Brainscape's Knowledge GenomeTM

Browse over 1 million classes created by top students, professors, publishers, and experts.


See full index

Neuroethology > Evolution of reproduction > Flashcards

Evolution of reproduction Flashcards

Unit 3

1
Q

What are the general courtship sex roles

A

Males court, females choose

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

What is the advantage of “showing off” to courting males

A

Convey information about mate quality (advertising)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

What supports the hypothesis that male courtship conveys info about mate quality

A

Females choose their mate

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

What question comes up when considering courtship with the bower birds

A

Are males that build superior bowers actually superior mates?

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

What is found about males who build better bowers

A

Fewer parasites
More disease resistance genes - less able to be infected by lice
Bigger brain size

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

How did they find out that better bowers have bigger brains

A

Skull comparison of bower vs non bower building species

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

How do females choose which bowing bird they want to court

A

Females spend weeks viewing bowers and courtship displays before setting on a mate, whom she will likely never see again after copulation

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

How many mates to female bowers usually choose in one round of courtship

A

1

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

Describe the distribution of male courting success in bowing birds

A

Unevenly distributed

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

What is the biological basis for why females are more selective of mates than males

A

Few eggs are produced (high energy investment, take up substantial % of females mass)
Millions- billions of sperm produced, less massive than egg
Eggs are limiting which sets up competition between sperm

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

What is the biological basis for why males want to have more mates

A

More mates = more eggs fertilized = more genes passed on = more fitness

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

What is the male strategy for optimizing fitness

A

Distinguish between new and familiar partners

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

How do male anolis lizards optimize fitness

A

Exhibit more courtship toward strangers than known companions

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

What is the female strategy for optimizing fitness

A

Make sure fertilized eggs survive and thrive

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

Describe the male frogs parental investment

A

Carries tadpoles on back

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

Describe the male katydid’s parental investment

A

Gives female edible spermatophore with nutrients for eggs and herself

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
17
Q

Describe the female ducks parental investment

A

Carries babies on back, protecting them from predators

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
18
Q

Describe the female wasps parental investment

A

Drags paralyzed cicada on back to the nest to feed young

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
19
Q

What are the two ways parental investment is good for females

A

Offspring extremely likely to carry her genes
Little incentive to mate again, greater ratio of receptive males:receptive females

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
20
Q

What are the three ways parental investment is bad for males

A

Paternity uncertain
Fertilize as many eggs as possible
Greater competition the more females are mated

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
21
Q

Why and how are sperm optimized

A

Optimized for good fertilization ability: fast, numerous small

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
22
Q

Why and how are eggs optimized

A

Large, immobile, nutrient rich

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
23
Q

What strategy does the optimization of sperm fall under

A

Number of offspring strategy

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
24
Q

What strategy does the optimization of eggs fall under

A

Parental investment strategy

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
25
Q

What are the three sex role differences in mating

A

Differences in:
Gamete size
Other forms of parental investment
Resources donated directly to mates

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
26
Q

What is the mating path normally followed by males

A

Lower parental investment and donations ->
High levels of sexual activity ->
Biased operational sex ratio ->
Competition for mates ->
More mates, higher the individuals fitness

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
27
Q

What is the mating path normally followed by females

A

Higher parental investment and/or donations ->
Low levels of sexual activity ->
Biased operational sex ratio ->
Selection among mates ->
Better mate’s quality, the higher the individuals fitness

28
Q

What is an example of sex role reversal

A

Males get food and present to female of their choosing prior to mating, based on wing and leg decorations. Females compete for males and food gifts

29
Q

What is a nupital gift

A

A gift given by male insects during courtship, which is not related to gametes. Usually can include proteins, ureic acid, etc

30
Q

Describe nupital gifts in katydids

A

Males may reject mounting of 3.2 gram female in favor of stronger 3.5 gra females which will net them about 50% more eggs fertilized

31
Q

Why are male katydids picky about which female they mount

A

They can only produce one nupital gift in their lifetime

32
Q

What happens if conditions cause operational sex ratio to change within a single breeding season

