Re: Hamilton meets Matata

From: Malcolm (malcolm_at_55bank.freeserve.co.uk)
Date: 03/12/05

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    Date: Fri, 11 Mar 2005 20:06:42 -0500 (EST)

    "Tim Tyler" <tim@tt1lock.org> wrote
    >
    > You are suggesting that organisms might invent and use paternity testing?
    >
    > I notice that that has actually happened - albeit quite recently.
    >
    Some mammals seem to be able to detect differences in immune types. Antibody
    genes are very polymorphic, because there is frequency-dependent selection.
    it helps to have a rare defence system that pathogens haven't evolved to
    outwit.

    However the behaviour that has been observed is that matings are
    preferentially with mates of a distant type. This shows that the capacity to
    recognise kin is there.

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    Relevant Pages

    • Re: Hamilton meets Matata
      ... > You are suggesting that organisms might invent and use paternity testing? ... > I notice that that has actually happened - albeit quite recently. ... Some mammals seem to be able to detect differences in immune types. ...
      (sci.bio.evolution)
    • Re: Hamilton meets Matata
      ... >> You are suggesting that organisms might invent and use paternity ... > Some mammals seem to be able to detect differences in immune types. ... That this and other similar kin-based behaviors exist ...
      (sci.bio.evolution)