Sexual selection and its evolutionary consequences in female animals

Area of Science:

• Evolutionary Biology
• Behavioral Ecology
• Zoology

Background:

• Sexual selection requires reproductive success variation due to differential mate access or fertilization.
• Male sexual selection is well-studied, but female sexual selection is a recent, debated area.
• Existing definitions of sexual selection are debated for applicability to females, particularly regarding resource competition.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review and synthesize evidence for sexual selection acting on females.
• To address the controversy surrounding the definition and mechanisms of female sexual selection.
• To determine if existing sexual selection frameworks adequately explain female reproductive strategies.

Main Methods:

• Literature synthesis and review of existing studies on sexual selection in females.
• Analysis of evidence for female intrasexual competition for mates.
• Examination of female intersexual signaling and postcopulatory mechanisms (e.g., egg competition).

Main Results:

• Substantial evidence demonstrates female intrasexual competition for mates and intersexual signaling.
• Postcopulatory sexual selection mechanisms, including egg competition and cryptic female choice, are evident.
• Female sexual selection operates analogously to male sexual selection, though trait elaboration may have lower ceilings.

Conclusions:

• Sexual selection demonstrably acts on females in ways similar to males.
• The existing definition of sexual selection is parsimonious and useful for understanding female reproductive strategies.
• Future research is expected to further validate the utility of current sexual selection theory for both sexes.