Define polygyny and give a mammal example.

• A. A mating system in which one female mates with multiple males.
• B. A social structure where females defend a territory.
• C. A mating system in which multiple males form a coalition to guard a female.
• D. A mating system in which one male mates with multiple females; many ungulates and big cats show this.

Answer: (D)

Polygyny is a mating system in which one male mates with multiple females. This pattern often arises when a male can effectively monopolize access to several receptive females, allowing him to achieve higher reproductive success by controlling a group of mates. In mammals, this is common among many ungulates such as deer, elk, and antelope, where a dominant male or a small group of males holds a harem of females. It also appears in big cats like lions, where a male or a coalition of males may have repeated mating access to several females within a pride.

The other descriptions describe different social arrangements. One female with multiple males is polyandry, which is rare in mammals. A social structure where females defend a territory emphasizes female-driven territory defense rather than who is mating with whom. A system where multiple males form a coalition to guard a female points to a different pattern focused on male cooperation for guarding, not the classic one-male-to-multiple-females setup that defines polygyny.