In most animal populations, mating tends to be polygamous. This is to say that females mate with a number of different males. However, it has been observed that there are some animal populations where females mate with certain males (Alcock, 2013). These females essentially identify social partners with whom they mate exclusively. This form of mating has its benefits and its disadvantages. In this essay, a cost benefit analysis of the monogamous mating is conducted and a comparison of this mating to polyandrous mating is also offered.
There are a number of benefits that the exclusive form of mating presents. One of the benefits is that the exclusive mating allows the male to fertilize the female egg. Among the bluegill fish population, it has been noted that the sperm travels faster when the male is young (Alcock, 2013). This means that the chances of fertilization are boosted when the male is young. This contrasts to the situation in polyandrous mating. It has been observed that when a female mates with very many males over a short period of time, the males may not have sufficient time to fertilize the eggs (Alcock, 2013). The other benefit of exclusive mating is that it allows the female to identify males that it finds favorable. It is understood that females tend to be biased against males of lower ranks. The exclusive mating enables the females to reproduce with their preferred social partner. The freedom that the female enjoys in exclusive mating is not found in polyandrous mating. Here, the female is essentially at the mercy of the males. This could leave her exposed to males that it does not desire.
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The exclusive social partnerships that the females enter into come with some cost. The cost is mostly borne by the male. The exclusive social partnership denies the male the opportunity to copulate with other females (Alcock, 2013). It is important to note that the female also shares in this cost as she is unable to find another mate. The situation in polyandrous relationships is different as both the males and the females are free to copulate as they please. Overall, it appears that the benefits of the social mating partnerships outweigh the costs. These partnerships provide insights that can be used to gain deeper understanding into human mating patterns. It can be argued that as is the case in the social partnerships, exclusive and monogamous mating among humans allow females to focus all their energies on their preferred maters. The mating patterns among females in social partnerships also offer insights into the forces that define the mating patterns and decisions among humans. In conclusion, the mating patterns among females in animal populations are rather interesting. There is need for mankind to continue studying these patterns so as to better understand animal and human reproduction.
Reference
Alcock, J. (2013). Animal Behavior. An Evolutionary Approach. Sunderland, MA: Sinauer Associates, Inc. Publishers.
