Hamilton and Zuk proposed a novel good genes mechanism of female choice based on heritable variation in resistance to parasites as indicated by male ornaments or showiness. This process predicts that (1) among different species, parasite levels should correlate with showiness, and (2) within any one species, males preferred by females should have low parasite burdens and exaggerated ornaments. A series of reports primarily assessing the second prediction provides evidence largely consistent with the Hamilton and Zuk mechanism. Unfortunately, this evidence does not exclude other possible processes of female choice. Future studies will need to address (1) the precise nature of the relationship between ornament development and parasite burdens independent of overall effects on host viability from parasites, (2) whether resistance to the parasites affecting ornament development is heritable, and (3) how host-parasite genotypes coevolve.
Established in 1936, Herpetologica is a quarterly peer-reviewed journal serving herpetologists, biologists, ecologists, conservationists, researchers and the scientific community. The journal contains original research papers and essays about the biology of reptiles and amphibians, and covers many relevant topics including: behavior, conservation, ecology, genetics, morphology, physiology and taxonomy.
The Herpetologists' League (HL), established in 1946, is an international organization committed to furthering the knowledge of herpetology—the study of amphibians and reptiles. The Herpetologists’ League publishes two scholarly journals—the quarterly Herpetologica and the annual supplement, Herpetological Monographs. Mission: The Herpetologists’ League exists to promote scientific study and conservation of amphibians and reptiles. The primary goals of the League are to support the acquisition of knowledge about these organisms, and to transmit that knowledge through publications, conferences, and symposia. Activities sponsored by the League are designed to engage and encourage young scientists to join our mission. The products of the Herpetologists' League contribute to the global effort to understand and conserve the biological diversity on Earth.
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Herpetologica
© 1991 Herpetologists' League