Big weapons only benefit males with the reserves to wield them effectively

Evidence

Suppose for the sake of argument that I did go buy that boat. Say I threw caution to the wind, and I bought it. I couldn’t afford to register it, or buy fuel to drive it, or repair it if it got dinged. Similarly, a poor-quality bull that somehow grew big antlers wouldn’t be able to use them. He’d lack the size, strength, energy reserves, and stamina necessary for wielding his antlers effectively in battle. The effort would be futile. — Emlen, Douglas J, Animal Weapons_ The Evolution of Battle, 355

Categorization

• XREF: connects to: Arms races inevitably stall as weapon costs neutralize reproductive benefits — Emlen, Douglas J, Animal Weapons_ The Evolution of Battle, 432; Bigger weapons usually fail because their costs outweigh their benefits; Poor-quality males pay steeper costs for large weapons and so invest less — Emlen, Douglas J, Animal Weapons_ The Evolution of Battle, 797 (+7 more)

Related

• Only a minority of males can afford to build full-size weapons (similarity 0.93)
• Bigger weapons usually fail because their costs outweigh their benefits (similarity 0.90)
• Poor-quality males pay steeper costs for large weapons and so invest less (similarity 0.90)
• Weapons evolve only when reproductive benefits exceed costs (similarity 0.89)
• Weapon size in animal species is under stabilizing selection, not open-ended directional selection (similarity 0.88)
• Reproductive success, not survival, drives the largest animal weapons (similarity 0.88)
• Weapon costliness keeps signals honest by excluding weaker males (similarity 0.87)
• Weapon growth widens the gap between the best- and worst-armed males. (similarity 0.87)
• Natural selection usually favors modest weapon size because cost offsets benefit (similarity 0.87)
• Growing large weapons diverts resources and stunts other body parts (similarity 0.87)
• Arms races inevitably stall as weapon costs neutralize reproductive benefits (similarity 0.86)
• Weapons grow late because development prioritizes mandatory survival expenses first (similarity 0.86)
• Most male ungulates never reproduce because weapon costs are so extreme (similarity 0.86)
• Sexual selection drives weapons to extremes because payoffs for winners are enormous. (similarity 0.86)
• Extreme weapon size faces stabilizing, not open-ended, selection in real populations (similarity 0.85)

Broader Connections

• Weapons in arms races get so big they impair other bodily functions #expands (0.60)
• In nearly all weaponed species, males carry the weapons, not females. #exemplifies (0.60) — Emlen, Douglas J, Animal Weapons_ The Evolution of Battle, 149
• Growing large weapons diverts resources and stunts other body parts #expands (0.60) — Emlen, Douglas J, Animal Weapons_ The Evolution of Battle, 295
• Big weapons only pay off when fights are one-on-one duels #qualifies (0.60) — Emlen, Douglas J, Animal Weapons_ The Evolution of Battle, 238
• Most male ungulates never reproduce because weapon costs are so extreme #expands (0.55) — Emlen, Douglas J, Animal Weapons_ The Evolution of Battle, 963
• Weapons evolve only when reproductive benefits exceed costs #corroborates (0.50) — Emlen, Douglas J, Animal Weapons_ The Evolution of Battle, 199