1
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Logue DM, Bonnell TR. Skewed performance distributions as evidence of motor constraint in sports and animal displays. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2023; 10:230692. [PMID: 38026035 PMCID: PMC10645065 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.230692] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2023] [Accepted: 10/11/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023]
Abstract
Animal displays (i.e. movement-based signals) often involve extreme behaviours that seem to push signallers to the limits of their abilities. If motor constraints limit display performance, signal evolution will be constrained, and displays can function as honest signals of quality. Existing approaches for measuring constraint, however, require multiple kinds of behavioural data. A method that requires only one kind could open up new research directions. We propose a conceptual model of performance under constraint, which predicts that the distribution of constrained performance will skew away from the constraint. We tested this prediction with sports data, because we know a priori that athletic performance is constrained and that athletes attempt to maximize performance. Performance consistently skewed in the predicted direction in a variety of sports. We then used statistical models based on the skew normal distribution to estimate the constraints on athletes and displaying animals while controlling for potential confounds and clustered data. We concluded that motor constraints tend to generate skewed behaviour and that skew normal models are useful tools to estimate constraints from a single axis of behavioural data. This study expands the toolkit for identifying, characterizing, and comparing performance constraints for applications in animal behaviour, physiology and sports.
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Affiliation(s)
- David M. Logue
- Department of Psychology, University of Lethbridge, Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada
- Department of Biology, University of Puerto Rico Mayaguez, Mayaguez, Puerto Rico
| | - Tyler R. Bonnell
- Department of Psychology, University of Lethbridge, Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada
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2
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Lane SM, Briffa M. The effect of performance capacity and decision-making speed on skilful fighting. Anim Behav 2023. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2023.03.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/03/2023]
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3
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Vianna VR, Costa GC, de Alencar PR, Dias RI. Road mortality in the blue‐black grassquit (
Volatinia jacarina
) is seasonally driven and sex‐biased. AUSTRAL ECOL 2023. [DOI: 10.1111/aec.13325] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/09/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Vinícius Rozendo Vianna
- Faculdade de Ciências da Educação e Saúde Centro Universitário de Brasília 70790‐075 Brasília Distrito Federal Brazil
| | - Gabriel Carvalho Costa
- Faculdade de Ciências da Educação e Saúde Centro Universitário de Brasília 70790‐075 Brasília Distrito Federal Brazil
| | - Pedro Rodrigues de Alencar
- Faculdade de Ciências da Educação e Saúde Centro Universitário de Brasília 70790‐075 Brasília Distrito Federal Brazil
| | - Raphael Igor Dias
- Faculdade de Ciências da Educação e Saúde Centro Universitário de Brasília 70790‐075 Brasília Distrito Federal Brazil
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4
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Moody NM, Vivlamore EK, Fuxjager MJ. Woodpecker drum evolution: An analysis of covariation in elements of a multicomponent acoustic display among and within species. Evolution 2022; 76:1469-1480. [PMID: 35665503 DOI: 10.1111/evo.14535] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2021] [Revised: 02/15/2022] [Accepted: 03/10/2022] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
Multicomponent signals are found throughout the animal kingdom, but how these elaborate displays evolve and diversify is still unclear. Here, we explore the evolution of the woodpecker drum display. Two components of this territorial sexually selected signal, drum speed and drum length, are used by territory holders to assess the threat level of an intruding drummer. We explore the coevolution of these display components both among and within species. Among species, we find evidence for strong coevolution of drum speed and length. Within species, we find that drum speed and length vary largely independent of each other. However, in some species, there is evidence of covariation in certain portions of the drum length distribution. The observed differences in component covariation at the macro- and microevolutionary scales highlight the importance of studying signal structure both among and within species. In all cases of covariation at both evolutionary scales, the relationship between drum speed and length is positive, indicating mutual elaboration of display components and not a performance trade-off.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicole M Moody
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Organismal Biology, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, 02912, USA
| | - Emma K Vivlamore
- Department of Biology, Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, North Carolina, 27101, USA
| | - Matthew J Fuxjager
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Organismal Biology, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, 02912, USA
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5
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6
