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MATING GAME HEADLINE: The mating game; hormones and animal sexual activities; includes related articles on animal maternal love and an school experiment on mate selection BYLINE: Stiefel, Chana BODY: On Saturday nights the world over (and every other day of the week, for that matter), Romeos and Juliets of the animal kingdom--from ants to zebras--are also preening and "dating." Now biologists are discovering how brain chemistry affects animal mating styles, and are piecing together the many meanings of animal courtship rituals. Their consensus: AnimAls and humans who "fall in love" share more traits in common than ever believed. For starters, new research shows that some mammals release hormones (chemicals that affect body functions) like those of humans falling in love. Also, many animals "flirt" just like teens--they dance, sing, dress up, offer gifts, spray chemical perfumes and, yes, even fight over each other. To top it off, biologists are finding that the "show-off" antics many male animals perform to nab mates serve a vital purpose: The female gets to judge just how suitable her admirer is before making any commitment--and mating with him. Scientists now think the capacity for love is programmed into animal
biochemistry--especially hormones. Animals and plants produce hormones in very
small amounts, which have powerful effects on their organs and systems. Humans,
for example, produce 30 hormones in various body organs, ROMANCE! Similarly, the male vole's brain releases vasopressin, a hormone that prompts him to bond with his mate and guard her and their young from predators. "You can't imagine how much time these animals spend together," Carter says. "They spend over half their time sitting quietly touching each other. The release of hormones seals the bond." If that isn't romance, what is? HOW TO GET A DATE Sea horse pairs start each day by wrapping their tails around each other and
performing a tango around a blade of grass. Some scientists believe that sea
horses remain forever faithful to their mates. They've tried to persuade male
and female sea horses to "cheat" in a tank full of sea horse The next generation of sea horses will repeat their parents' romantic rituals. Scientists say that courtship behavior is often passed down from generation to generation. For creatures like sea horses, who spend no time with their parents after birth, courtship behavior is pure genetics, the result of "dance steps" passed down from one generation to another. Genes are chemical instructions in animal cells received from mom and dad. Of course, some young mammals pick up "dating" tricks by simply imitating their parents. Courtship strategies evolve over long periods of time, usually based on what
"works" for each species to survive, says Penny Kalk, a mammalogist at the Bronx
Zoo in New York. These genetically inherited traits are known as adaptations.
Evolution helps explain how cats of all kinds--from kittens to Siberian
tigers--have adapted the same mating rituals. In a courtship Other animal courtship adaptations abound. You may surprise your date with
STINGING LOVE If you find the scent of cologne alluring, you're not alone. Since the female
gypsy moth can't fly, she manufactures her own natural "perfume" to attract a
far-away male. She releases chemicals called pheromones from a gland on her
abdomen. The pheromones waft into the air, carrying a specific DATING DANGERS The mating game can also be deadly. At the sight of a female, a male praying mantis freezes in place. He gradually but cautiously moves toward her. Then he jumps on her and begins to mate. During mating, the female may twist around, bite off the male's head and eat it! Why do animals--including humans--go through such trouble to find their mates? Biologists say that the strongest drive in any creature is the desire to preserve one's genes for eternity. "The bottom line is getting your genes passed on to the next generation," explains zoologist Borgia Animals feel the need to pass on genes in the form of offspring, even if it means getting dumped, bruised, or beheaded. The species that try hardest have the best chance of survival. So dating and mating are a natural part of life on Earth. Happy Valentine's Day! RELATED ARTICLE: Mother Love How did love begin? Probably with motherhood. All across the animal kingdom, mothers nurture their offspring, making sure babies get off to a good start. An orangutan mom cares for her baby for four years. Then the toddler is ready for "independence day." In mammals and possibly other animals a hormone called oxytocin, released in the mother's brain during labor, is a spark bonding mother to child. Oxytocin blunts the physical pain of childbirth and induces sensations of pleasure. Without it a ewe, for example, can't recognize her own lamb. In many species other than mammals, however, moms aren't so loving. In general, insects, fish, turtles and other species that produce many eggs (and thus many offspring) provide little care--the more young that are born, the better the odds for survival of the species. The more loving moms, like mammals, are those who produce fewer offspring. RELATED ARTICLE: Call of the Wild How do animals find mates of their own species? WHAT YOU NEED WHAT TO DO
How many of you found "mates"? How is the activity similar to what animals do in the wild? When is sound a more reliable way to find mates than sights?
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