This implies that other benefits the father can offer the mother or offspring are less relevant than they may appear, including his capacity as a parental caregiver, territory and any nuptial gifts.Fisher's principle means that the sex ratio (except in certain eusocial insects) is always near 1:1 between males and females, yet what matters most are her "sexy sons'" future breeding successes, more likely if they have a promiscuous father, in creating large numbers of offspring carrying copies of her genes.[5]Ronald Fisher's principle, as published in his book The Genetical Theory of Natural Selection, is one of several possible explanations for the highly diverse and often astonishing ornaments of animals.[12] Such can be the case for the Guianan cock-of-the-rocks, whose male members spend a majority of their time and energy maintaining their plumage and attempting to seek the most matings.[14] Because pronghorn males do not have costly ornaments, the authors conclude that female choice for good genes can exist in the absence of obvious sexual selection cues such as elaborate antlers.Like good genes, the sexy son hypothesis assumes the existence of indirect genetic benefits that are able to compensate for any inferior direct reproductive success (i.e., fewer offspring).
Ronald Fisher in 1912
Guianan cock-of-the-rock
The successful sperm is the one that fuses with the egg.