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Fuxjager MJ, Fusani L, Schlinger BA. Physiological innovation and the evolutionary elaboration of courtship behaviour. Anim Behav 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2021.03.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
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7
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8
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Ota N, Gahr M. Context‐sensitive dance–vocal displays affect song patterns and partner responses in a socially monogamous songbird. Ethology 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/eth.13240] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Nao Ota
- Department of Behavioural Neurobiology Max Planck Institute for Ornithology Seewiesen Germany
- JSPS Overseas Research Fellow Japan Society for the Promotion of Science Tokyo Japan
| | - Manfred Gahr
- Department of Behavioural Neurobiology Max Planck Institute for Ornithology Seewiesen Germany
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9
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Silva-Jr EF, Diniz P, Macedo RH. Song varies with latitude, climate, and species richness in a Neotropical bird. Behav Ecol 2021. [DOI: 10.1093/beheco/arab112] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Animals can encode information within acoustic signals, particularly, bird songs can be remarkably complex and can indicate individual identity and quality. Two main sets of hypotheses attempt to explain the evolution of increased birdsong complexity across large-scale geographic ranges: 1) larger acoustic space availability, and 2) greater sexual selection intensity, both of which would favor the evolution of more complex songs at higher latitudes, more seasonal and/or species-poor environments. However, few studies have assessed patterns of song complexity for birds with broad geographic ranges. Here, we determined patterns of song variation in the blue-black grassquit (Volatinia jacarina), considering metrics of song complexity, structure and performance. This Neotropical bird occurs from Mexico to Argentina and produces a monosyllabic song. Using recordings from online databases, we calculated song metrics, such as bandwidth, song rate, number of song components, and proportion of vibratos of this signal. We found that song features varied with latitude, climate seasonality, bird species richness, and hemisphere. However, contrary to theoretical predictions, complexity mostly decreased with latitude and greater seasonality, while it was positively correlated with bird species richness. Proportion of vibratos was positively correlated with latitude and seasonality, and may be a feature under sexual selection in this species. Overall, our results did not support the main hypotheses proposed as explanations for song complexity. Our findings also highlight that song complexity does not vary uniformly among songbirds and song parameters, and future studies encompassing more species should clarify patterns and drivers of song variation across broad geographic dimensions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Edvaldo F Silva-Jr
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ecologia, Universidade de Brasília, Brasília, DF, Brazil
- Laboratório de Comportamento Animal, Departamento de Zoologia, Universidade de Brasília, Brasília, DF, Brazil
| | - Pedro Diniz
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ecologia, Universidade de Brasília, Brasília, DF, Brazil
- Laboratório de Comportamento Animal, Departamento de Zoologia, Universidade de Brasília, Brasília, DF, Brazil
| | - Regina H Macedo
- Laboratório de Comportamento Animal, Departamento de Zoologia, Universidade de Brasília, Brasília, DF, Brazil
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10
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11
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Schaedler L, Ribeiro P, Manica L. Phenotype networks reveal differences between practice and courtship displays in swallow-tailed manakins. Anim Behav 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2020.11.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
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12
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Abstract
Understanding the determinants of fighting ability (or resource-holding potential, RHP) is key to elucidating the evolution of aggressive behaviour, as current tests of contest theory rely on realistic proxies for overall RHP. Traditionally, RHP is considered equivalent to body size but it is increasingly clear that a wider range of morphological and physiological traits contribute to fighting ability. In situations analogous to contests, such as courtship displays in animals and competitive sport in humans, the role of skill has long been appreciated but this component has been neglected in analyses of animal fights. Here, we investigated two spatial components of skill, accuracy and precision, during shell fights in hermit crabs, where an attacker repeatedly strikes (raps) its shell against that of a defender. By analysing the points of impact of these strikes, we found that attackers that rapped with coarse-scale accuracy were more likely to win the fight, indicating that the ability to target a ‘sweet spot’ on the defender's shell is an important determinant of contest success. Furthermore, we found that this element of skill correlated with temporal performance (vigour). Taken together these results show that spatial skill is an RHP component. Moreover, in contrast to the traditional assumption that fighting ability is equivalent to body size, RHP is actually underpinned by a suite of interlinked traits including performance capacities, morphology and skill. Fighting often involves the repeated performance of agonistic behaviours. Individuals may vary in how skilfully they perform such behaviours. We investigate the link between spatial skill and fighting success in hermit crabs. We find that winners perform rapping behaviour more skilfully than losers. Our results indicate that skill is tightly correlated with other fighting traits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah M Lane
