Soulsbury, Carl D. (2010) Ovulation mode modifies paternity monopolization in mammals. Biology Letters, 6 (1). pp. 39-41. ISSN 1744-957X

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Abstract

There are two forms of ovulation: spontaneous and induced. As copulation triggers ovulation for induced ovulators, males can predict the timing of ovulation and may have greater paternity monopolization than spontaneous ovulators. However, this prediction has never, to my knowledge, been tested. Using a cross-species comparison I examined the percentage of offspring sired within a litter (single paternity) and in social species the percentage of offspring sired by the dominant male (alpha paternity). My results indicate that ovulation mode alters the ability of males to monopolize paternity, with males of induced ovulators having higher single paternity and greater alpha paternity where male–female association is intermittent.

Item Type:	Article
Additional Information:	There are two forms of ovulation: spontaneous and induced. As copulation triggers ovulation for induced ovulators, males can predict the timing of ovulation and may have greater paternity monopolization than spontaneous ovulators. However, this prediction has never, to my knowledge, been tested. Using a cross-species comparison I examined the percentage of offspring sired within a litter (single paternity) and in social species the percentage of offspring sired by the dominant male (alpha paternity). My results indicate that ovulation mode alters the ability of males to monopolize paternity, with males of induced ovulators having higher single paternity and greater alpha paternity where male–female association is intermittent.
Keywords:	ovulation, paternity, mammals
Subjects:	C Biological Sciences > C120 Behavioural Biology
Divisions:	College of Sciences > Faculty of Science > School of Life Sciences
Depositing User:	Carl Soulsbury
Date Deposited:	08 Oct 2012 21:59
Last Modified:	13 Mar 2013 09:16
URI:	http://eprints.lincoln.ac.uk/id/eprint/6476

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