Fruits of KnowledgeSarah Rajala and Moira Bixby

The big question:

Why do females sleep around?As a rule, loose females have more and healthier children. The reasons for this vary enormously, however, from species to species.

Neglected Househusband in Tamil NaduQuestion:In the case of this bronze-winged jacana, what were the main arguments for female promiscuity?

Neglected Househusband in Tamil Nadu

(1)more promiscuity = more children (2)more children = more male help

Waxing Suspicious in the Himalayas

Question: Why are the female honeyguides most interested in the honeyguides that own prime real estate?

Brood Parasites!

resource-based non-harem polygynyIn birds, polygyny occurs when males indirectly monopolize females by controlling resources. In species where males normally do not contribute much to parental care, females suffer relatively little or not at all.[54] In other species, however, females suffer through the loss of male contribution, and the cost of having to share resources that the male controls, such as nest sites or food. In some cases, a polygynous male may control a high-quality territory so for the female, the benefits of polygyny may outweigh the costs.[55]

Waxing Suspicious in the Himalayas

-Trading food for sex-Depleting the source of food/semen in a virgin male and moving on to next supply

Outraged in Baja

Question: With shiner perch, females chase males and not the reverse. Will this lead to the promiscuous female characteristic becoming more common within a population?

Outraged in Baja

The exact answer is not known. If the promiscuity is genetic, then yes, the behavior will become more common within a population.

BUT, we don’t know how much of promiscuity is in fact genetic.

Feeling Inadequate in Malaysia

Question: The stalk-eyed flies’ concerns have to do with the Fisher’s runaway process. What is this?

Feeling Inadequate in Malaysia

Fisher’s runaway process is a mode in with sex appeal can evolve within a population. Males with “attractive” characteristics and females attracted to these characteristics become more common in a population.

This trend continues until the disadvantage of an attractive characteristic outweighs its advantage (ex: large, “sexy” tail).

Stranded in Panama

Question: Why is the harlequin-beetle-riding pseudoscorpion riding off to new places? (i.e. not mating with the males in proximity?)

How is this relatable to humans?

Stranded in Panama

not mating with genetically similar mates--Major Histocompatibility Complex (MHC)

Mind Boggling and Eyes Popping in the Ivory Coast

QuestionIn answering the question about chimpanzees, Dr. Tatiana says that one option is the obfuscation theory . What is this and how does it lead to female promiscuity?

Mind Boggling and Eyes Popping in the Ivory Coast

By mating with multiple males, the female creates confusion over the paternity of her child. If there is a chance of paternity, the male chimpanzee will refrain from killing the offspring.

This advantage is an incentive

for female promiscuity.

The Dandy on the Cowpat

Question: How are sperm chosen?

The Dandy on the Cowpat

By the female OR by the egg itself--condensed clumping