- School of Biological and Marine Sciences, Animal Behaviour Research Group, University of Plymouth, Plymouth, U.K
| | - Mark Briffa
- School of Biological and Marine Sciences, Animal Behaviour Research Group, University of Plymouth, Plymouth, U.K
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13
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Manica LT, Graves JA, Podos J, Macedo RH. Hidden leks in a migratory songbird: mating advantages for earlier and more attractive males. Behav Ecol 2020. [DOI: 10.1093/beheco/araa065] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
In some socially monogamous birds, territories sometimes occur in aggregations. The “hidden lek” hypothesis suggests that territorial aggregations might be explained by males establishing territories near successful males (“hotshot” model) or by females preferring to mate in large clusters (“female preference” model). In both scenarios, clusters would provide more opportunities for finding mates and achieving extrapair copulations. Our study tests predictions of these two models in the blue-black grassquit (Volatinia jacarina). Males of this species migrate to their breeding grounds, establish territories within clusters, and initiate courtship displays. These displays consist of vertical leaps synchronized with vocalizations, or only the latter without leaps. The “hotshot” model predicts that: 1) earlier-arriving males would establish territories more centrally within clusters; 2) earlier or centrally positioned males would produce more elaborate displays; and 3) these same males would achieve higher success via within and extrapair fertilizations. The “female preference” model predicts that: 4) pairing success and 5) per-capita extrapair fertilizations would increase with cluster size. We found that earlier-arriving males executed higher leaps and longer songs, but there was no relationship between these traits and male position within clusters. We also found that earlier-arriving males were more likely to obtain extrapair fertilizations. However, we found little evidence that cluster size related to overall or per-capita breeding success. Considered together, our data provide partial validation of the hotshot model of hidden leks and expand on prior findings in this species by showing that females benefit by choosing males leaping higher and settling earlier in clusters.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lilian T Manica
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ecologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Campus Darcy Ribeiro, Universidade de Brasília, Brasília, DF, Brazil
| | - Jeff A Graves
- School of Biology, Sir Harold Mitchell Building, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, UK
| | - Jeffrey Podos
- Department of Biology, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA, USA
| | - Regina H Macedo
- Departamento de Zoologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Campus Darcy Ribeiro, Universidade de Brasília, Brasília, DF, Brazil
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14
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Déaux EC, O'Neil NP, Jensen AM, Charrier I, Iwaniuk AN. Courtship display speed varies daily and with body size in the Ruffed Grouse (
Bonasa umbellus
). Ethology 2020. [DOI: 10.1111/eth.13004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Eloïse C. Déaux
- Department de Cognition Comparée Université de Neuchâtel Neuchâtel Switzerland
| | - Nicholas P. O'Neil
- Department of Neuroscience University of Lethbridge Lethbridge AB Canada
| | - Ashley M. Jensen
- Department of Biology University of Lethbridge Lethbridge AB Canada
| | - Isabelle Charrier
- Université Paris‐Saclay Université Paris‐Sud CNRS UMR 9197 Institut des Neurosciences Paris‐Saclay Orsay France
| | - Andrew N. Iwaniuk
- Department of Neuroscience University of Lethbridge Lethbridge AB Canada
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15
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Miles MC, Schuppe ER, Fuxjager MJ. Selection for Rhythm as a Trigger for Recursive Evolution in the Elaborate Display System of Woodpeckers. Am Nat 2020; 195:772-787. [PMID: 32364790 DOI: 10.1086/707748] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Abstract
Evolution is never truly predictable, in part because the process of selection is recursive: it operates on its own output to generate historical contingencies, so emergent traits can reshape how others evolve in the future. Studies rarely attempt to directly trace how recursion underlies present-day phenotypic pattern on a macroevolutionary basis. To address this gap, we examined how different selection regimes-each operating on a different timescale-guide the evolution of the woodpecker drum display. Approximately 200 species drum with distinctive speed and length, which are important for territorial competition. We discovered remarkable variation in drum rhythm, with some species drumming at constant rates and others changing speed along a range of mathematical functions. Rhythm undergoes divergent character displacement among sympatric sister species, a process that wanes as other reproductive boundaries emerge over time. Tracing the recursive effects of this process, we found that modifying rhythm may then potentiate or constrain speed/length elaboration. Additionally, increased sexual size dimorphism predicts the emergence of rhythms associated with constrained evolutionary rates of speed/length, implying that selection can also constrain itself. Altogether, our findings illustrate how recursion introduces contingencies that allow diverse phenotypes to arise from similar selection regimes.
