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Long-term relationships are fundamentally dishonest. And it's all the fault of females.
Scientists claim that monogamous relationships among many species, including humans, only persist because females have found a way to disguise whether they are fertile.
The researchers claim that by offering sex anytime, but no clues as to whether they will conceive, females trick males into hanging round for a long time.
The evolution of this deception is the only reason that monogamy has developed.
Experts found animals that fool around are only following the urges of biology.
New studies using genetic testing techniques show that even the most apparently devoted of partners often go in search of the sexual company of strangers.
Females stray to gather the best possible genes for their offspring, while males are driven to father as many and as often as possible.
"True monogamy actually is rare," said Stephen T Emlen, an expert on evolutionary behaviour at Cornell University.
Magnus Enquist of Stockholm University and colleague Miguel Girones from the Netherlands Institute of Ecology have been modelling the development of monogamous relationships and claim that the state only develops when females start deceiving males about their fertility.
In many species, females often advertise their fertility with visual or chemical cues and, as a result, only suffer the amorous attentions of males when they are likely to conceive.
They typically avoid too much sex because it takes energy and leaves them at the risk of contracting disease. This behaviour also helps males decide with whom to mate, and when they can move on and try to spread their genes elsewhere.
Roguish behaviour
In many other species, such as humans, birds and porcupines, females hide their fertility and so keep males hanging round on the off-chance that they will conceive.
This deception also discourages males from seeking other mates because they are just as likely to be fertile as the female the male has shacked up with claims Magnus Enquist.
The pair tested their theory in a mathematical model and found that males only stopped their roguish bachelor lifestyle when females start hiding their fertility.
"Classical explanations of sexual behaviour always focus on the male," Magnus Enquist told New Scientist. "But this gives stronger focus on the woman."
Birds of a feather
Faithful sex partnership has been thought for years to be widespread among birds.
The eastern bluebird was considered a prime example, with male and female partners working together to build nests, incubate eggs, then feed and raise their young.
But researchers have found that the bluebirds have a sex life that rivals a television soap opera.
Patricia Adair Gowarty, a behavioural ecologist at the University of Georgia, has found that 15% to 20% of chicks cared for by a pair of bluebirds were not fathered by the male.
She found that only 10% of 180 socially monogamous species are sexually faithful.
The research is published in the journal Science.
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by Anonymous User on 12:56 PM June 19th, 2004 EST (#2)
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I find that they said that interesting, considering that statistically women cheat almost if not as MUCH as men do.
Oh, wait, silly me! I forgot!
It's DIFFERENT when women do it...!
(Sarcasam off)
Thundercloud.
"Hoka hey!"
A member of the outlaw gender.
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"Hogamus hogamus pigamus...man is polygamus. Pigamus pigamus hogamus...woman is monogamus"-Samuel Johnson
Thundercloud, there is a native reserve up here in Ontario called Tamogamy....was this some sort of arrangement you native folks worked out millenia ago?.....hehehehe
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