Paternal care and litter size coevolution in mammals.

摘要: Biparental care of offspring occurs in diverse mammalian genera and is particularly common among species with socially monogamous mating systems. Despite numerous well-documented examples, however, the evolutionary causes consequences paternal mammals are not well understood. Here, we investigate evolution relation to production. Using comparative analyses test for evidence associations between male life-history traits, explore if biparental likely have evolved because importance survival, or increases production result from care. Overall, find no that has response benefits supporting females rear costly large litters. Rather, our findings suggest more follow care, specifically where males contribute depreciable investment such as provisioning young. Through coevolution litter size, conclude play an important role stabilizing systems could ultimately promote complex social behaviours.