New Study Flips Core Rule of Evolution
A new study on spotted hyenas challenges the traditional Darwin-Bateman paradigm by showing that female reproductive inequality is higher than male inequality over multiple generations. High-ranking female lineages accumulate dominance because social rank is inherited and maintained within natal clans.
Summary: A new study shows that female spotted hyenas exhibit greater reproductive inequality than males when evaluated over multiple generations. While single-generation metrics align with the traditional Darwin-Bateman paradigm, showing higher short-term reproductive variation among males, long-term pedigree analysis reveals that high-ranking female alpha lineages accumulate disproportionate descendants. Within six generations, virtually an entire clan traces back to an alpha matriarch.
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