mating behavior

An analysis of skull and vertebrae fossils suggests that an early relative of giraffes butted heads to compete for mates, which may reveal why modern giraffes are so throaty.

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 accidental finding marks the first time a phenomenon called cytoplasmic sterility, known to occur in plants, has been found in animals.

Using an acoustic camera, researchers were able to locate individual male wood frogs by their mating calls and determine which songs the females liked best.

During their escape, male spiders can reach speeds in excess of 3 kilometers per hour thanks to their springy front legs.

Advances in sequencing technologies have finally allowed researchers to zero in on the genetic diversity underlying the incredible mating system of shelf fungi.

Researchers find that wild baboons are generally good at avoiding inbreeding, but that it’s more likely to occur with paternal than maternal relatives.

Avoiding inbreeding appears to be the exception rather than the norm for animals, according to a new meta-analysis of experimental studies.

In most vertebrates, the absence of adaptive immunity would be catastrophic, but in some deep-sea angler fish species, it enables their “wild” and “wacky” mating habits.

Male lemurs secrete aldehydes from their wrist glands that may make them more attractive to females during the breeding season.

A protein present in the ejaculate of male fruit flies activates long-term memory formation in the brains of their female partners.

A study finds two species of guenon monkeys in Tanzania have been mating and producing fertile offspring for generations.

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

A group of around 300 whales produced 184 distinct songs over just a few years, according to a new study.

Scientists explore why male peacock spiders are so colorful. 

Female plant bugs produce a compound to counter males’ attempts to render the females unattractive to other mates.

“Nature’s melodies” may be a human construct that says more about us than about the musicality of other animals.

A survey of sounds from birds to whales to fruit flies to fish

Bottle flies (Lucilia sericata) recognize potential mates by capturing the flashes of light that reflect off others' wings.