Finding and choosing mates can be complicated, and many species have evolved diverse strategies to do this successfully. There are species where one male mates with multiple females but also species that pair bond for life. While many species have some sort of courtship and female choice, there are others where mating is a much “sneakier” affair. Variation in mating behaviors can also exist within the same species. In this talk, we will learn about some of the cool mating systems and strategies of the animal kingdom, and discuss some explanations about how and why this variation comes about in the first place.
Sunishka Thakur is a fifth year PhD student at UT Austin studying alternative male reproductive tactics in a swordtail fish. She explores how behavior, physiology and neurobiology can be shaped by different mating behaviors used by males to mate with females. She also studies how females respond to these alternative mating strategies and how it affects their behavior and physiology.
Lecture Schedule
7:00 pm: Kid’s activities and natural history displays
7:15 pm – 7:45 pm: Guided tour of the Brackenridge Field Laboratory (sturdy shoes and water recommended!)
8:00 pm: The talk begins!
8:45 pm: Q&A with the speaker
📍 Location: Brackenridge Field Laboratory, 2907 Lake Austin Blvd, Austin, Texas 78703
💡 No RSVP is required – just show up and enjoy!
🅿️ Free parking is available at BFL for all lecture events!
🌦️ While we aim to host all events outdoors, sometimes weather conditions or volunteer capacity may require that we move the event inside the laboratory building.
