cooperative polygamy
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Cooperative polygamy, also known as polygynandry, describes a stable breeding group composed of multiple males and multiple females. In such systems, all males have the potential to breed with any of the females. This mating system is rare, with examples including acorn woodpeckers, dunnocks, chimpanzees, and some human societies like the Pahari of northern India.1
This contrasts with polygyny, where one male mates with multiple females, and polyandry, where one female mates with multiple males. Polygyny is more common than polyandry, often attributed to the greater resource investment females make in eggs compared to males' investment in sperm. Cooperative polygamy represents a complex social structure where cooperation among multiple individuals, both male and female, is integral to the breeding process.1
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animal social behaviorSocial interactions involving sex…pattern is referred to as cooperative polygamy or polygynandry. Examples of this type of mating system include the acorn woodpecker (Melanerpes formicivorus) in western North America, the dunnock (Prunella modularis) in Europe, a few primate societies including chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes), and at least one human society, the
Read More…pattern is referred to as cooperative polygamy or polygynandry. Examples of this type of mating system include the acorn woodpecker (Melanerpes formicivorus) in western North America, the dunnock (Prunella modularis) in Europe, a few primate societies including chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes), and at least one human society, the
Read More- animal social behaviorSocial interactions involving cooperative breeding and eusociality
Relatively few cases involve cooperative polygamy or mate sharing, in which there are multiple cobreeders of one or both sexes. Examples of mate-sharing behavior occur in acorn woodpeckers (Melanerpes formicivorus), dunnocks (Prunella modularis), and common moorhens (Gallinula chloropus).
Read MoreRelatively few cases involve cooperative polygamy or mate sharing, in which there are multiple cobreeders of one or both sexes. Examples of mate-sharing behavior occur in acorn woodpeckers (Melanerpes formicivorus), dunnocks (Prunella modularis), and common moorhens (Gallinula chloropus).
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