For narwhals, the ‘unicorn of the seas,’ size matters for sexual selection

Showy peacock feathers, extravagant elk antlers and powerful crayfish claws are just a few examples of the ostentatious animal extremes used to compete for and attract mates, a process called sexual selection. Now, we can add the ‘unicorn of the seas,’ the narwhal, to the list. A new study demonstrates the best evidence to date that the narwhal tusk functions as a sexual trait.