Polygyny

Definition

A mating system or social structure in which one male mates with multiple females, or in eusocial insects, a colony organization characterized by multiple reproductive females (queens) coexisting and contributing to the worker force. In behavioral ecology, polygyny often reflects strong sexual selection on males, with males competing for access to females through resource defense, female defense, or lekking. In social insects, polygyny contrasts with monogyny (single-queen colonies) and influences colony genetic diversity, division of labor, and ecological competitiveness.

Etymology

From Greek polys 'many' + gynē 'woman, wife'

Example

In the ant species Solenopsis invicta (red imported fire ant), colonies may be either monogyne with a single queen or polygyne with dozens of queens sharing reproduction; the polygyne form exhibits lower intracolony relatedness and different dispersal strategies.

Related Terms

• Polyandry
• Monogyny
• polygamy
• lek polygyny
• resource defense polygyny
• female defense polygyny
• eusociality
• Sexual selection
• operational sex ratio

Usage Notes

In animal behavior literature, distinguish polygyny (one male, multiple females) from polyandry (one female, multiple males) and polygynandry/promiscuity (both sexes mate multiply). In myrmecology and social insect studies, 'polygyny' specifically denotes multiple queens per colony, not queen mating frequency (which is polyandry). The term is sometimes qualified: 'resource-defense polygyny' when males control resources females need, 'female-defense polygyny' when males directly guard groups of females, and 'lek polygyny' when males aggregate to display and females choose mates without male resource control.