Ever since Darwin’s pioneering work, the definition of sexual selection has been subject to recurrent controversies. The main focus of a more recent debate centers on whether or not sexual selection encompasses intra-sexual competition for resources other than gametes. Specifically, it has been proposed to define sexual selection as competition for access to gametes and to consider competition for any other resources provided by mates as forms of natural selection. In this review, I elaborate on several drawbacks of this gamete-centered approach arguing that it (i) implies an artificial split of pre-copulatory competition for mates into two indistinguishable processes, (ii) hinders the identification and quantification of sexual selection and therefore its separation from other forms of natural selection, (iii) gives rise to an overly male-biased perception on sexual selection, and (iv) does not conform to Darwin’s original conception. In an attempt to provide a definition, which is explicit regarding the ultimate target of intra-sexual competition, I propose to define sexual selection as competition for access to reproductive resources provided by potential mating partners. I specify the main characteristics of this alternative definition in the context of previous ones and discuss potential limitations.

中文翻译：

---

性选择：争夺交配伙伴提供的资源

自从达尔文的开创性工作以来，性选择的定义就一直饱受争议。最近争论的主要焦点集中在性选择是否包括对配子以外的资源的性内竞争。具体来说，有人建议将性选择定义为获取配子的竞争，并将对配偶提供的任何其他资源的竞争视为自然选择的形式。在这篇评论中，我详细阐述了这种以配子为中心的方法的几个缺点，认为它（i）意味着将交配前的交配竞争人为地分为两个不可区分的过程，（ii）阻碍了性选择的识别和量化，因此它与其他形式的自然选择的分离，（iii）导致对性选择的看法过于男性偏见，（iv）不符合达尔文最初的概念。为了提供一个明确的定义，明确说明性内竞争的最终目标，我建议将性选择定义为争夺潜在交配伙伴提供的生殖资源的竞争。我在以前的定义的背景下详细说明了这个替代定义的主要特征，并讨论了潜在的局限性。