Evolution Blog

Through sexual selection, some species of animals may compete with each other for the chance of reproduction. This can be seen in various ways but one category is through male-male competition One type of male-male competition is seen through combat between the male species. This is where the individual directly fights for the females. This can be seen in zebras.  Zebras are grouped into harems where there is one dominant male with as many as 6 females and their foals in the group. It has been observed that they engage in combat each other for females and will even go as far as stealing females from one another. The fights between males can be very intense and can possibly end in death. The males will to bite the others neck and legs and the fights between them can last for long periods of time. Another type of male-male competition is exhibited through sperm competition. This has been observed in stink or shield bugs. These insects will have a prolonged copulation period that pr...

When looking at fossil records, if no homologous samples are available and you must rely just on analogies samples how accurate can this be in predicting the species' sexual dimorphism? This is confusing me to because if there is nothing similar to the extinct species currently,  then how can it be accurately compared? One interesting concept discussed in the podcast was that scientists do not completely know or understand why females prefer a specific trait over another. This concept is still heavily debated but consist of indirect or direct benefits that the female may gain from the males. 

1. Are individuals ever put into the wrong species? & what happens if this mis-categorization occurs? 2. If two species never come into contact with each other, how is it decided that they are two different species or the same one? 3.Is there ever an individual that does not fit into any species?