Odd Couples: Extraordinary Differences between the Sexes in the Animal Kingdom

"If you want to find out why adult male elephant seals can weigh more than four times as much as an adult female, whereas female blanket octopuses are truly enormous compared to their tiny male partners, this fascinating book is for you. Daphne Fairbairn not only introduces us to some exceptional animals but she also provides evolutionary explanations for why males are much larger (or much smaller) than females of their species. A great topic and a great read for layperson and biologist alike."—John Alcock, author of Animal Behavior: An Evolutionary Approach

"Odd couples indeed! Fairbairn takes us on a journey through oceans, grasslands, beaches, and backyards, plunging us into the worlds of nature's most weird and wonderful creatures, all to answer one question: why are males and females different? By tackling extremes—such as male octopuses forty thousand times lighter than their mates, and parasitic male seadevils who fuse themselves to the bellies of females—she deftly illustrates how a common set of concepts can connect them all. A thoroughly enjoyable read."—Doug Emlen, coauthor of Evolution: Making Sense of Life

"A fascinating natural history account of some extreme and unfamiliar examples of sexual differences among animals. A real eye-opener."—Mark Elgar, University of Melbourne

"This unique, ambitious, and engaging book educates general readers about animal behavior, physiology, life history, and evolution using sex differences as its theme. Quite an achievement and a pleasure to read."—Allen J. Moore, University of Georgia