Odd Couples

Daphne J. Fairbairn is professor of biology at the University of California, Riverside. She has written widely on the science of sexual differences.

One of American Association for the Advancement of Science's Books for General Audiences and Young Adults 2014 "Balancing descriptive natural history with probing evolutionary biology, Fairbairn (Sex, Size & Gender Roles, coeditor), professor of biology at the University of California Riverside, examines eight striking cases of extreme size differences between males and females of the same species... The conclusion she draws from this amazing diversity is as profound as it is simple: 'there is no "normal" or "typical" pattern of sexual differentiation across the animal kingdom.' "--Publishers Weekly "I found reading the book like taking a holiday in a foreign land with an enthusiastic and expert guide. You will come back with good stories, and a new appreciation of the amazing diversity of life on Earth and the forces shaping it."--Suzanne Alonzo, Nature "I understand much more about these creatures now that I've read this lively new book... [L]ike all of the examples in this fine book, it's far from a traditional marriage."--Laurence A. Marschall, Natural History "Such insights into the lives of animals are what makes Odd Couples so enjoyable, and Fairbairn always takes an evolutionist-eye view to try to understand them."--Kate Douglas, New Scientist "When we discuss gender roles, we tend to think only of a narrow range of species conforming to our preconceptions about dominant men and domestic women. Fairbairn explodes these preconceptions... [F]ascinating reading."--Danielle Clode, Australian "The author has thought deeply about this topic and writes clearly about the many influences and consequences of sexual and natural selection and how they impinge upon reproductive fitness for different animal lineages. An utterly fascinating book that will change how you think about sexual differences."--GrrlScientist "Recommended."--Library Journal "[A]n amazing story... [A]n easy and enjoyable read... It is ambitious, it is an excellent natural history chronicle and it is a nice encyclopedia of sexual differences. Overall, a good one for the library."--D. J. Hosken, Current Biology "Looking at some of the most amazing creatures on the planet, Odd Couples sheds astonishing light on what it means to be male or female in the animal kingdom."--Northeastern and Southeastern Naturalist "[T]his accessible volume is well organized, and its impressive helpings of technical details never impede readability."--Adrian Barnett, BBC Wildlife Magazine "In observing the differences between genders, Darwin proposed both individual and natural selection. In this well-written, fascinating volume, Fairbairn explores how the two kinds of selection work to produce the 'odd couples' of the title... [Odd Couples] should appeal to lay and professional readers alike."--Choice "Odd Couples is a very informative and enjoyable book for anyone interested in animal life history... I can recommend it for any interested naturalist whether professional or nonprofessional."--Roger D. Applegate, Canadian Field Naturalist "Be prepared to be entertained and fascinated by this stimulating and provocative book. It is certain to spark your curiosity. Fairbairn lakes us on a romp through the animal kingdom... This book provides ample incentive for continued investigations."--Ann Hedrick, Ecology "Odd Couples present[s] a fun and enlightening plunge into the natural history of some very exceptional animals, along with an authoritative and accessible summary of current evolutionary theory on sex differences."--Robert Cox, Reports of the National Center for Science Education "Daphne Fairbairn has written an engaging and fascinating book... The well-written text flows nicely. Lay readers will enjoy natural history descriptions; discussions of fitness and Darwinian selection will ... appeal to professional biologists for whom this book is an excellent model of clear scientific writing."--AAAS

• Chapter 1: Introduction 1 Chapter 2: The Roots of Sexual Differences: Why Male and Female Animals Differ 9 Chapter 3: Elephant Seals: Harems, Hierarchies, and Giant Males 23 Chapter 4: Great Bustards: Gorgeous Males and Choosy Females 46 Chapter 5: Shell-Carrying Cichlids: Protective Males and Furtive Females 64 Chapter 6: Yellow Garden Spiders: Sedentary Females and Roving Males 81 Chapter 7: Blanket Octopuses: Drifting Females and Dwarf Males 104 Chapter 8: Giant Seadevils: Fearsome Females and Parasitic Males 116 Chapter 9: Bone-Eating Worms: Female Tubeworms with Harems of Minuscule Males 133 Chapter 10: Shell-Burrowing Barnacles: Sac-Like Females with Harems of Phallic Males 147 Chapter 11: The Diversity of Sexual Differences: Differences between Males and Females across the Animal Kingdom 160 Chapter 12: Concluding Remarks 187 Acknowledgments 195 Appendix A: Scientific Names Corresponding to Common Names Used in the Text 197 Appendix B: Summary of Sexual Dimorphisms by Animal Phylum 203 Notes 207 Glossary of Technical Terms 239 Sources 247 Illustration Credits 287 Index 289