BIOL 215 Lecture Notes - Lecture 4: Handicap Principle, Combined Oral Contraceptive Pill, Nuptial Gift
13 Oct 2016
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Document Summary
General criteria for mate choice by females: nuptial gift, dominant/strong male preference, handicapped male hypothesis, parasite-free male hypothesis (proposed by hamilton and zuk) Individuals differ in their susceptibility to diseases such as parasites and pathogens of which can lead to mortality in young. Resistant to disease (immunocompetence) has a heritable component genes" and improves physiological ability. Males with no parasites may have better immunological. Females choosing brightly colored males are providing their offspring with advantageous genes that yield better resistance to diseases. Bird that puffs up its chest and is bright red, it can be used in the handicap hypothesis as well. Its not one or the other, they can slide together and be in both. They are not more subject to parasitism because of these displays. Experimental evidence: pigeons have structural colors (which is physiologically costly). Birds have bird lice and lots of lice means relatively drab looking colors.
