In the wild, male house finches (Carpodus mexicanus) vary considerably in the amount of red pigmentation in their head and throat feathers, with colors ranging from pale yellow to bright red. These colors come from carotenoid pigments that are found in the birds' diets; no vertebrates are known to synthesize carotenoid pigments. Thus, the brighter red the male's feathers are, the more successful he has been at acquiring the red carotenoid pigment by his food-gathering efforts (all other factors being equal).
-Which of the following terms are appropriately applied to the situation described in the previous question?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The situation described involves sexual selection, which is the process by which individuals with certain characteristics are more likely to mate and pass on those characteristics to their offspring. This can involve both intersexual selection, where individuals of one sex choose mates based on certain characteristics, and intrasexual selection, where individuals of one sex compete with each other for access to mates. In this case, the variation in red pigmentation in male house finches is likely the result of both intersexual selection (females choosing males with brighter red feathers) and intrasexual selection (males competing with each other for access to females). Therefore, all three terms - sexual selection, mate choice, and intersexual selection - are appropriate to describe this situation.

In the Wild, Male House Finches (Carpodus Mexicanus) Vary Considerably