Peafowl tails, colrs attract predators; why "bother"?
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finches247
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Red
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I don't entirely agree with the logic behind that article.
As if a peahen thinks to itself "That peacock is at a big disadvantage with that huge tail. It must have extremely good genes to compensate for that disadvantage"
It is more likely that peahens are genetically wired to like big tails. If a peahen wasn't, she would not select the peacock with the biggest tail. This would put her male offspring at a disadvantage as they would be less likely to have big tails and find it hard to find a mate in a peahen population where big tails are desirable.
In other words, genes for not liking big tails are at a disadvantage. The peahens that selected a big tailed peacock are more likely to produce a big tailed son. A big tailed son has a better chance of spreading his mothers genes (polygamous species), which would result in more peahens sharing a mother's preference for big tailed mates.
As if a peahen thinks to itself "That peacock is at a big disadvantage with that huge tail. It must have extremely good genes to compensate for that disadvantage"
It is more likely that peahens are genetically wired to like big tails. If a peahen wasn't, she would not select the peacock with the biggest tail. This would put her male offspring at a disadvantage as they would be less likely to have big tails and find it hard to find a mate in a peahen population where big tails are desirable.
In other words, genes for not liking big tails are at a disadvantage. The peahens that selected a big tailed peacock are more likely to produce a big tailed son. A big tailed son has a better chance of spreading his mothers genes (polygamous species), which would result in more peahens sharing a mother's preference for big tailed mates.
Last edited by Red on 21 Oct 2012, 09:35, edited 1 time in total.
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findi
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Hello,
Sorry if my use of quotes (...females "should" prefer) was not clear; the "as if" analogy did not come into play. Indeed, genes govern their behavior, and genes and the behaviors/pressures driving their evolution occur, and change, over time.
Best regards, Frank
Sorry if my use of quotes (...females "should" prefer) was not clear; the "as if" analogy did not come into play. Indeed, genes govern their behavior, and genes and the behaviors/pressures driving their evolution occur, and change, over time.
Best regards, Frank
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Red
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Hi Frank,
No it's a good article.
There are just two competing theories on the topic. Darwin supported the idea in your article and I think E.O. Wilson came up with the one I explained quite a few years later.
Darwin really struggled with sexual selection. I think he once said that the sight of a peacock made him sick because it contradicted natural selection.
Cheers
Red
No it's a good article.
There are just two competing theories on the topic. Darwin supported the idea in your article and I think E.O. Wilson came up with the one I explained quite a few years later.
Darwin really struggled with sexual selection. I think he once said that the sight of a peacock made him sick because it contradicted natural selection.
Cheers
Red
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findi
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Much appreciated,
Long ago, I read an article drawing analogies to reckless or dangerous behaviors in people. Author (now defunct Natural History Magazine, put out by Am Museum Natural History) traced the history in several cultures of using alcohol tolerance as a gauge of masculinity/strength and how the progression to alcoholism changed some, but not all, opinions; interesting. In my book, you can't go wrong reading E. O. Wilson, heard him speak a few times, one of a kind. Best Frank
Long ago, I read an article drawing analogies to reckless or dangerous behaviors in people. Author (now defunct Natural History Magazine, put out by Am Museum Natural History) traced the history in several cultures of using alcohol tolerance as a gauge of masculinity/strength and how the progression to alcoholism changed some, but not all, opinions; interesting. In my book, you can't go wrong reading E. O. Wilson, heard him speak a few times, one of a kind. Best Frank