Sexual size dimorphism in fallow deer (Dama dama): do larger, heavier males gain greater mating success?

2001 ◽  
Vol 49 (4) ◽  
pp. 266-272 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alan G. McElligott ◽  
Martin P. Gammell ◽  
Hilda C. Harty ◽  
Dean R. Paini ◽  
Desmond T. Murphy ◽  
...  
2007 ◽  
Vol 73 (6) ◽  
pp. 987-997 ◽  
Author(s):  
M.A. Serrano-Meneses ◽  
A. Córdoba-Aguilar ◽  
V. Méndez ◽  
S.J. Layen ◽  
T. Székely

2017 ◽  
Vol 13 (11) ◽  
pp. 20170565 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dómhnall J. Jennings ◽  
Richard J. Boys ◽  
Martin P. Gammell

Antlers function as primary weapons during fights for many species of ungulate. We examined the association between antler damage and (i) contest dynamics: the behavioural tactics used during fighting including fight duration, and (ii) mating success, fighting rate and dominance. Structural damage of the antlers was associated with contest dynamics: damage was negatively associated with jump clash attacks by individuals with damaged antlers, whereas opponents were more likely to physically displace individuals with damaged antlers during fighting. We found a positive association between dominance and damage indicating that high-ranking individuals were likely to have breaks to their antlers. We found no evidence that damage was associated with either mating success or the number of fights individuals engaged in. Our study provides a new perspective on understanding the association between contest dynamics and weapon structure, while also showing that damage has limited fitness consequences for individuals.


2002 ◽  
Vol 80 (9) ◽  
pp. 1584-1587 ◽  
Author(s):  
Albrecht I Schulte-Hostedde ◽  
John S Millar

Male-biased sexual size dimorphism in mammals is usually attributed to the success of large males in intrasexual combat for mates. However, mating success may be determined by contests that are not combative. In the mating chase of the yellow-pine chipmunk (Tamias amoenus), a mammalian species with female-biased sexual size dimorphism, fast males may have an advantage in acquiring matings with estrous females. However, the effects of intraspecific variation in body size on running speed are not obvious; heavy individuals may run more slowly than light individuals because excess mass can be a hindrance to locomotion, but individuals that are structurally large may run faster than small individuals because of longer stride length. We examined the effects of both body mass and structural size on running speed in male yellow-pine chipmunks using manipulated runs in which male chipmunks were chased over a known distance. Structurally large male chipmunks had faster running speeds than small males, potentially giving large males an advantage when chasing estrous females. However, small male chipmunks are known to be aggressively dominant over large males. This leads to a potential trade-off in male body size between two behavioural components of mating success (running speed and dominance) that may constrain the evolution of male body size, ultimately leading to female-biased sexual size dimorphism.


1984 ◽  
Vol 104 (4_Supplb) ◽  
pp. S6-S7
Author(s):  
B. EIBEN ◽  
K. FISCHER ◽  
H. SCHMIDT-GAYK

2008 ◽  
Vol 29 (2) ◽  
pp. 149-160 ◽  
Author(s):  
Otavio Augusto Vuolo Marques ◽  
Ronaldo Fernandes ◽  
Roberta Richard Pinto

Abstract The morphometry and diet of two sympatric species of Chironius (C. flavolineatus and C. quadricarinatus) from Brazilian Cerrado are described. The two snake species differ in external morphology, as Chironius flavolineatus was the largest species (body, tail and eyes) whereas C. quadricarinatus the heaviest. Each species also showed marked sexual size dimorphism. In terms of dietary ecology, both species feed exclusively on frogs with a heavy preference for hylids and may have tendency to eat small items, as noticed in other colubrine species. These two snake species showed a brownish colour pattern and exhibited no ontogenetic variation, suggesting that juveniles and adults use similar substrates. Chironius flavolineatus and C. quadricarinatus present a semi-arboreal habit, with active foraging behaviour, feeding in the ground most of time. Chironius flavolineatus uses higher vegetation for resting and, based on morphological results, seems to be more arboreal than C. quadricarinatus.


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