Odd couples
Subtitle: extraordinary differences between the sexes in the animal kingdom
By: Daphne J. Fairbairn
Publisher: Princeton University Press
Published: 2013
Language: eng
Number of pages: 300
ISBN-13: 9780691141961
Subjects: Sexual behavior in animals; Sex differences; Sexual dimorphism (Animals)
Description: "Introducing readers to important discoveries in animal behavior and evolution, Odd Couples explores some of the most extraordinary sexual differences in the animal world. From the fields of Spain to the deep oceans, evolutionary biologist Daphne Fairbairn uncovers the unique and bizarre characteristics--in size, behavior, ecology, and life history--that exist in these remarkable species and the special strategies they use to maximize reproductive success."--Book jacket.
Notes: Includes bibliographical references (pages [247]-285) and index.
Table of contents: title: The roots of sexual differences : why male and female animals differ; title: Elephant seals : harems, hierarchies, and giant males; title: Great bustards : gorgeous males and choosy females; title: Shell-carrying cichlids : protective males and furtive females; title: Yellow garden spiders : sedentary females and roving males; title: Blanket octopuses : drifting females and dwarf males; title: Giant seadevils : fearsome females and parasitic males; title: Bone-eating worms : female tubeworms with harems of minuscule males; title: Shell-burrowing barnacles : sac-like females with harems of phallic males; title: The diversity of sexual differences : differences between males and females across the animal kingdom.