Animals
Mating systemMonogamy is one of several mating systems observed in animals. The amount of social monogamy in animals varies across taxa, with over 90 percent of birds engaging in social monogamy but only 7 percent of mammals engaging in social monogamy. The incidence of sexual monogamy appears quite rare in the animal kingdom. It is becoming clear that even animals that are socially monogamous engage in extra-pair copulations.
Evolution in animalsSocially monogamous species are scattered throughout the animal kingdom: A few insects, a few fish, a lot of birds, and a few mammals are socially monogamous.
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Quotations
My husband was not faithful. He thought monogamy was a type of wood. I'm like, Honey, no — monogamy's when you just sleep with your wife. He's like, No, bitch — that's .
Andrea Walker, comedian, Funny Ladies, Vol. 3 (2004)
Encyclopedia
Animals
Mating systemMonogamy is one of several mating systems observed in animals. The amount of social monogamy in animals varies across taxa, with over 90 percent of birds engaging in social monogamy but only 7 percent of mammals engaging in social monogamy. The incidence of sexual monogamy appears quite rare in the animal kingdom. It is becoming clear that even animals that are socially monogamous engage in extra-pair copulations.
Evolution in animalsSocially monogamous species are scattered throughout the animal kingdom: A few insects, a few fish, a lot of birds, and a few mammals are socially monogamous. These species did not inherit social monogamy from a common ancestor. Instead, social monogamy has evolved independently in different species.
See also
Further reading
- Kleiman, Devra G. . The Quarterly Review of Biology, 52.1 (March 1977): 39–69. Accessed 21 July 2008.
- Lehrman, Sally. . July 22, 2002. AlterNet. Accessed 21 July 2008. On studies showing social and genetic benefits of promiscuity.
- Lim, Miranda M., et al. . Nature 429, 754–757. DOI:10.1038/nature02539. Accessed 21 July 2008.
- Reichard, Ulrich H., and Christophe Boesch (eds.). Monogamy: Mating Strategies and Partnerships in Birds, Humans and Other Mammals. New York: Cambridge University Press, 2003. ISBN 0521819733, ISBN 0521525772.
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