Smaller tree frogs are more likely to "cheat" their way to a mate, French scientists have found.
They found that smaller males lurked near the sound of an attractive call, rather than calling more frequently than their larger rivals. Research suggests that "cheat" tactics are mainly caused by the intrinsic disadvantage of being small.
The scientists wanted to learn more about what causes animals to use "parasitic tactics" rather than "bourgeois tactics" during the mating season.
"Bourgeois" or "classic" tactics involve a high-energy investment and competition for reproduction, whereas "parasitic" or "sneaking" tactics involve exploiting the energy invested by another male.
Why do I love sex?? Because there's ALWAYS something new to learn about sex. "Bourgeois" v. "parasitic" mating tactics just gave me a whole new way of looking at a bar scene, for example.
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