John Alcock

Despite competition between males for mates, it is females who retain primary control over reproduction. This is due to the fact that she alone produces eggs and exerts a great deal of control over which male’s sperm will fertilize her eggs. A variety of factors come into play when a female decides which male she will allow to inseminate her–male resources, male appearance, and courtship displays all play roles. Males have evolved elaborate ways of influencing female behavior, and this evolutionary process has, over time, produced more and more effective operators in the arena of sexual interaction.