Male mate guarding in a socially monogamous mammal, the round-eared sengi: on costs and trade-offs

2009 ◽  
Vol 64 (2) ◽  
pp. 257-264 ◽  
Author(s):  
Melanie Schubert ◽  
Carsten Schradin ◽  
Heiko G. Rödel ◽  
Neville Pillay ◽  
David O. Ribble
Keyword(s):  
Mate Guarding ◽  
Trade Offs ◽  
Socially Monogamous ◽  
Male Mate

scholarly journals Extrapair Fertilization in the Black-Browed Reed Warbler (Acrocephalus Bistrigiceps): Effects on Mating Status and Nesting Cycle of Cuckolded and Cuckolder Males

The Auk ◽  
2005 ◽  
Vol 122 (4) ◽  
pp. 1086-1096
Author(s):  
Shoji Hamao ◽  
Daichi S. Saito
Keyword(s):  
Incubation Period ◽  
Mate Guarding ◽  
Reed Warbler ◽  
Fertile Period ◽  
Mating Status ◽  
Trade Offs ◽  
Socially Monogamous ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Extrapair Copulation

Abstract We studied the relationship between the occurrence of extrapair fertilizations (EPFs) and mating status and nesting cycle of mates, respectively, in a population of Black-browed Reed Warblers (Acrocephalus bistrigiceps). Overall, 6.4% (9 of 140) of the chicks were sired by extrapair males, and 13.5% (5 of 37) of the broods contained at least one extrapair chick. Socially polygynous males were cuckolded more frequently than socially monogamous males (40.0% and 3.7%, respectively). In three of four cases where cuckolded males were polygynous, the fertile periods of their mates overlapped. Except for two floating males that obtained EPFs, five out of seven cuckolder males were paired. Males succeeded in EPFs when the fertile period of the extrapair females largely overlapped the incubation period of their own mates. These findings are consistent with the hypothesis that there are trade-offs between extrapair copulation activity and both mate guarding and rearing of nestlings. Fertilisation Extraconjugale chez Acrocephalus bistrigiceps: Effets des Mâles Infidèles et Cocus sur le Statut de Couple et le Cycle de Nidification

scholarly journals Genetic Parentage and Mate Guarding in the Arctic-Breeding Western Sandpiper

The Auk ◽  
2002 ◽  
Vol 119 (1) ◽  
pp. 228-233 ◽  
Author(s):  
Donald Blomqvist ◽  
Bart Kempenaers ◽  
Richard B. Lanctot ◽  
Brett K. Sandercock
Keyword(s):  
Paternal Care ◽  
Mate Guarding ◽  
The Arctic ◽  
Calidris Mauri ◽  
Extrapair Paternity ◽  
Western Sandpiper ◽  
Socially Monogamous ◽  
Divorce Rates ◽  
Western Sandpipers ◽  
Male Mate

Abstract Extrapair copulations and fertilizations are common among birds, especially in passerines. So far, however, few studies have examined genetic mating systems in socially monogamous shorebirds. Here, we examine parentage in the Western Sandpiper (Calidris mauri). Given that Western Sandpipers nest at high densities on the Arctic tundra, have separate nesting and feeding areas, and show high divorce rates between years, we expected extrapair paternity to be more common in this species compared to other monogamous shorebirds. However, DNA fingerprinting of 98 chicks from 40 families revealed that only 8% of broods contained young sired by extrapair males, and that 5% of all chicks were extrapair. All chicks were the genetic offspring of their social mothers. We found that males followed females more often than the reverse. Also, cuckolded males were separated from their mates for longer than those that did not lose paternity. Although these results suggest a role for male mate guarding, we propose that high potential costs in terms of reduced paternal care likely constrain female Western Sandpipers from seeking extrapair copulations.

Effects of breeding density and plumage coloration on mate guarding and cuckoldry in blue grosbeaks (Passerina caerulea)

2005 ◽  
Vol 83 (9) ◽  
pp. 1143-1148 ◽  
Author(s):  
Laura K Estep ◽  
Herman Mays, Jr. ◽  
Amber J Keyser ◽  
Barbara Ballentine ◽  
Geoffrey E Hill
Keyword(s):  
Mate Guarding ◽  
Pair Bond ◽  
Plumage Coloration ◽  
Breeding Density ◽  
Guarding Behavior ◽  
Socially Monogamous ◽  
Context Dependent ◽  
Male Mate ◽  
Time And Energy

For species in which females mate outside of the pair bond, selection should favor male mate-guarding behaviors that minimize investment in genetically unrelated offspring. Mate guarding may impose costs by diverting time and energy from activities such as foraging and seeking extra-pair copulations, so males should adjust their mate-guarding behavior according to the risk of cuckoldry. In this study, we investigated cuckoldry and mate guarding in the blue grosbeak (Passerina caerulea L., 1758), a socially monogamous, territorial songbird. Fifty-three percent of nestlings were extra-pair, and 70% of nests had at least one extra-pair fertilization. Males with dull plumage coloration were more likely to be cuckolded than males with more brightly colored plumage, but duller males did not guard their mates more. Instead, males appeared to adjust mate-guarding behavior according to the attractiveness of neighbors. Males with more brightly colored neighbors guarded their mates more intensely than males with fewer colorful neighbors. These observations suggest that in the blue grosbeak, mate guarding is a context-dependent strategy that is adjusted according to the density and ornamentation of neighboring males.

