The Development Of Social Monogamy In Mammals
Two papers published this week have proposed explanations regarding the evolution of social monogamy among mammals and especially primates. Of three competing hypothesis, one proposes that a driving force in establishing social monogamy was the protection of offspring by preventing male infanticide, while the other proposes that social monogamy is the result of female intolerance towards each other and a low population density that simply prevents males from adequately "guarding" females from other males (1).
