of sexual selection involves mate choice. If
             members of one sex display a consensus about the qualities that are desired
             in mates, then those who possess the desired qualities have a preferential
             mating advantage. Those lacking the desired qualities get rejected and
             selectively excluded. Because the descendants of this process are more
             likely to carry both the preferences and the characteristics preferred, the
             two may co-evolve over time. Sexual selection through mate choice
             ultimately reduces to mate competition, because those possessing desired
             features have a competitive mating advantage over those of the same sex who
             In sum, intrasexual competition and intersexual selection are the two
             processes by which useful selected characteristics can evolve. They evolve
             not because of any survival advantage, but rather because of reproductive
             advantage acquired through successful mate competition.
             Darwin (1871: 83) also noted that males are more sexually promiscuous
             and females more selective. This pattern is evident to all species,
             This is because males select to seek out sexual variety because this
             tendency allows them to disseminate their genes widely by fertilizing
             multiple females in rapid succession, whereas females, once pregnant, gain
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