19- Sexual Selection and Communication

Question 1

What is sexual selection

Answer 1

Process by which secondary sexual traits become elaborated because they increase the owners ability to gain mates

Question 2

Sexual selection is generated by which two processes

Answer 2

• Intra-sexual competition: competition between members of the same sex over mates
• Inter-sexual choice: choice by members of one sex for particular mating partners of the opposite sex

Question 3

Key forms of intra-sexual competition

Answer 3

• Direct combat

- Sperm competition

Question 4

Key parameters in inter-sexual choice

Answer 4

• Good genes
• Attractive sons
• Sensory exploitation: females choosing males that exploit their innate sensory biases

Question 5

Roaring rate is an honest indicator of fitness because

Answer 5

It is energetically costly

Question 6

What percentage of challenges end in a fight

Answer 6

50%

Question 7

NB signal reliability generated by two routes

Answer 7

• Energetic cost

- Physical constraint

Question 8

Eyespots in peacocks: Petrie, 1994

Answer 8

Likely that only high quality males can afford the cost of growing and displaying a large train

Question 9

What is Fluctuating Asymmetry (FA)

Answer 9

Absolute deviation from perfect symmetry on characteristics that are (on average) symmetrical on the two sides of the body

Question 10

FA reflects what

Answer 10

Individual’s propensity to withstand stress during development and predicts fitness