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MUTUAL MATE CHOICE AND SEX DIFFERENCES IN CHOOSINESS
Rufus A Johnstone1, John D Reynolds2, James C Deutsch1
1Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge, CB2 3EJ, United Kingdom.
Summary
The sex providing less parental care often faces higher costs and benefits in mate choice, leading to greater choosiness. This study models mutual mate choice, revealing costs of choice significantly impact choosiness more than quality variation.
Area of Science:
- Evolutionary biology
- Behavioral ecology
- Sexual selection
Background:
- Sexual competition is linked to parental care, as the sex with less care has higher reproductive potential.
- Sex differences in mate choice (choosiness) are complex, influenced by costs and benefits related to parental investment and mate quality variation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop an evolutionary stable strategy (ESS) model of mutual mate choice.
- To incorporate sex-specific life history traits affecting the costs and benefits of mate choice.
- To analyze how these factors influence sex differences in choosiness and competition.
Main Methods:
- Developed an ESS model for mutual mate choice.
- Incorporated differences in life history traits influencing costs and benefits of mate choice.
- Illustrated model predictions with data from species exhibiting diverse parental care strategies.
Main Results:
- Sex differences in the costs of mate choice generally have a stronger impact on choosiness than differences in mate quality variation.
- The less competitive sex is typically more choosy.
- When parental care levels are similar between sexes, quality variation can increase choosiness and competition within the same sex.
Conclusions:
- The costs associated with mate choice play a critical role in determining sex differences in choosiness.
- Understanding the interplay between parental care, costs of choice, and quality variation is essential for predicting sexual competition dynamics.
- The model provides a framework for explaining variation in choosiness across species with different mating systems.
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