assortative mating

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noun Animal Behavior, Psychology.

the reproductive pairing of individuals that have more traits in common than would likely be the case if mating were random (contrasted with disassortative mating).

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Compare panmixia.

Origin of assortative mating

First recorded in 1895–1900

Words nearby assortative mating

assoluta, assonance, as soon, as soon as, assort, assortative mating, assorted, assortment, ASSR, asst., assuage

How to use assortative mating in a sentence

Eastern screech-owls also have assortative mating, but how they identify one another’s ages is still a mystery, at least for us humans.
Three love stories about birds that will delight your heart|Laura Erickson|November 6, 2020|Popular-Science
In this case, the mathematician can give us a coefficient of resemblance, or of assortative mating, which we write as zero.
Applied Eugenics|Paul Popenoe and Roswell Hill Johnson
But in any case the existence of assortative mating for such traits is significant.
Applied Eugenics|Paul Popenoe and Roswell Hill Johnson
Such assortative mating means that the offspring will usually be well endowed with a talent.
Applied Eugenics|Paul Popenoe and Roswell Hill Johnson

What it does mean is that like tends to mate with like—called assortative mating.
Applied Eugenics|Paul Popenoe and Roswell Hill Johnson
There is thus assortative mating for height, but it is far from perfect.
Applied Eugenics|Paul Popenoe and Roswell Hill Johnson