Crews and Colleagues (1984, 1987) Examined Patterns of Reproduction with Regard

Crews and colleagues (1984, 1987) examined patterns of reproduction with regard to (1) gamete production, (2) secretion of sex steroids, and (3) timing of mating behavior in a wide variety of vertebrates and found that three general patterns of reproduction emerged. In the red-sided garter snake, for example, the window of mating opportunity is from 1 to 4 weeks, and courtship behavior of adult male snakes is activated by an increase in ambient temperature following winter dormancy, rather than by a surge in testicular hormones. Sperm produced 5 to 10 weeks later are stored for use during the next spring. This pattern would be an example of a(n)

A) associated reproductive pattern.
B) dissociated reproductive pattern.
C) interventional reproductive pattern.
D) opportunistic reproductive pattern.