courtship behaviors

Many species of birds and other vertebrates form pair bonds and mate with just one other individual for much of their lives. But the unions don’t always work out. Scientists want to know the underlying factors.

Advances in genetics in recent years has revealed that many apparently exclusive pairs in fact sometimes mate with individuals other than their partner, but social monogamy is widespread.

The Scientist spoke to marine biologist Tim Lynch, who dusted off 25-year-old data from his PhD to figure out why olive sea snakes approach divers so often. He says the animals, especially the males, likely confuse people for potential mates.

An evolutionary biologist knits a festive homage to her research.

Researchers show that Drosophila melanogaster males are capable of producing more modes of courtship song with their wings than previously thought.

A unique courtship dance clued researchers in to the fact that they had a new species on their hands.

The bluebanded goby, Lythrypnus dalli, is capable of quickly changing sexes in either direction—a transition that typically takes two weeks.