Mating system

A mating system is the pattern of mating relationships within a species or population, including how partners are acquired and how many mates individuals have.

Sexual selection: Evolutionary change in traits caused by differences in access to mates and fertilization. Differences in mating success help shape the traits and behaviors found in each system.
Intrasexual selection: Sexual selection through competition among members of one sex for access to mates. Direct competition can give a few individuals access to multiple partners.
Monogamy: A mating system in which an individual has one mate at a time, often within a pair bond. It is one possible pattern of partner number and exclusivity.
Bateman's principle: The hypothesis that reproductive success often varies more among males than females because of differences in mating success. It links mating opportunities to sex differences in reproductive competition.
Social monogamy: A social arrangement in which two individuals form a pair, often sharing territory or care, without implying exclusive mating. A social pair may not match the individuals' genetic mating relationships.
Anisogamy: A reproductive condition in which male and female gametes differ in size or form. Unequal gamete investment helps explain why mating strategies often differ between the sexes.
Intersexual selection: Sexual selection through preferences exerted by one sex when choosing mates from the other. Partner preferences can favor particular traits and influence pairing patterns.
Polygyny: A mating system in which one male mates with multiple females during a breeding period. It illustrates how unequal access to mates can shape reproductive relationships.
Trivers–Willard hypothesis: The hypothesis that parental condition can influence offspring sex allocation when reproductive success differs between sexes. Unequal reproductive prospects can make offspring sex investment depend on parental condition.
Genetic monogamy: A pattern in which offspring within a pair are genetically descended from both members and no extra-pair matings occur. It distinguishes genetic exclusivity from merely living or breeding as a pair.

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