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16
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Zajitschek S, Zajitschek F, Josway S, Al Shabeeb R, Weiner H, Manier MK. Costs and benefits of giant sperm and sperm storage organs in
Drosophila melanogaster. J Evol Biol 2019; 32:1300-1309. [DOI: 10.1111/jeb.13529] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2019] [Revised: 08/06/2019] [Accepted: 08/22/2019] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Susanne Zajitschek
- Department of Biological Sciences George Washington University Washington DC USA
- School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences University of New South Wales Sydney NSW Australia
| | - Felix Zajitschek
- Department of Biological Sciences George Washington University Washington DC USA
- School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences University of New South Wales Sydney NSW Australia
| | - Sarah Josway
- Department of Biological Sciences George Washington University Washington DC USA
| | - Reem Al Shabeeb
- Department of Biological Sciences George Washington University Washington DC USA
| | - Halli Weiner
- Department of Biological Sciences George Washington University Washington DC USA
| | - Mollie K. Manier
- Department of Biological Sciences George Washington University Washington DC USA
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17
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Berg KS, Delgado S, Mata-Betancourt A. Phylogenetic and kinematic constraints on avian flight signals. Proc Biol Sci 2019; 286:20191083. [PMID: 31530147 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2019.1083] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Many birds vocalize in flight. Because wingbeat and respiratory cycles are often linked in flying vertebrates, birds in these cases must satisfy the respiratory demands of vocal production within the physiological limits imposed by flight. Using acoustic triangulation and high-speed video, we found that avian vocal production in flight exhibits a largely phasic and kinematic relationship with the power stroke. However, the sample of species showed considerable flexibility, especially those from lineages known for vocal plasticity (songbirds, parrots and hummingbirds), prompting a broader phylogenetic analysis. We thus collected data from 150 species across 12 avian orders and examined the links between wingbeat period, flight call duration and body mass. Overall, shorter wingbeat periods, controlling for ancestry and body mass, were correlated with shorter flight call durations. However, species from vocal learner lineages produced flight signals that, on average, exceeded multiple phases of their wingbeat cycle, while vocal non-learners had signal periods that were, on average, closer to the duration of their power stroke. These results raise an interesting question: is partial emancipation from respiratory constraints a necessary step in the evolution of vocal learning or an epiphenomenon? Our current study cannot provide the answer, but it does suggest several avenues for future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- K S Berg
- Department of Biology, University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, Brownsville, TX, USA
| | - S Delgado
- Department of Biology, University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, Brownsville, TX, USA
| | - A Mata-Betancourt
- Instituto Venezolano de Investigaciones Científicas, Caracas, Venezuela
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18
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Mitoyen C, Quigley C, Fusani L. Evolution and function of multimodal courtship displays. Ethology 2019; 125:503-515. [PMID: 31341343 PMCID: PMC6618153 DOI: 10.1111/eth.12882] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2018] [Revised: 04/10/2019] [Accepted: 04/12/2019] [Indexed: 01/30/2023]
Abstract
Courtship displays are behaviours aimed to facilitate attraction and mating with the opposite sex and are very common across the animal kingdom. Most courtship displays are multimodal, meaning that they are composed of concomitant signals occurring in different sensory modalities. Although courtship often strongly influences reproductive success, the question of why and how males use multimodal courtship to increase their fitness has not yet received much attention. Very little is known about the role of different components of male courtship and their relative importance for females. Indeed, most of the work on courtship displays have focused on effects on female choice, often neglecting other possible roles. Additionally, a number of scientists have recently stressed the importance of considering the complexity of a display and the interactions between its different components in order to grasp all the information contained in those multimodal signals. Unfortunately, these methods have not yet been extensively adapted in courtship studies. The aim of this study was to review what is currently known about the functional significance of courtship displays, particularly about the role of multimodality in the courtship communication context. Emphasis is placed on those cases where a complete picture of the communication system can only be assessed by taking complexity and interaction between different modalities into account.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Cliodhna Quigley
