Courtship refers to behavioral interactions between males and females of a species before, during, and after mating. It allows animals to select partners for reproduction and is influenced by evolutionary factors. Courtship behaviors serve to find mates, persuade females, synchronize reproduction, and promote reproductive isolation. Examples of courtship discussed include spiders presenting gifts to females, scorpions' promenade dance, fish nest-building and egg-fertilization, amphibian sound-making, reptile dancing, bird head-bobbing, and elephant trunk-caressing. Courtship is essential for successful reproduction and continuation of species.

1. UTTAM MEMORIAL COLLEGE
RAIGARH (C.G.)
Topic…. Courtship
• Guided by…..
• Miss Daya mam
• Presented by…
• Kalyan Singh Nayak
Class…M.Sc Zoology
1st Sem

2. Synopsis :-
1. Introduction
2. Cause of courtship
3. Characters of courtship
4. Origin of courtship
5. Examples of Courtship in animals
6. Attention in courtship
7. Breed care and courtship
8. Significance
9. Conclusion
10. References

3. 1. Introduction :-
The term courtship refers to the behavioural interactions that
occurs between males and females before , during , and just after act of mating .
Courtship is animals behaviour by which different species
select their partners for reproduction . It is a part of reproductive behaviour.
In various species time of courtship is also different-different
. In some animals it has short period and some animals it has long term period .
2. Cause of courtship :-
Courtship activities occurs in between individuals
of same species . It is either external fertilisation or internal fertilisation . Due to
following reasons :-
Evolutionary Aspects :- in evolutionary terms courtship
provides chances for better survival . Those animals are courting they increase
their species and generations and those animals not courting they cannot
increase their generation . They are sterile and loss.

4. According to Charles Darwin :-
1. Courtship sometimes helps male and female to find each other .
2. To indicate suitable breeding sites each other .
Mechanical cause :- in a mature male during reproductive time its body
circulates some hormones that results he understand female stimuli and
responses to them .
3. Characteristics of courtship :-
1. Mate finding
2. Persuation
3. Synchronization
4. Reproductive isolation

5. 1. Mate finding :-
in higher animals , mate finding is highly organized process
which involves one or more of the senses such as – vision , smell , sound , even
taste .
2. Persuation :-
male perform certain behavioural activities (produce signals)
which stimulate females until she becomes sexually receptive .
3. Synchronization :-
the occurrence of the same behaviour in a male and female
of same species at the same time is called Synchronization. It is especially
important in species in which there external fertilization .
4. Reproductive isolation :-
the courtship ensure that animals mate only with a
members of their own species .

6. 4. Origin of courtship :-
Tinberzen observed that territorial behaviour and
copulation occurs same time . They said that territorial defence is essentials
in a reproductive period . Those animals courtship displays (show) they
defence their territory in reproductive period . fishes , reptiles , amphibians ,
and mammals protect their territory in reproductive period .
Before stating of reproductive period male
and female occupance each other and protect their copulatory partner .
They repeatly survey their territory so other animals not enters in that area
. Male and live stayed that place when their childern not fully developed .
Lorenz and Tinberzen supposed that
territorial place is origin of courtship .

7. 5. Examples of courtship behaviour :-
1. Spider :-
spiders are predatory animals . Female spiders are cannibalastic
too . Male spider are small and weaker , he sexually stimulates female and
suppress her non-sexual characteres . Male spider present the female wit
nuptial gift in the form of an unwrapped insect . While female unwrap the gift
and eat insect , the male is able to mate with her .

8. 2. Scorpion :-
Male scorpion , he sexually stimulates female and suppress
her non-sexual characteres so that she may not eat him .
in scorpion courtship takes place in the form of
a special dance called “Promenade A Deus” . On finding a suitable mate ,
male and female scorpion stand face to face with their upraised tails and
move in circles . Then the male seizes female with his padilop and they
together walk forword and backwaord (Pronmenade) .
this dance process takes 10 min-hours . Then male find a
suitable site on ground and deposit his spermatophore ( sperms
packet/pouches) . Then the female pickup the spermatophores and take over
genital area . pressure on the lever of spermatophore releases the sperm
mass , which is taken into the female orifice .

10. 3. Fish :-
Three Spined sticklebeck fish --- the reproductive behaviour
activates in longer day length / spring season . That results male belly region
color change into blood red color and females abdomen become enlarge .
Due to this types of changes breeding seasons the male left
their groups and became their own self territory (nest) . This nest is built of
algae and weeds in bottom sandy place . The male defend their territory from
other males .
now male attract the female with zig zag
dance pattern , then male shows nest and give signals to female to enter in it .
She enters the nest and spawns (egg layout) and then swims out from other
side . The male follow her through the nest and fertilize the eggs .
if the female is not going in nest male immidiately
starts quiering (gentle tapping) .

12. 4. Amphibians :-
male bullfrogs and toads produce sounds by their
vocal cord and ampilify them by inflatable sacs present in their
mouth , because sound become more louder and longer and
attractive to females. Ova and sperms are release simultaneously
and external fertilization takes place in water.

13. 5. Reptiles :-
many species of snakes copulation through olfactory
stimulation . They courtship display through drammatic dance . By
this dancing process they stimulates each other and also shows
aggressive behavior .

14. 6. Birds :-
Herring Gulls – both male and female bob their heads
upward uttering a soft melodious call with each bob . After a series of
such mutual head tossing the male takes the initiative in copulations
and suddenly mounts and mates.

15. 7. Mammals :-
Courting in elephants – the
elephants use tactile signals
during courtship . The trunk
plays an important role in
courtship behaviour . After
chasing the female the male
caresses her head , trunk
and tusk , then male and
female courting .

16. 6.Attraction and courtship :-
whether fertilization is external or internal one
partner must interact the other to take up mating posture this is called attraction
and courtship.
A courting animal can draw variety of signals such as :-
---Sound :- frogs , toads , zingur
---Color :- butterfly , chamaeleon
---Light :- Jugunu
7. Brood care and courtship :-
brood care and courtship is a two forms of
one coin . Male Sticklebeck fish build nest , in that female comes and egg
layout but eggs are caring by males .

17. 8. Conclusion :-
in this way we say that courtship is a one types of
reproductive behavior that is occurs in between male and female of same species
amd those species produce their offsprings and forword their generations .
9. References :-
Animal Behavior -- Dr. V. K. Agarwal
Animal Behavior – Dr. Reena Mathur
By Net

18. Have
A
Nice
Day…