Do female hyaenas choose mates based on tenure?

Russell C. Van Horn, Heather E. Watts and Kay E. Holekamp
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Russell C. Van Horn: *Zoological Society of San Diego, Conservation and Research for Endangered Species, P.O. Box 120551, San Diego, California 92112-0551, USA. rvanhorn@sandiegozoo.org
Heather E. Watts: Michigan State University
Kay E. Holekamp: Michigan State University

Nature, 2008, vol. 454, issue 7201, E1-E1

Abstract: Abstract Arising from: O. P. Höner et al. Nature 448, 798–801 (2007)10.1038/nature06040 ; Höner et al. reply In their investigation into whether female mate-choice drives male dispersal, Höner et al.1 argue that female spotted hyaenas (Crocuta crocuta) prefer mates whose tenure in the social group is less than the females’ age, to avoid paternal incest, and suggest that male dispersal reflects this preference. However, we are not persuaded that females choose mates on the basis of tenure because Höner et al.1 overlook the alternative hypothesis that dispersal status itself is important in female mate-choice2,3, such that females prefer immigrants over natal males. Like mate-choice based on tenure, choice based on dispersal status reduces the risk of incest.

Date: 2008
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DOI: 10.1038/nature07122

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