ANIMAL ATTRACTION
The weird and wonderful techniques some species use to charm potential partners
WORDS SCOTT DUTFIELD
© Getty
DID YOU KNOW?
A male peacock’s tail doesn’t reach its peak size until around six years old
What makes a potential partner attractive? For humans, the art of seduction can be a complex combination of biology and psychology, but for animals, luring future mates is often a lot more straightforward. The world’s animals have evolved, in part, based on a principle called sexual selection, which was outlined by the father of evolution, Charles Darwin. He described how animals compete for the attention of the opposite sex through several means, including their appearance, songs and displays of affection.
Those with traits that best suit the needs of a potential partner are selected to mate with, and subsequently those traits are passed down to the next generation. These attributes typically indicate an animal’s ability to survive, such as the strength to dominate other males, find food or grow beautiful feathers, which means their offspring will likely share their abilities. For the majority of the animal kingdom, the female members of wild society are the ‘choosers’ when it comes to finding a mate. But there are, of course, some exceptions to the rule. For example, among spotted hyenas (Crocuta crocuta), it’s the comparatively larger females that compete for the attention of smaller males.
Did you know?
Some mantises eat their partner’s head after mating
To help females choose who their next mate will be, males employ a myriad of behavioural strategies to showcase the physical characteristics that make them most appealing. Whether it’s the vibrancy of their plumage or the size of their body, the appearance of a male plays an important role in seducing a female partner. One way this occurs is through what’s known as ornamentation. Physical traits, such as horns and tusks or elongated tail feathers, are used as a visual cue as to who’s the best potential partner. Females then compare males and choose the better mate. Generally, scientists have found that the bigger and more elaborate the ornament – such as a rhinoceros beetle’s (Oryctes nasicornis) horn – the more successful that male is in finding a compatible female to mate with. Some animals have even evolved to conceal physical traits, saving the viewing just for those who know what to look for. For example, some species of chameleons and jumping spiders catch the eye of females with
body parts and patterns on their bodies that reflect ultraviolet light, signalling to the female that they’re ready to mate.