Sex in Killer Whales: Behavior, Exogamy, and the Evolution of Sexual Strategies in the Ocean’s Apex Predator
Brianna M. Wright,
Eva H. Stredulinsky,
John K. B. Ford
Abstract:We present the current available knowledge about sexual behavior and mating systems in the killer whale, Orcinus orca, focusing primarily on the most well-studied ecotype, the Residents of the eastern North Pacific. Resident killer whales display lifetime natal philopatry of both sexes and thus form stable social groupings organized along maternal lines. Inbreeding is minimized via exogamous mating during multigroup aggregations that are diffusely seasonal. Male reproductive success in Residents is highly skew… Show more
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