It takes two: Evidence for reduced sexual conflict over parental care in a biparental canid

摘要: In biparental systems, sexual conflict over parental investment predicts that the parent providing care experiences greater reproductive costs. This inequality in contribution is reduced when offspring survival dependent on care. However, this idea has received little empirical attention. Here, we determined whether mothers and fathers differed their to a captive population of coyotes (Canis latrans). We performed assays 8 (n = males, females) mated pairs repeatedly 10-week period (i.e., 5–15 weeks litter age) were first-time breeders (2011), again as experienced (2013). quantified consistent individual variation repeatability) behaviors examined within- among-individual correlations determine if behavioral plasticity within or personality across seasons varied by sex. Finally, extracted hormone metabolites cortisol testosterone) from fecal samples collected during gestation describe potential links between hormonal mechanisms consistency behaviors. Parents which repeatable: demonstrated provisioning pup-directed aggression, whereas pup checks. positive within-individual for identical (e.g., maternal versus paternal play) suggested rate change all except was highly correlated sexes. Moreover, among 50% differences parents correlated. Lastly, negative provisioning, gestational testosterone both sexes preparental hormones labile traits. provide novel evidence species reaches near equivalent rates partners.