Animal Behaviors for Reproduction

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Reproductive Success Noun

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[ree-pro-duk-tiv suk-ses]

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Reproductive Success

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The measure of an organism's ability to produce offspring that survive to reproduce, thereby passing on their genes.

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Example: This lioness with her many cubs is an example of high reproductive success, meaning she has produced many offspring to carry on her genes.

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Pheromone Noun

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[fer-uh-mohn]

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Pheromone

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A chemical signal released by an animal that influences the behavior of other individuals of the same species.

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Example: Ants follow an invisible chemical trail, called a pheromone, left by other ants to find food or return to the nest.

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Courtship Noun

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[kort-ship]

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Courtship

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A set of ritualized behaviors in which an animal attempts to attract a mate and exhibit its fitness.

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Example: Two male deer lock antlers in a contest to prove their strength, a courtship behavior used to win the right to mate with females.

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Intersexual Selection Noun

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[in-ter-sek-shoo-ul si-lek-shun]

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Intersexual Selection

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A form of natural selection where one sex chooses mates based on specific, often elaborate, traits in the other.

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Example: The male peacock displays its large, colorful tail feathers to attract the female peahen, who chooses her mate based on this impressive trait.

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Intrasexual Selection Noun

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[in-tra-sek-shoo-ul si-lek-shun]

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Intrasexual Selection

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A form of natural selection involving direct competition among members of the same sex for access to mates.

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Example: Two male deer (stags) fight using their antlers to compete for the chance to mate with females, which is a form of intrasexual selection.

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Territoriality Noun

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[ter-i-tor-ee-al-i-tee]

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Territoriality

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The behavior of defending a physical space against other individuals, typically for resources like food, nests, or mates.

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Example: Two male deer fight to defend their territory, which is an area they control for resources like food or mates.

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Mating System Noun

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[mey-ting sis-tuhm]

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Mating System

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The general pattern of mate relationships and reproductive pairings within a species, such as monogamy or polygyny.

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Example: This image shows a lion pride, an example of a mating system where one male lives and mates with a group of females.

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Monogamy Noun

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[muh-nog-uh-mee]

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Monogamy

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A mating system in which one male and one female form an exclusive pair bond for a breeding season.

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Example: This image shows a pair of wolves, an animal species known for being monogamous, meaning they typically have only one mate at a time.

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Polygyny Noun

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[puh-lij-uh-nee]

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Polygyny

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A mating system in which one male mates with multiple females during a single breeding season.

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Example: This image shows a single male lion with two female lions, a classic example of polygyny, which is a mating system where one male mates with multiple females.

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Lek Noun

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[lek]

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Lek

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A communal display area where males of a species gather to perform courtship rituals for visiting females.

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Example: A lek is a special area where male animals, like this prairie chicken, perform elaborate displays to attract a female mate.