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Brief Communication Arising

Nature 454, E2 (10 July 2008) | doi:10.1038/nature07123

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Höner et al. reply

Oliver P. Höner1, Bettina Wachter1, Marion L. East1, W. Jürgen Streich1, Kerstin Wilhelm1, Terry Burke2 & Heribert Hofer1

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Replying to: R. C. Van Horn, H. E. Watts & K. E. Holekamp Nature 454, 10.1038/nature07122 (2008)

We demonstrated that female mate-choice, rather than male inbreeding avoidance, resources or male–male competition, drives male-biased dispersal in spotted hyaenas (Crocuta crocuta)1. We further showed that females use two simple rules based on male tenure to choose their sires, and that males gain substantial fitness benefits by responding to these preferences1. Van Horn et al.2 accept our principal conclusions but claim that females base mate-choice on dispersal status rather than tenure. Their argument overlooks the fact that at least one of the two female mate-choice rules cannot be explained by dispersal status, and it is based on statistical analyses and a selection of males that we consider inappropriate for tests of female mate preference.