Multimale

Multimale is a term used in biology and behavioral ecology to describe a social and reproductive arrangement in which more than one adult male participates in the breeding biology of a population or group. In a multimale system, multiple males may have access to the same females within a group, leading to potential multiple paternity within a single birth cohort.

Multimale groupings occur across taxa, including many primates (for example, some baboon and macaque groups), some ungulates, and various birds and fish. The exact configuration varies: some systems feature several adult males living together with a larger number of females, while in others several males mate with the same female within a breeding season; in some species the group is fluid with males joining or leaving.

Consequences of multimale mating include often uncertain paternity, which can drive sperm competition and cryptic female choice. Social dynamics feature male–male competition, coalitions, or dominance hierarchies. For females, multimale mating can increase genetic diversity of offspring or provide access to paternal care or other benefits depending on the species.

Relation to other mating systems: multimale is distinct from strict monogamy and from exclusive polygyny; it is sometimes described as polygynandry when both sexes have multiple partners. In some contexts the term describes the organization of the group rather than a fixed mating pattern, making its exact meaning context-dependent.

Research on multimale systems typically combines field observations with genetic analyses to assess paternity and group structure. Because mating can be partly cryptic and variable across populations, classifications as multimale may differ by species, population, and time period.