- Department of Cognitive BiologyUniversity of ViennaViennaAustria
- Konrad Lorenz Institute of EthologyUniversity of Veterinary MedicineViennaAustria
| | - Leonida Fusani
- Department of Cognitive BiologyUniversity of ViennaViennaAustria
- Konrad Lorenz Institute of EthologyUniversity of Veterinary MedicineViennaAustria
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19
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Moraes PZ, Diniz P, Macedo RH. Dangerous love? Predation risk does not affect female mate choice in blue‐black grassquits. Ethology 2019. [DOI: 10.1111/eth.12866] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Pedro Z. Moraes
- Programa de Pós‐Graduação em Ecologia Universidade de Brasília Brasília Brazil
- Departamento de Zoologia, Laboratório de Comportamento Animal Universidade de Brasília Brasília Brazil
| | - Pedro Diniz
- Programa de Pós‐Graduação em Ecologia Universidade de Brasília Brasília Brazil
| | - Regina H. Macedo
- Departamento de Zoologia, Laboratório de Comportamento Animal Universidade de Brasília Brasília Brazil
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20
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Miles MC, Fuxjager MJ. Phenotypic Diversity Arises from Secondary Signal Loss in the Elaborate Visual Displays of Toucans and Barbets. Am Nat 2019; 194:152-167. [PMID: 31318292 DOI: 10.1086/704088] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Abstract
Complexity and diversity are fundamental characteristics of life, but the relationship between the two remains murky. For example, both gaining and losing complexity can support diversity-so how exactly does complexity influence the emergence of unique phenotypes? Here we address this question by examining how complexity underlies the diversity of elaborate visual displays in the avian clade Ramphastides (toucans and barbets). These species communicate in part by using body movement and colorful ornaments on the tail. We find that sexual size dimorphism predicts the evolution of one specific signal, the tail-cock gesture, implying that tail cocking is more likely to evolve under stronger sexual selection. We also discover process-level constraints on the evolution of complexity: signals are gained along a strict order of operations, where the tail-cock gesture arises before other colors and gestures. Yet virtually any signal can be lost at any time. As a result, many extant phenotypes were more likely to arise through loss of complexity, highlighting the importance of secondary signal loss to phenotypic diversity. Collectively, our results demonstrate how sexual selection catalyzes the evolution of complex phenotypes, which indirectly support diversity by allowing different traits to be modified or lost in the future.
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21
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de Moraes PZ, Diniz P, Fernandez-Juricic E, Macedo RH. Flirting with danger: predation risk interacts with male condition to influence sexual display. Behav Ecol 2019. [DOI: 10.1093/beheco/arz073] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
AbstractSexual signaling coevolves with the sensory systems of intended receivers; however, predators may be unintended receivers of sexual signals. Conspicuous aerial displays in some species may place males at high risk of predation from eavesdropping predators. There are three different hypotheses to explain how signaling males can deal with increased predation risk: (1) males invest in survival by decreasing signal conspicuousness; (2) males invest in reproduction by increasing signal conspicuousness; and (3) male response is condition-dependent according to his residual reproductive value. Here, we used blue-black grassquits (Volatinia jacarina) to test these hypotheses, asking whether males modify leap displays under different levels of predation risk. Grassquit males develop an iridescent nuptial plumage and spend considerable time emitting a multimodal signal: while leaping from a perch, males clap their wings above their heads and emit a high-pitched short song. We exposed males to predator and nonpredator playbacks while video recording their displays. We found interactions between predation risk and 2 male condition variables (ectoparasite infestation and proportion of nuptial plumage coverage) that influenced display behavior. Less parasitized males and those with higher proportion of nuptial plumage showed no change in display behavior, while more parasitized males and those with lower proportion of nuptial plumage increased the vigor of displays under predation risk. In other words, males with low residual reproductive value increased reproductive effort when there was a high risk of extrinsic death. Our study provides some empirical support for the terminal investment hypothesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pedro Z de Moraes
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ecologia, Universidade de Brasília, Brasília, DF, Brazil
