Sexual Selection And Species Recognition Promote Complex Male Courtship Displays In Ungulates

Behavioral Ecology, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 35(3)

Published: April 8, 2024

Abstract Identifying the evolutionary drivers of sexual signal complexity is a key challenge in study animal communication. Among mammals, male bovids and cervids often perform elaborate gestural displays during courtship, consisting ritualized movements various parts body but causes underlying interspecific variation such remain poorly understood. Here we apply comparative method to investigate which factors may have either promoted or constrained repertoire size. We found that selection was strong predictor display cervids. Repertoire size positively correlated with breeding group size, an indicator intensity males. Moreover, repertoires were larger species adopting nonterritorial lek mating systems than resource-defence territoriality, finding can be explained by more emphasis on direct benefits indirect systems, where success also less skewed due difficulty monopolizing mates. The results indicate number closely related occurring sympatry. This consistent being selected facilitate recognition courtship thereby avoid hybridization. At same time, negatively associated mass, possibly energetic mechanical constraints imposed very large species. By contrast, no evidence habitat drives for complex displays.

Language: Английский

Colony size as the main driver of the evolution of song diversity and composition in weaverbirds

Published: June 25, 2024

Birdsong is a complex signal shaped by multiple factors and has been explored most widely through the lens of sexual selection, but with mixed results. Here, we focus on evolution two song parameters, diversity, which studied, composition, poorly understood. We assessed potential role mating system as proxy in addition, investigated whether colony size, sociality, phylogenetic history influence these parameters weaverbirds family (Aves: Ploceidae). Using comparative path analyses find that, expected, species living larger colonies present greater diversity had similar composition. However, contrary to expectations, polygamous do not higher nor more acoustic composition than monogamous species. A relatively high effect phylogeny was detected both variables. Our results thus suggest this family, sociality stronger driver selection. These findings highlight importance multifaceted approach when studying bird relevance sociality.

Language: Английский

Links Between Variation in Movement-Based Visual Signals and Social Communication Complexity in an Asian Agamid Lizard Phrynocephalus vlangalii

Animals, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 15(1), P. 38 - 38

Published: Dec. 27, 2024

The social complexity hypothesis suggests that complex interactions drive the evolution of sophisticated communicative signals. While relationship between communication and sound color signals has been extensively studied, correlation movement-based visual signal remains underexplored. In this study, we selected Asian agamid lizard, Phrynocephalus vlangalii, as our model system. Through a combination controlled experiments, behavioral observations, quantification, examined communications variation in tested hypothesis. Our experiments revealed males significantly decreased tail coil duration during mating season to deal with high interaction. Conversely, females increased display mean amplitude line intensity parental care, showed significant positive female reproductive investment. These findings suggest plays an important role shaping changes signals, providing new evidence for

Language: Английский