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Olfactory cues influence female choice in two lek-breeding antelopes

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Abstract

PRONOUNCED differences in mating success between males holding territories clustered on traditional mating grounds (leks) are commonly cited as evidence of female choice for male phenotypes1–6but female ungulates appear to prefer particular territories6–12 even when no other individuals are on the lek11,12. Female choice of territories may be influenced by spatial features7–10,12,but observations suggest that females may also be attracted to successful territories by olfactory cues in the soil13. Here we report that transferring the topsoil between successful and unsuccessful territories on leks of two reduncine antelope species caused the numbers of females and matings on the unsuccessful territories to increase tenfold. Females were probably attracted to the soil by smells that had accumulated from heavy use by other females. Because of this attraction, stochastic process may play an important part in generating the variance in mating success between territory holders on leks.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Large Animal Research Group, Department of Zoology, Downing Street, Cambridge, CB2 3EJ, UK

    James C. Deutsch & Rory J. C. Nefdt

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  1. James C. Deutsch
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  2. Rory J. C. Nefdt
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Deutsch, J., Nefdt, R. Olfactory cues influence female choice in two lek-breeding antelopes. Nature 356, 596–598 (1992). https://doi.org/10.1038/356596a0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/356596a0

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