Mating - Mating behavior - Common Type of mating systems

Mating is a kind behavior that is adapted for the exchange of gametes. It breaks down the physical avoidance of one animal for another. The aggressiveness of the male is sublimated by the female answering his aggressive behavior by submissiveness.

The mating behavior may be summarized as: Synchronization, where two animals come together and physiologically ready to reproduce and Courtship, whereby the two animal’s breakdown one another’s tendency for physical avoidance, copulation, whereby sex cells, usually sperms are transferred.

The mating systems have been observed in various species as follows:

Monogamy- In this system, each breeding adult mates with only one member of the opposite sex, 90% of the birds are monogamous. Many birds establish a territory during the breeding season. Both male and female ensure the food supply for the young ones. The formation of long term pair bonds is advantageous because less time is spent in finding a mate during each reproductive cycle. In long- lived birds, such as sea-gulls, those breeding with former mates have higher reproductive success because of less aggression between mates and greater synchronization of sexual behaviors. About 4% of mammalian species show monogamy, e.g. white bonded gibbon.

Polygamy- It is the most common type of mating system. In this the male has access to more than one female. In polygamy, males defend areas containing the feeding or nesting sites critical for reproduction. The female’s choice of a mate is influenced by the quality of the male and of his territory. Territories that vary sufficiently in quality may attain the polygamy threshold’, the point at which a female may join an already mated male possessing a good territory than an unmated male with a poor territory. Thus, some males may get two or more mates while others get none. Some males monopolize females and excluded other males from their harems.

Polyandry- In this system female’s control access to more than one male. In most cases females provide parental care while males seek new mates. If breeding success is low due to high rate of predation of the young’s or eggs, females produce many offspring’s. A few cases of polyandry have been documented where the males do all incubating and female lay multiple clutches. In the reversal of polygamy, the females specialize only in egg production.