Monogamy
Mating Strategies and Partnerships in Birds, Humans and Other Mammals

This book explores the biological roots of social, sexual and reproductive monogamy in birds, mammals and humans.

Ulrich H. Reichard (Edited by), Christophe Boesch (Edited by)

9780521525770, Cambridge University Press

Paperback, published 11 September 2003

278 pages, 36 b/w illus. 38 tables
24.6 x 19 x 1.6 cm, 0.64 kg

' … this is a useful book and it makes a welcome addition to the literature.' Ethology

Why do males of some species live with a single mate when they are capable of fertilizing more than one female's eggs? Why do some females pair only with one male, and not with several partners? Why do birds usually live in pairs and feed chicks together whilst mammals often live in larger groups with females rearing their young without male help? These questions form the central theme of this book. Social monogamy is a complex, multi-faceted phenomenon that does not always correspond with reproductive monogamy, so a paired male may not necessarily be raising his own offspring. Exploring the variables influencing and maintaining the fascinating diversity of social, sexual and reproductive monogamous partnerships in birds, mammals and humans, this book provides clues to the biological roots of monogamy for students and researchers in behavioural ecology, evolutionary anthropology, primatology, zoology and ornithology.

Introduction: 1. Monogamy: past and present Ulrich H. Reichard
Part I. Evolution of Social Monogamy: 2. The evolution of monogamy: mating relationships, parental care and sexual selection Anders Pape Møller
3. Mate guarding and the evolution of social monogamy in mammals Peter N. M. Brotherton and Petr E. Komers
4. The evolution of social monogamy in primates Carel P. van Schaik and Peter M. Kappeler
5. The evolution of social and reproductive monogamy in Peromyscus David O. Ribble
Part II. Reproductive Strategies of Socially Monogamous Males and Females: 6. Social functions of copulation in the socially monogamous razorbill (Alca torda) Richard H. Wagner
7. Social and reproductive monogamy in rodents: the case of the Malagasy Giant Jumping Rat (Hypogeomys antimena) Simone Sommer
8. Social polyandry and promiscuous mating in a primate-like carnivore, the kinkajou (Potos flavus) Roland Kays
9. Monogamy correlates, socioecological factors and mating systems in beavers Lixing Sun
10. Social monogamy and social polygyny in a solitary ungulate, the Japanese serow (Capricornis crispus) Ryosuke Kishimoto
Part III. Reproductive Strategies of Human and Non-human Primates: 11. Ecological and social complexities in human monogamy Bobbi S. Low
12. Social monogamy in a human society: marriage and reproductive success among the Dogon Beverly I. Strassmann
13. Social monogamy in gibbons: the male perspective Ulrich H. Riechard
14. Pair living and mating strategies in the fat-tailed dwarf lemur (Cheirogaleus medius) Joanna Fietz
15. Social monogamy and its variations in callitrichids: do these relate to the costs of infant care? Anne W. Goldizen
16. Monogamy in New World primates: what can patterns of olfactory communication tell us? Eckhard W. Heymann.

Subject Areas: Animal behaviour [PSVP], Behavioural theory [Behaviourism JMAL]