Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 5, 2026

Rearing and Long-Term Maintenance of Eristalis tenax Hoverflies for Research Studies
Published on: May 19, 2018
Mating frequency in male chickens: long-term selection
1Department of Poultry Science, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, Virginia, USA.
Abstract:
Twenty-three generations of bidirectional selection in male chickens (Gallus domesticus) for number of completed matings resulted in widely diverse mating behavior in the high and low lines. Selection caused a steady increase in cumulative number of completed matings (CNCMs) of the high line with a realized heritability of 0.18±0.02. In contrast, selection for decreased CNCMs caused many males to pass a threshold below which they would not mate naturally. Changes in male mating behavior were not accompanied by changes in mating behavior of females.
Related Concept Videos
Mate Choice
Frequency-dependent Selection
Natural Selection and Mating Preferences
Females, due to their biological roles in conception, pregnancy, and nursing,...
Types of Selection
Hardy-Weinberg Principle
Background and Environment Affect Phenotype
An example of how genetic background affects phenotype can be seen in horses. The Extension gene in horses is responsible for their coat color. A wild-type gene (EE) produces black pigment in the coat, while a mutant gene (ee) produces red pigment. A...

