Do female pigeons trade pair copulations for protection?
Article Abstract:
Intense mate guarding by males and frequent copulation protect female pigeons against sexual harassment from other male pigeons. In an investigation of the benefits to females of mate guarding and frequent copulation, it was found that females solicited most copulations and those that initiated couplings more frequently enjoyed closer guarding by their partner. When guarding male partners were experimentally removed, the unguarded females suffered from unwanted attention from extrapair males, thus reducing their foraging efficiency.
Publication Name: Animal Behaviour
Subject: Zoology and wildlife conservation
ISSN: 0003-3472
Year: 1998
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Depletion determines sperm number in male zebra finches
Article Abstract:
A study was conducted to determine whether male zebra finches, Taeniopygia guttata, can control the volume of their ejaculates and the effect of ejaculate size on the rate of fertilization. The number of spermatozoa from the same males ejaculated during different copulations were compared. The experiments showed decreasing volume of ejaculates in later copulations. The results suggest that ejaculate size was determined by sperm depletion and explained why high sperm competition lowered the rate of fertilization.
Publication Name: Animal Behaviour
Subject: Zoology and wildlife conservation
ISSN: 0003-3472
Year: 1995
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Sex roles and sexual selection
Article Abstract:
Mechanisms of sexual selection and their role in different sexes at precopulation, postcopulation and postfertilization stages are investigated. Results showed that not all individuals of one sex adopt the same sexual selection strategy. Alternative strategies within the sexes are due to the different ways of achieving the same success or to external and internal factors that prevent an individual from following the best strategy.
Publication Name: Animal Behaviour
Subject: Zoology and wildlife conservation
ISSN: 0003-3472
Year: 1998
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