Field of Science

Evolution highlights III

Big dicks preferred
Get this: the researchers cut the genitalia of the mosquitofish males and found that among males of large body-size, females preferred gonopodia that weren't cut as short as others. For males of small body-size, no correlation was found. [1]

Why do females have horns?
Talking about ungulates (e.g. cattle, goats, deer, antelope - just to mention a few that actually have horns, as opposed to pigs and horses). Results: in large species, the horns are for defense against predators, and for the small species that have horns, they have them for intrasexual competition over territory or mates. [2]

Evolutionary biologist receives MacArthur 'genius' award
Beth Shapiro, 33, evolutionary biologist at Pennsylvania State University (lab page). She works on ancient DNA, and already has six publications in Science! For example, Flight of the Dodo (2002) - one page.

References:
1. Females prefer to associate with males with longer intromittent organs in mosquitofish
Andrew T. Kahn, Brian Mautz and Michael D. Jennions
Biology Letters published online before print September 15, 2009.
(intromittent = penetrating)

2. Evolution of weaponry in female bovids
Theodore Stankowich and Tim Caro
Proc. R. Soc. B published online before print September 16, 2009

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