The journal “Science” (2 september 2005 vol 309 no 5740 pgs 1441-1632) published a letter that made the case that females who are more aggressive in rejecting males and “fighting off” 3-4 potential partners before finally accepting one have more offspring.
Granted, this was a study on a species of water spider. But read on:
“Recent work on S. malitiosa, where virgin females were exposed to males, shows that the most aggressive females, which rejected and attacked three or four males consecutively until finally accepting one, hatching a higher number of spiderlings than “docile” females, which succumed to thier first partner.
“Are the females showing uncontrollable aggressiveness or instead estimating their partners’ condition? The benefits of boldness in hunting and defending territories could be of use in mate selection, with well-nourished females being more choosy, selecting males that can probably transmit the “good-persuader” condition to progeny.”
I can draw all sorts of parallels to humanity. What do you all think?
Filed under: men | Tagged: humanity, mating, nature imitates humanity, progeny, water spiders
Oh I should also mention that the females in this species often cannibalize the males they don’t accept.