FEMALE MATE CHOICE OF LARGE MALE BROAD-HEADED SKINKS

Male broad-headed skinks, Eumeces laticeps, found in close proximity with females during the breeding season are larger than other adult males, suggesting that male reproductive success increases with body size. Staged encounters revealed a distinct mating preference by females for large males. Females actively rejected courtship by small adult males, which were excluded from mating in the field. No preference by females was detected for males having the bright orange head coloration normally present during the breeding season. However, the existence of such a preference was not disproven. These findings are consistent with those for other lizards in that male reproductive success increased with male size and that no female choice favouring bright mate breeding coloration could be demonstrated. The preference for large males best supports the good genes hypothesis because E. laticeps males do not defend resources and large males demonstrated an ability to survive for several years. Previous studies suggest that large male body size is also favoured by intra-sexual selection because larger males aggressively exclude smaller males from mating opportunities. Other aspects of sexual selection on male body size are discussed. © 1993 The Association for the Study of Animal Behaviour. All rights reserved.