Sizing Up Antlers

Why are male ungulate (hoofed mammals) antlers and horns so large? In his theory of natural selection, Darwin suggested antler size provides an honest indicator of an animal's health, sexual vigor or ability to fight. That way, females choosing male ungulates with hefty antlers could ensure fit offspring.

In one of the first tests of this ungulate headdress theory, a team of scientists analyzed long-term data on antler size from three territorial populations of European roe deer. They found that antler size was associated with two indicators of the deer's health: age and body mass.

"Body mass and age are both reliable descriptors of individual quality in most vertebrates and have been shown to affect the ability to fight and the dominance of males," said lead researcher Cécile Vanpé. "Hence, by choosing their sexual partners on the basis of their large antlers, females may thus ensure that they mate with a high quality mate."

The study is detailed in the April issue of the American Naturalist.

--LiveScience Staff

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Credit: Olivier Villa