mafia hypothesis

proper noun

A hypothesis that posits that host birds accept brood parasite eggs and chicks to avoid retaliatory destruction of their nests by the parasite, establishing a coevolutionary equilibrium where host compliance is maintained through parasite aggression.

Ask AI about this wordChatGPTClaudePerplexityGoogle AIGrok

Meanings

proper nounthe mafia hypothesis
  1. biologyA hypothesis that posits that host birds accept brood parasite eggs and chicks to avoid retaliatory destruction of their nests by the parasite, establishing a coevolutionary equilibrium where host compliance is maintained through parasite aggression.
Cite this entry
APA

mafia hypothesis. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/mafia%20hypothesis

MLA

“mafia hypothesis.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/mafia%20hypothesis. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “mafia hypothesis,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/mafia%20hypothesis.

Source: mafia hypothesis on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.