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Sex at sea: alternative mating system in an extremely polygynous mammal
Citation
de Bruyn, PJN and Tosh, CA and Bester, MN and Cameron, EZ and McIntyre, T and Wilkinson, IS, Sex at sea: alternative mating system in an extremely polygynous mammal, Animal Behaviour, 82, (3) pp. 445-451. ISSN 0003-3472 (2011) [Refereed Article]
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Copyright Statement
Copyright © 2011 The definitive version is available at http://www.sciencedirect.com
Official URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/
DOI: doi:10.1016/j.anbehav.2011.06.006
Abstract
Polygyny is a widespread and evolutionarily signicant mating system in vertebrates. The southern
elephant seal, Mirounga leonina, has often been cited as being extremely polygynous, thus providing an
important reference point for studies on mating systems. During the breeding season, these animals
form terrestrial harems in which one dominant male controls tens to hundreds of females. Our current
understanding of polygynous mating systems seems to imply that, unlike males, females are not under
selection pressure to adopt alternative mating strategies, and in the case of the southern elephant seal,
the possibility of mating at sea has not been considered. Furthermore, elephant seal females are thought
to breed annually. Using a 25-year markerecapture data set, we found that elephant seal females skipped
breeding seasons, often returning to pup in the following breeding season. Females did not need to haul
out on land in order to breed in the following season, thus providing evidence for mating at sea by virgin
and multiparous females. Nonpolygynous, opportunistic mating at sea could be an important alternative
mating strategy in a supposedly strictly polygynous species. This has implications for our understanding
of elephant seal ecology, demography and behaviour and of the evolution of vertebrate polygyny in
general. If polygyny does not preclude females from adopting alternative mating strategies, the term
‘polygyny’ may be misleading. Traditional concentration on male strategies has hampered our under-
standing of mating systems, in assuming that females capitulate to these strategies. We suggest similar
misinterpretations could occur in other polygynous species.
Item Details
Item Type: | Refereed Article |
---|---|
Research Division: | Biological Sciences |
Research Group: | Zoology |
Research Field: | Animal developmental and reproductive biology |
Objective Division: | Environmental Management |
Objective Group: | Other environmental management |
Objective Field: | Other environmental management not elsewhere classified |
UTAS Author: | Cameron, EZ (Professor Elissa Cameron) |
ID Code: | 72467 |
Year Published: | 2011 |
Web of Science® Times Cited: | 33 |
Deposited By: | Zoology |
Deposited On: | 2011-08-26 |
Last Modified: | 2017-10-31 |
Downloads: | 0 |
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