You discover a rare new bird species, but you are unable to observe its mating behaviour. You see that the male is large and ornamental compared with the female. On this basis, you can probably conclude that the species is
A)polygamous.
B)monogamous.
C)polyandrous.
D)promiscuous.
E)agonistic.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The fact that the male is large and ornamental compared to the female suggests that the male is competing for the attention of multiple females. This is a common trait in polygamous species, where males try to mate with as many females as possible to increase their chances of passing on their genes. In contrast, monogamous species usually have less drastic differences in appearance between males and females, since there is no need for males to compete for multiple mates. Polyandrous species have the reverse pattern, with females competing for male attention, while promiscuous species have high levels of multiple mating but no specific patterns of sexual selection. Agonistic species have high levels of aggression and competition but not necessarily in a sexual context.

You Discover a Rare New Bird Species, but You Are