From the monthly archives: March 2011
About The Author - http://ruthturner.wordpress.com My name is Ruth Turner and I am studying BSc (Hons) Animal Management (Animal Behaviour and Welfare) at the University of Chester. My degree gives me a vast knowledge about exotic and pet species, ranging from reptiles to large carnivores, livestock and domestic species. My main interest is [...]
Traditional meat inspection, which is still practiced in abattoirs today, was first developed during the 1880s. It was created to detect diseases such as trichinellosis, tuberculosis and taeniasis all of which were endemic at the time (Blackmore 1986). By detecting such diseases, it was possible to remove objectionable meat from the human food chain, thus protecting the public from toxic or infectious hazards. Since that time however, the method of meat inspection has changed little and it is only during recent years that the traditional methods are being scrutinised.
Extra pair paternity occurs when the female of a partner of a pair bonded couple engages in extra pair copulations (i.e. copulation with a male other than the bonded male) and as a result gives birth to offspring whose father is not the bonded male.
The Túngara frog is a tropical species of frog, upon which many mate choice studies have been performed. The male Túngara frog has a characteristic ‘whine-chuck’ mating call which has been exploited in these studies.
Polygynous mammalian mating systems are quite diverse, varying in how females and territories are guarded, as well as the uses of resources amongst other things. Only around 5% of mating systems in mammals are monogamous.
Avian mating systems are fairly diverse. Around 90% birds are monogamous, 8% polygynous and 1-2% polyandrous.
