Note to users. If you're seeing this message, it means that your browser cannot find this page's style/presentation instructions -- or possibly that you are using a browser that does not support current Web standards. Find out more about why this message is appearing, and what you can do to make your experience of our site the best it can be.

Science 20 September 2002:
Vol. 297. no. 5589, p. 1953
DOI: 10.1126/science.297.5589.1953i
Prev | Table of Contents | Next

This Week in Science

In most mammal species, competition between males for female partners has led to sexual size dimorphism (SSD)--that males are usually larger. Males also tend to die sooner than females, and while male aggression takes its toll, some studies suggest that differences in parasite load between males and females are also to blame. Moore and Wilson (p 2015; see the Perspective by Owens) performed a meta-analysis across many species and found that male-biased parasitism is predictable and depends on the extent of sexual selection, as measured by either mating system or the degree of SSD. Across species, sex differences in parasite loads were associated with sex differences in mortality.




To Advertise     Find Products

Science. ISSN 0036-8075 (print), 1095-9203 (online)