MULTI-MALE MATING BY PAIRED AND UNPAIRED FEMALE PRAIRIE VOLES (MICROTUS OCHROGASTER)

Behaviour ◽  
2002 ◽  
Vol 139 (9) ◽  
pp. 1147-1160 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stephen Mech ◽  
Aimee Dunlap ◽  
Karen Hodges ◽  
Jerry Wolff
Keyword(s):  
Social Preference ◽  
Post Partum ◽  
Mate Guarding ◽  
Microtus Ochrogaster ◽  
Male Mating ◽  
Prairie Voles ◽  
Multiple Partners ◽  
New Novel ◽  
Socially Monogamous ◽  
Male Mate

AbstractPromiscuous mating is common in female rodents; however what role the female plays in this choice of mates is not clear. Also, whether MMM occurs in the reportedly socially monogamous prairie vole, Microtus ochrogaster, and what role mate-guarding plays in deterring MMM is not known. We conducted two experiments to determine if female prairie voles that were not mate-guarded would copulate with multiple males during a given oestrous period. In experiment 1 using females that were unpaired, we allowed females to choose among three males that were tethered and unable to interact with one another, thus eliminating male-male competition and mate guarding. MMM occurred in 55% of 47 trials. Females mated most often with males with whom they spent the most time, thus social preference was a good predictor of sexual preference. The tendency to mate with multiple males increased over time, thus the length of time a male mate guards can affect paternity. In experiment 2 with females that had been paired with a male and were in post-partum oestrus, 5 of 12 (42%) females mated with more than one male and 3 of 12 (25%) females deserted their paired mate and paired with a new novel male. Thus multi-male mating was similar for paired and unpaired females. Our results suggest that female prairie voles that are not mate-guarded will mate with multiple partners.

scholarly journals Genetic monogamy despite frequent extrapair copulations in “strictly monogamous” wild jackdaws

2019 ◽  
Vol 31 (1) ◽  
pp. 247-260
Author(s):  
Lisa F Gill ◽  
Jaap van Schaik ◽  
Auguste M P von Bayern ◽  
Manfred L Gahr
Keyword(s):  
Sexual Behavior ◽  
Mate Guarding ◽  
Parentage Analysis ◽  
Spatiotemporal Pattern ◽  
Data Sets ◽  
Genetic Monogamy ◽  
Pair Bonds ◽  
The Social ◽  
Male Mate ◽  
Copulation Behavior

Abstract “Monogamy” refers to different components of pair exclusiveness: the social pair, sexual partners, and the genetic outcome of sexual encounters. Avian monogamy is usually defined socially or genetically, whereas quantifications of sexual behavior remain scarce. Jackdaws (Corvus monedula) are considered a rare example of strict monogamy in songbirds, with lifelong pair bonds and little genetic evidence for extrapair (EP) offspring. Yet jackdaw copulations, although accompanied by loud copulation calls, are rarely observed because they occur visually concealed inside nest cavities. Using full-day nest-box video surveillance and on-bird acoustic bio-logging, we directly observed jackdaw sexual behavior and compared it to the corresponding genetic outcome obtained via molecular parentage analysis. In the video-observed nests, we found genetic monogamy but frequently detected forced EP sexual behavior, accompanied by characteristic male copulation calls. We, thus, challenge the long-held notion of strict jackdaw monogamy at the sexual level. Our data suggest that male mate guarding and frequent intrapair copulations during the female fertile phase, as well as the forced nature of the copulations, could explain the absence of EP offspring. Because EP copulation behavior appeared to be costly for both sexes, we suggest that immediate fitness benefits are an unlikely explanation for its prevalence. Instead, sexual conflict and dominance effects could interact to shape the spatiotemporal pattern of EP sexual behavior in this species. Our results call for larger-scale investigations of jackdaw sexual behavior and parentage and highlight the importance of combining social, sexual, and genetic data sets for a more complete understanding of mating systems.

Sex Difference on the Importance of Veiling: A Cross-Cultural Investigation

2020 ◽  
Vol 54 (5) ◽  
pp. 486-501 ◽  
Author(s):  
Farid Pazhoohi ◽  
Alan Kingstone
Keyword(s):  
Paternal Care ◽  
Child Survival ◽  
Social Institutions ◽  
Mate Guarding ◽  
Cultural Practice ◽  
Cross Cultural ◽  
Paternal Investment ◽  
Retention Strategies ◽  
Mate Retention ◽  
Male Mate

Veiling is an ancient cultural practice endorsed by religion, social institutions, and laws. Recently, there have been adaptive arguments to explain its function and existence. Specifically, it is argued that veiling women is a form of male mate guarding strategy, which aims to increase sexual fidelity by decreasing overt displays of his mate’s physical attractiveness, thereby helping to secure his reproductive success. Furthermore, it is suggested that such mate retention strategies (veiling) should be more important when child survival is more precarious, as cues to sexual fidelity support higher paternal investment. Using publicly available data from the PEW Research Center encompassing 26,282 individuals from 25 countries, we tested the hypotheses that men should be more supportive of women’s veiling and this support should be more important in harsher environments, particularly those with poor health and high mortality rates, where paternal care is presumably more important. Our results show that men were more supportive of veiling than women, and this support increased as the environments became harsher. Overall, these findings support the male mate retention argument as well as the idea that the practice of veiling is sensitive to environmental differences.

Population density affects male mate choosiness and morphology in the mate-guarding amphipodGammarus roeselii(Crustacea: Amphipoda)

2019 ◽  
Vol 126 (4) ◽  
pp. 899-911 ◽  
Author(s):  
Konrad Lipkowski ◽  
Martin Plath ◽  
Sebastian Klaus ◽  
Carolin Sommer-Trembo
Keyword(s):  
Population Density ◽  
Mate Guarding ◽  
Male Mate

scholarly journals Exaggerated estrous swellings and male mate choice in primates: testing the reliable indicator hypothesis in the Amboseli baboons.

2014 ◽  
Author(s):  
Courtney L Fitzpatrick ◽  
Jeanne Altmann ◽  
Susan C Alberts
Keyword(s):  
Mate Choice ◽  
Mate Guarding ◽  
Female Mate Choice ◽  
Primate Species ◽  
Reliable Indicator ◽  
Male Mate Choice ◽  
Papio Cynocephalus ◽  
Cycle Number ◽  
Fitness Measures ◽  
Male Mate

The paradigm of competitive males vying to influence female mate choice has been repeatedly upheld, but, increasingly, studies also report competitive females and choosy males. One female trait that is commonly proposed to influence male mate choice is the exaggerated estrous swelling displayed by females of many Old World primate species. The reliable indicator hypothesis posits that females use the exaggerated swellings to compete for access to mates by advertising variation in female fitness. We tested the two main predictions of this hypothesis in a wild population of baboons (Papio cynocephalus). First, we examined the effect of swelling size on the probability of mate-guarding ('consortship') by the highest-ranking male and the behavior of those males that trailed consorshipts ('follower males'). Second, we asked whether a female's swelling size predicted several fitness measures. We found that high-ranking males do not prefer females with larger swellings (when controlling for cycle number and conception) and that females with larger swellings did not have higher reproductive success. In doing so, we have tested and rejected the reliable indicator hypothesis for the function of exaggerated swellings in cercopithecine primates. Furthermore, we found unambiguous evidence that males biased their mating decisions in favor of females who had experienced more sexual cycles since their most recent pregnancy. Thus, rather than tracking the potential differences in fitness between females, male baboons appear to track and target the potential for a given reproductive opportunity to result in fertilization.

Duetting correlates with territory quality and reproductive success in a suboscine bird with low extra-pair paternity

The Auk ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 136 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Pedro Diniz ◽  
Regina H Macedo ◽  
Michael S Webster
Keyword(s):  
Reproductive Success ◽  
Cooperative Behavior ◽  
Mate Guarding ◽  
Territory Quality ◽  
Territory Defense ◽  
Extra Pair Paternity ◽  
Female Song ◽  
Fitness Consequences ◽  
Socially Monogamous ◽  
Low Rate

AbstractDuetting has been intensively studied, but we still have little consensus about its fitness consequences. Some studies suggest that duetting functions in acoustic mate guarding to prevent cuckoldry (acoustic paternity guarding hypothesis), whereas other studies argue that duetting is a cooperative behavior to defend common resources (territory defense hypothesis). We tested these 2 hypotheses by investigating the relationships among song traits, extra-pair paternity, territory quality and reproductive success in the Rufous Hornero (Furnarius rufus), a Neotropical, socially monogamous bird. We found a low rate of extra-pair paternity (3.33% of 120 offspring and 6.52% of 46 broods), which suggests that acoustic paternity guarding is probably not a primary function of duetting behavior in this species. Female song output was positively correlated with territory quality, measured as the availability of territory foraging patches. The number of young that survived post-fledging was positively correlated with duet duration, but not with territory features. Our results support the territory defense hypothesis, suggesting that female song in duets might be used in the defense of food resources within territories. Our study provides the first evidence that song traits correlate with both territory features and reproductive success in a duetting species.

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