#evolution
#sexualselection

😍

Hunting had brought humpbacks close to extinction, but in New Caledonia

"As the population recovered, there were more older males singing and successfully reproducing, compared to younger animals, than expected based on the underlying population age structure."

Surprising partner preference found in matings between Neanderthals and modern humans Male Neanderthals tended to pair up with female modern humans, but whether intercourse was consensual is unclear

#genetics
#sexualselection
#sexbias

The scarcity of Neanderthal DNA in our X chromosome suggests more ♂️ Neanderthals preferred mating with ♀️ modern humans than vice versa.

And just as the excess of modern humans' DNA in the X chromosome of ♀️ Neanderthals,

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www.science.org/content/arti...

Nest weave pattern in weaverbirds: a sexual signal selected through sensory drive? Abstract. Nests are primarily shaped by natural selection, but are also subject to sexual selection. Here, we investigated the potential role of sexual sel

doi.org/10.1093/evol...
#SPEetologia

#SexualSelection #AnimalArchitecture #Weaverbirds #BehaviouralEcology #EvolutionaryBiology #SensoryEcology

Join our symposium on

Eco-evolutionary dynamics of #SexualSelection and #SexualConflict at #ECE2026Tours!

⏰ Last week to submit an abstract!

🧪 Check this if you are interested in the convoluted evolution of lacertid colours. Yes, I know, we missed a unique opportunity opportunity to call the phenomenon "Chromatic Barrier of the Appennines", which totally sounds like a badass DnD spell.
#evolution #colsci #lizard #sexualselection

While most of us are burning out in the horse race of proposals, funding, and contracts, it’s easy to forget what real science is! What a delight to see a highly intellectual exchange among some of the great minds in #sexualselection studies @timjanicke.bsky.social academic.oup.com/beheco/artic...

Sexual selection: competition for resources provided by mating partners Sexual selection theory is a cornerstone of behavioral ecology and evolutionary biology, but 150 years after Darwin’s original conception, researchers are

In an earlier review, I proposed to define #sexualselection as competition for gametic and non-gametic resources provided by mating partners.

doi.org/10.1093/behe...

I’m happy to now share a few additional thoughts on it in @behavecol.bsky.social

doi.org/10.1093/behe...

Evidence for the evolution of male and female cardinals’ plumage colouration being affected by both natural and sexual selection - BMC Ecology and Evolution BMC Ecology and Evolution - The evolution of sexually selected traits, such as colouration, has been the object of considerable research. Among birds, plumage colouration is highly variable and...

doi.org/10.1186/s128...
#SPEetologia
#SPEmembers

#BirdColoration #Cardinals #SexualSelection #NaturalSelection #EvolutionaryBiology #PlumageEvolution #AnimalSignals #AvianEcology #BehavioralEcology #Ornithology

Just one week left to submit your abstract for our symposium on eco-evolutionary dynamics of #sexualselection and #sexualconflict at @ece2026tours.bsky.social ! Join us in beautiful Tours, France, 29 June – 3 July 2026!

@irbi-tours.bsky.social @cnrs.fr @royentsoc.bsky.social @collemyria.bsky.social @insect-science.bsky.social @insectessociaux.bsky.social @paucarazo.bsky.social @hassansalem.bsky.social

#entomology#genetics#eco-evo #evolution #sexualselection #holobionts#insects #ECE2026Tours #UniversitéTours

If incels complain, it is healthy to make fun of them… 🔥🤷‍♀️🔥 #fyp #erisdiscordia #evolutionarybiology #sexualselection #maga

Love practically makes these birds go blind Unusually obstructive plumage compromises the vision of two types of pheasants—a first in birds

#sexualselection

Ah l'amour...

Instead of dazzling tails or crests, "to woo the ladies" Chrysolophus pictus and C. amherstiae pheasants "sport unusually obstructive toupees [...] that render [them] partially blind".

#CharlesDarwin may have revolutionized ideas on evolution, but was blind to non-procreative #SexualSelection & #QueerSex. He also imposed Victorian stereotype & bias on theories of monogamy in animal sexuality. FACT: snakes don't marry! HowSexGotScrewedUp.com #QueerHistory

Mating systems, coevolution and resistance evolution. at University of Hull on FindAPhD.com PhD Project - Mating systems, coevolution and resistance evolution. at University of Hull, listed on FindAPhD.com

Funded PhD studentship available on the way that mating system affects coevolutionary processes with natural enemies. #ecoevo #sexualselection looking for a great candidate spread the word! www.findaphd.com/phds/project... 🧪

Charts, at the top showing gelada monkey female reproductive stages through an interview interval (lactation/cycling/pregnancy). In the case of harem takeovers by a new male, mothers of young breastfeeding babies have FAKE sexual swellings in order to have deceptive sex. This has an effect of evading infanticide by males who try to accelerate female return to cycling by killing a breastfeeding baby

Super interesting paper showing how #gelada #monkey mothers who are pregnant or with very young infants FAKE sexual swellings to kid a new harem male into mating. That might just stop from infanticidal killing.

Primate #female #deception GOOD! Gelada do well to manage […]

[Original post on c.im]

ECE 2026 - XIII European Congress of Entomology It is our great pleasure to welcome you to Tours, France, in the heart of the Loire Valley, from June 29 to July 3, 2026.

