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Table 1 A comparison of rates of extra-pair paternity, and attributes of life-history, ecology and breeding biology in four Malurus species for which rates of extra-pair paternity are known.

From: Radical loss of an extreme extra-pair mating system

 

M. coronatus

M. cyaneus

M. splendens

M. melanocephalus

Extra-pair paternity

% Broods containing EP offspring

5.8

83 – 95

55, 83

75, 63

% EP offspring

4.4

66 – 81

42, 73

56, 51

% Offspring sired by within-group subordinate

1.8

5

5, 8

some

General biology

Number of helpers

1.3

0.9

0.6, 1.1

0.4

Number of male helpers

0.9

0.9

0.3, 0.6

0.4

Clutch size

3.0

3.2

2.9

2.8

Annual max # successful broods

2

3

2

> 1

% Annual pair-divorce

6.0

4.2

2.9

low

% Annual adult survival (male, female)

81, 81

75, 53; 67, 70

70, 59

 

% Incestuous pairings

16.4

15

21.3

 

Provisioning rate of males without helpers (feeds/h)

6.2

5.8, 6.4

  

Months breeding

All, 1–2 peak(s)

Aug–Feb

Aug–Jan

Oct–Feb

Average breeding synchrony (max)

11.5 (28.2)

18.1 (29.8)

  

Territory linearly arranged

Yes

No

No

No

Territory length in m

156

87

234, 237

262