The evolution of infanticide by females in mammals.

ABSTRACT: In most mammalian species, females regularly interact with kin, which is expected to reduce aggressive competitive behaviour among females. It may thus be difficult to understand why infanticide by females has been reported in numerous species and is sometimes perpetrated by groupmates. Here, we investigate the evolutionary determinants of infanticide by females by combining a quantitative analysis of the taxonomic distribution of infanticide with a qualitative synthesis of the circumstances of infanticidal attacks in published reports. Our results show that female infanticide is widespread across mammals and varies in relation to social organization and life history, being more frequent where females breed in groups and have intense bouts of high reproductive output. Specifically, female

SUBMITTER: Lukas D 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6664130 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature