Casanovas not so hot, says study
Updated on 09 July 2009
Casanovas who are lucky in love may not - in one sense at least - be the biggest shots in the bedroom, a new theory suggests.
Less attractive men with fewer notches on their belts are likely to be more productive between the sheets, it is claimed.
Research suggests that in many species, the most desirable males restrict their "sperm load" with each mating to ensure enough to go round.
The same could be true of humans and other primates, say scientists.
If they are right, women looking for the best chance of getting pregnant might be advised to avoid handsome lotharios.
The theory proposes that males have evolved to look for the optimum "sperm load" per mating.
This varies depending on how many available females there are to mate with, and what the chances of mating with them are.
Males with the opportunity to mate with a lot of females would be likely to produce less sperm on each occasion than those making fewer sexual conquests.
Researchers modelled the concept of "spreading sperm" mathematically in a paper to be published in the journal American Naturalist.
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