Final answer:
Extra-pair Copulations (EPCs) are events where individuals mate outside of their social pairing. One false statement regarding EPCs is that males with colorful plumage are involved in parental care; often, such males focus more on attracting females than on caring for offspring. Mating systems, like polygyny, exemplify this, with males investing little in parental support.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question refers to EPCs, which stand for Extra-pair Copulations. These are events occurring in the animal kingdom, particularly in bird species, when an individual mates with another that is not its social partner. One statement that is NOT TRUE concerning EPCs is that males of species with colorful plumage would assist with parental care because the energy they expend in maintaining their plumage could preclude them from doing so. In fact, often the males with more elaborate traits, like bright plumage or courtship displays, invest more in attracting mates rather than in parental care.
For example, males who engage in courtship rituals or have colorful plumage to attract mates are often less involved in parental care, as their strategies for reproduction focus on attracting multiple mates rather than investing energy in offspring. This investment strategy can be contrasted with species where males may be more monogamous and invest more heavily in parental care. An understanding of mating systems, such as polygyny where one male mates with multiple females, also indicates that in many cases males offer little parental support, as females may independently control resources or territories that attract males.