Excited to announce our symposium on eco-evolutionary dynamics of #sexualselection & #sexualconflict at the XIII European Congress of Entomology (29 June–3 July 2026, Tours, France), co-organised with Lucas Marie-Orleach!

Call for abstracts is open until 15 Dec 2025.

www.ece2026.org

Canalized weapon development but high levels of overall phenotypic variation in an evolutionarily novel ant male morph Abstract. Sexual selection is responsible for the evolution of exaggerated morphologies in males of many animal species. In extreme cases, this has led to

Fighter ant males show canalized weapon development but extreme variation in other morphological traits, highlighting how #sexualselection shapes #phenotypicevolution:

doi.org/10.1093/jeb/...

Neupert et al @uniregensburg.bsky.social

Polymorphism in a metabolic gene involved in sexual selection shapes global gene expression profiles in the bulb mite males Abstract. Uncovering the genetic basis of sexually selected traits and traits involved in sexual conflict is a key to understand the association between se

A #transcriptomic study shows that single nucleotide polymorphisms in #6Pgdh - a metabolic gene involved in #sexualselection and conflict in bulb mite, Rhizoglyphus robini - can be associated with genome wide gene expression differences:

doi.org/10.1093/jeb/...

Plesnar-Bielak et al. 2025

🦎🧪Non-adaptive processes explain chemical signal divergence in island lizards

vist.ly/4d76n

#Diet #IslandBiology #LacertidLizards #NonAdaptiveEvolution #Pheromones #SexualSelection

Glowing Sperm Reveals How Female Mosquitos Control Sex Female Aedes mosquitoes signal that copulation can proceed by subtly extending their genitalia

Glowing Sperm Reveals How Female Mosquitos Control Sex #Science #Biology #Zoology #MosquitoResearch #Genetics #SexualSelection

Operational sex ratio (Ecology 🏞️)

In the evolutionary biology of sexual reproduction, operational sex ratio is the ratio of sexually competing males that are ready to mate to sexually competing females that are ready to mate, or alternatively the local ratio of fertilizable females to sexually […]

Sexual selection and speciation: a meta-analysis of comparative studies Abstract. Understanding the drivers of biodiversity is a central goal in evolutionary biology. In particular, sexual selection has long been proposed as a

Does #SexualSelection fuel #Speciation?

Our new #meta-analysis of comparative studies finds support for a positive relationship, but the rather moderate global effect suggests it’s not necessarily a dominant force.

doi.org/10.1093/evle...

DYK #CharlesDarwin was blind to non-procreative #SexualSelection & #QueerSex? He revolutionized ideas on #evolution, but imposed #Victorian stereotype & bias on theories of hetero #monogamy in animal sexuality. FACT: snakes don't marry! HowSexGotScrewedUp.com #QueerHistory

Sexual selection in wild populations of seed bugs: the role of size in pre-copulatory mate choice by females and males Abstract. Although sexual selection is a well-established part of evolutionary biology, controversies remain about the roles of males and females. For inst

Size does matter for mating success in two species of seed bugs in the wild. #sexualselection #lygaeidae #mating #naturalselection #malematechoice #sicily

doi.org/10.1093/jeb/...

@opheliasfritsch.bsky.social and Shuker

Male intrasexual competition (Evolutionary biology 🧬)

In ethology, male-male intrasexual competition occurs when two males of the same species compete for the opportunity to mate with a female. Sexually dimorphic traits, size, sex ratio, and the social situation may all play a role in the […]

CEB seminar late post: PhD candidate Andrea Piccinini shared the first observation of post-copulatory mate guarding behaviour in a WA wishbone spider (Aname sp.)—a rare insight into mygalomorph mating behaviour.👏
#EvolBio #SpiderBehaviour #SexualSelection #UWA #Mygalomorphs

At CEB meeting, we heard from PhD student Avantika, who will study WA magpies to better understand how female magpies use aggression & vocalisation in social & reproductive competition. 🪶🦅
@mandyridley.bsky.social @lizziespeechley.bsky.social #LeighSimmons #UWA #AnimalBehaviour #SexualSelection

Female grey phalerope wading with beautiful ochre/black streaks on the back, vivid plump chestnut breast and neck collar, black and white head marking. Slender yellow bill

She takes flight showing the back markings and grey wings with white streaks

Female Grey #Phalarope in summer plumage at Loch of Spiggie, Shetland in early June.

Female phaleropes famed for their reverse #sexualselection, with larger, highly decorated #females fighting over #males, setting up numerous nests and leaving males to incubate and […]

[Original post on c.im]

Mechanisms of colour-production modulate the link between extra-pair paternity and avian sexual dichromatism Abstract. Most birds are socially monogamous, but extra-pair paternity (EPP) is widespread. EPP can increase variance in male reproductive success and the

Extra-pair paternity drives sexual dichromatism via melanin, carotenoid, & structural colours! 🐦 A study of 400+ bird species by the Dept. of Ornithology, MPIBI, shows EPP favours conspicuous males & cryptic females
#Evolution #SexualSelection #Ornithology

doi.org/10.1093/jeb/...

DYK #CharlesDarwin imposed false #Victorian stereotypes & biases on #monogamy in animal #sexuality in his theory of evolution? It’s simple: snakes don't marry! He was also blind to non-procreative #SexualSelection & #QueerSex in nature. Blog8 HowSexGotScrewedUp.com