Polygyny in animals is a mating system in which one male lives and mates with more than one female. Each female only mates with a single male. If several females mate with several males it is either as promiscuity or polygynandry. Typical polygyny is one-male, multi-female groups. The system is widespread.

Polygynandry is a mating system in which both males and females have multiple mating partners during a breeding season. In sexually reproducing diploid animals, different mating strategies are employed by males and females, because the cost of gamete production is lower for males than it is for females.