply sexual fidelity. Studies show a percentage of offspring in such pairings are from neighboring males (Birkhead & Moller, 1992).
- For superb fairy wrens, up to 75% of young may not be sired by the nesting male (Mulder, 1994).
- Females may seek copulation with genetically superior males to enhance offspring viability (Zeh & Zeh, 2001).
- Males benefit from driving away rivals and mating with neighboring females; those with traits promoting these behaviors are more likely to pass their genes on.