JOURNAL ARTICLE

The effect of individual state on the strength of mate choice in females and males.

  • Published In: Behavioral Ecology, 2023, v. 34, n. 2. P. 197 1 of 3

  • Database: Academic Search Ultimate 2 of 3

  • Authored By: Dougherty, Liam R 3 of 3

Abstract

This article focuses on how individual state factors influence the strength of mate choice in animals, analyzing data from 108 studies across 78 species. Using a phylogenetically controlled meta-analysis, it finds that female mate choice is significantly stronger when females are large and have a low parasite load, while male mate choice is stronger in attractive males, though the male dataset was limited in size. Other factors such as age, physical condition, mating status, and attractiveness showed no consistent effect on choosiness in either sex. Overall, individual state explains only a small portion of the variation in mate choice strength, and high heterogeneity among studies suggests that additional ecological or methodological factors may influence these patterns.

Additional Information

  • Source:Behavioral Ecology. 2023/03, Vol. 34, Issue 2, p197
  • Document Type:Article
  • Subject Area:Zoology
  • Publication Date:2023
  • ISSN:1045-2249
  • DOI:10.1093/beheco/arac100
  • Accession Number:162734699
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