A

Competition/sex roles can change in accordance

33
Q

Describe the sex roles of pipe fish

A

Males choose mates and become pregnant

34
Q

What happens if male pipe fish are impregnated by an unfavorable mate

A

Males abort embryos of ugly mothers

35
Q

What is Darwin’s definition of sexual selection

A

The advantage which certain individuals have over others of the same sex and species, in exclusive relation to reproduction

36
Q

What does sexual selection account for

A

Costly courtship rituals and elaborate morphology (time, energy, developmental trade offs visible to enemies)

37
Q

What is sexual selection different from

A

Slightly different from regular natural selection, which emphasized enhancing survival

38
Q

What are the two traits female dung beetles must choose between

A

Horns or eyes

39
Q

What is the benefits of a dung beetle having horns

A

Win more fights

40
Q

What is the benefit of a dung beetle having eyes

A

Sneak up and inseminate a female with more sperm

41
Q

What are dung beetles an example of

A

Body parts trade off

42
Q

What are the three ways in which male competition leads to sexual selection

A

Dismantle bowers
Defense
Outright fighting

43
Q

Dismantle bowers

A

Reduce competitors’ mating prospects

44
Q

2 aspects of defense

A

Watching and guarding one’s territory
Loss of territory = loss of mating opportunities

45
Q

2 aspects of outright fighting (with 3 subaspects)

A

Body size is selected
Body weapons are selected
- Speed
- Horns, antlers, tusks
- Clubbed tails or spiny legs

46
Q

Why is defense important

A

Fighting allows males to defend territory. Loss of territory = loss of opportunity to mate

47
Q

Why is fighting important

A

Winners tend to mate more often so traits that enhance winning are sexually selected

48
Q

What trait is sexually selected for in geckos

A

Speed

49
Q

How is dominance hierarchy established

A

Battle for a short time early on

50
Q

What happens to the alpha male in a dominance hierarchy

A

Reproduces more
Fights less: uses threatening displays to discourage would-be battles

51
Q

Describe the dominance hierarchy in Savanna baboons

A

Subordinate males challenge alpha
Males get bitten and infected > females

52
Q

What is the key alpha mating feature in dominance hierarchies

A

Mate when female is in estrous, and guard her from other males during her fertile period

53
Q

What are the two reasons why the dominance mating advantage may be limited

A

Subordinates show willingness/ability to care for female’s offspring, so she seeks him out next time
Subordinates form male-male friendships and gang up on the alpha, force him to surrender the female he has been guarding (alternative tactics. compensation)

54
Q

How does number of females relate to dominance rank

A

Number of females mated with lowers as dominance rank lowers

55
Q

When do conditional mating strategies evolve

A

When circumstances are such that individual variation leads to differential success

56
Q

What does evolution favor

A

Flexibility

57
Q

How is flexibility related to conditional mating strategies

A

When social or physiological constraints become apparent, an individual can select a behavioral tactic that gives them the best chance for success

58
Q

What are conditional mating strategies

A

The same animals can adopt multiple different strategies over its lifespan depending on the conditions, socially or environmentally

59
Q

What do conditional mating strategies lead to

A

Evening the playing field for disadvantaged members

60
Q

What animal displays conditional mating strategies

A

Male horseshoe crabs

61
Q

How do male horseshoe crabs mate

A

Male grabs onto females (attached) or are solo, satellite males that crowd around paired couples hoping to mate with the female after the attached male releases her

62
Q

What experiment was conducted with male horseshoe crabs

A

Wrap claws in plastic, put males at sea. Make note of the condition of the male, health of the eyes, shell, etc/ Poor condition males more likely to be satellite maters - have higher success than poor condition males that try to attach to females and fail

63
Q

What is an alternate mating strategy example

A

Faster sperm transfer in small male iguanas

64
Q

How does faster sperm transfer work in small male iguanas

A

Small males pre-ejaculate so that when they mount a female, on the fly, old sperm can be immediately transferred before a larger male pulls him off

65
Q

What are the 3 mating strategies for the Panorpa Scorpionfly

A
  1. Secrete saliva on a lead, wait for female to come by and eat it
  2. Defend a dead insect as a food gift for a female
  3. Grab female and force to mate

Neuroethology (16 decks)

Brainscape helps you reach your goals faster, through stronger study habits.
© 2024 Bold Learning Solutions. Terms and Conditions