Question

Why might female widow birds (Euplectes progne) chose males with longer tails even though there are no material benefits to long tails?

a. Long tails in males might indicate a good genetic composition (good genes hypothesis).
b. Long tails in males might indicate good overall health of males (good health hypothesis).
c. Both a and b are possible.
d. Neither a nor b is possible.

Answer 1

Female widow birds may choose males with longer tails as these traits can indicate good genetic composition and overall health, known as the good genes hypothesis and the handicap principle, respectively.

Step-by-step explanation:

Females may choose male widow birds with longer tails due to a couple of hypotheses related to sexual selection. One such hypothesis is the good genes hypothesis, which suggests that males with longer tails may have superior genetics that help in efficient metabolism or disease resistance, traits that can be passed to offspring.

Another explanation aligns with the handicap principle, where a longer tail, despite being a survival disadvantage due to increased visibility to predators, signals that the male is fit enough to survive with such a handicap, indicating good overall health. Thus, the females might prefer males with longer tails believing they are indicators of good genetics or health, contributing to more fit offspring, despite the absence of material benefits to the long tails themselves.