Final answer:
The most common mating system in primates is polygyny, where one male mates with multiple females and the female provides most of the parental care. Other systems include monogamy, with shared parental duties, and the rarer polyandry with one female and multiple males.
Step-by-step explanation:
The most common type of mating system in primates is e. Polygyny. This refers to a system where one male mates with multiple females. In this scenario, females typically take on the bulk of the parental care, allowing the male to spread his genetics over a wider pool without the responsibility of child-rearing. Polygyny can be observed in several forms, such as resource-based polygyny, where males compete for territories that attract females; harem mating, where certain males dominate mating within a group; and lek mating, which involves males displaying in communal courting areas for females to choose from.
In contrast, c. Monogamy involves one male and one female paired for at least one breeding season or more, with both parents often sharing the responsibilities of caring for the young. Grey wolves are an example of such monogamous pairs. Lastly, b. Polyandry, where one female mates with multiple males, is much rarer due to the higher energy investment females typically put into offspring production and care.