Among jacanas, females are the armed, aggressive sex defending breeding territories.
Evidence
Female jacanas are fighters, towering over the males. They are stronger than males, vastly more aggressive, and they have the larger weapons. Sharp yellow spurs jut forward like daggers from each elbow. Bigger females fare better in fierce battles and, as a rule, only dominant, top-condition females manage to hold a territory for long enough to breed. — Emlen, Douglas J, Animal Weapons_ The Evolution of Battle, 144 (
#expands, via linked claim)
Males in many animals, such as these flies, fight over restricted, economically defensible resources visited by females. In these situations, big weapons are often beneficial. Above: Stalk-eyed flies defend hanging rootlets on which females roost. Below: Antlered flies defend egg-laying holes in the bark of fallen trees. — Emlen, Douglas J, Animal Weapons_ The Evolution of Battle, 960 (
#corroborates, via linked claim)
Categorization
- XREF: connects to: Jacana females only breed when dominant enough to hold territory. — Emlen, Douglas J, Animal Weapons_ The Evolution of Battle, 144; Males evolve big weapons to defend resources that females visit; Weapon size is favored when males defend resources females need — Emlen, Douglas J, Animal Weapons_ The Evolution of Battle, 960
Related
- Males evolve big weapons to defend resources that females visit (similarity 0.93)
- Jacana females only breed when dominant enough to hold territory. (similarity 0.92)
- Weapon size is favored when males defend resources females need (similarity 0.90)
- In nearly all weaponed species, males carry the weapons, not females. (similarity 0.88)
- Male parental care can invert the direction of sexual selection and weaponry (similarity 0.85)
- Polygynous male primates evolved larger canines than monogamous ones (similarity 0.80)
Broader Connections
- Jacana females only breed when dominant enough to hold territory.
#expands(0.80) — Emlen, Douglas J, Animal Weapons_ The Evolution of Battle, 144 - Males evolve big weapons to defend resources that females visit
#responds-to(0.50) - Weapon size is favored when males defend resources females need
#corroborates(0.45) — Emlen, Douglas J, Animal Weapons_ The Evolution of Battle, 960