ABSTRACT
The mating system of a species, i.e. the strategy employed in obtaining mates, is modeled by the selective pressures associated with reproduction through sperm versus reproduction through eggs. According to Bateman's principle (1948), since eggs are more costly to be produced than sperm, the reproductive success of females is limited by access to resources necessary to produce eggs, whereas the reproductive success of males is limited by the availability of females (i.e. by eggs to fertilize). Therefore male strategies will be different from those of females and reproductive success of males can be highly variable, which can lead to conflicts of interests between the sexes.
