Book review: ‘Sexual Selection’ by Marlene Zuk & Leigh W. Simmons

This is a very useful introduction to Charles Darwin’s ‘other’ great idea: sexual selection.

Nowadays, we tend to think of sexual selection as a special sub-category of natural selection. But Darwin was careful to keep the two separate: while natural selection concerned the struggle for survival, sexual selection concerned the struggle for mates. It’s an important distinction. To leave offspring, individuals who reproduce sexually need to survive long enough to mate, and they actually need to mate with one or more other individuals. Darwin’s theory of sexual selection explains the myriad physical and behavioural adaptations species have evolved to assist individuals in their struggles to mate.

As well as explaining Darwin’s original thinking, this book explores our current understanding of sexual selection, which has been greatly expanded since Darwin’s day.

It’s long been my personal hunch that sexual selection is far more important in the evolution of new species than it’s generally given credit for. I was, therefore, pleased to read that this has been a hotly debated topic over the years.

This book is a wonderful introduction to a fascinating subject. Highly recommended.