- Laboratório de Comportamento Animal, Departamento de Zoologia, Universidade de Brasília, Brasília, DF, Brazil
| | - Pedro Diniz
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ecologia, Universidade de Brasília, Brasília, DF, Brazil
- Programa de Pós-graduação em Ecologia de Ecossistemas, Universidade Vila Velha, Vila Velha, ES, Brazil
| | | | - Regina H Macedo
- Laboratório de Comportamento Animal, Departamento de Zoologia, Universidade de Brasília, Brasília, DF, Brazil
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22
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Schaedler LM, Ribeiro PHL, Guaraldo AC, Manica LT. Acoustic signals and repertoire complexity in Swallow-tailed Manakins (Chiroxiphia caudata, Aves: Pipridae). BIOACOUSTICS 2019. [DOI: 10.1080/09524622.2018.1563870] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Laura M. Schaedler
- Programa de Pós-graduação em Ecologia e Conservação, Universidade Federal do Paraná, Curitiba, Brazil
- Laboratório de Ecologia Comportamental e Ornitologia, Departamento de Zoologia, Universidade Federal do Paraná, Curitiba, Brazil
| | - Pedro H. L. Ribeiro
- Laboratório de Ecologia Comportamental e Ornitologia, Departamento de Zoologia, Universidade Federal do Paraná, Curitiba, Brazil
- Programa de Pós-graduação em Zoologia, Universidade Federal do Paraná, Curitiba, Brazil
| | - André C. Guaraldo
- Programa de Pós-graduação em Ecologia e Conservação, Universidade Federal do Paraná, Curitiba, Brazil
- Laboratório de Ecologia Comportamental e Ornitologia, Departamento de Zoologia, Universidade Federal do Paraná, Curitiba, Brazil
| | - Lilian T. Manica
- Laboratório de Ecologia Comportamental e Ornitologia, Departamento de Zoologia, Universidade Federal do Paraná, Curitiba, Brazil
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23
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Green PA, McHenry MJ, Patek SN. Context-dependent scaling of kinematics and energetics during contests and feeding in mantis shrimp. J Exp Biol 2019; 222:jeb.198085. [DOI: 10.1242/jeb.198085] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2018] [Accepted: 03/13/2019] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Measurements of energy use, and its scaling with size, are critical to understanding how organisms accomplish myriad tasks. For example, energy budgets are central to game theory models of assessment during contests and underlie patterns of feeding behavior. Clear tests connecting energy to behavioral theory require measurements of the energy use of single individuals for particular behaviors. Many species of mantis shrimp (Stomatopoda: Crustacea) use elastic energy storage to power high-speed strikes that they deliver to opponents during territorial contests and to hard-shelled prey while feeding. We compared the scaling of strike kinematics and energetics between feeding and contests in the mantis shrimp Neogonodactylus bredini. We filmed strikes with high-speed video, measured strike velocity, and used a mathematical model to calculate strike energy. During contests, strike velocity did not scale with body size but strike energy scaled positively with size. Conversely, while feeding, strike velocity decreased with increasing size and strike energy did not vary according to body size. Individuals most likely achieved this strike variation through differential compression of their exoskeletal spring prior to the strike. Post-hoc analyses found that N. bredini used greater velocity and energy when striking larger opponents, yet variation in prey size was not accompanied by varying strike velocity or energetics. Our estimates of energetics inform prior tests of contest and feeding behavior in this species. More broadly, our findings elucidate the role behavioral context plays in measurements of animal performance.
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Affiliation(s)
- P. A. Green
- Biology Department, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA
| | - M. J. McHenry
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Irvine, CA 92697, USA
| | - S. N. Patek
- Biology Department, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA
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Macedo RH, Podos J, Graves JA, Manica LT. Breeding clusters in birds: ecological selective contexts, mating systems and the role of extrapair fertilizations. Anim Behav 2018. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2018.01.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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Animal choreography of song and dance: a case study in the Montezuma oropendola, Psarocolius montezuma. Anim Behav 2018. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2018.04.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
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Miles MC, Fuxjager MJ. Synergistic selection regimens drive the evolution of display complexity in birds of paradise. J Anim Ecol 2018; 87:1149-1159. [PMID: 29637997 DOI: 10.1111/1365-2656.12824] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2017] [Accepted: 01/10/2018] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Integrated visual displays that combine gesture with colour are nearly ubiquitous in the animal world, where they are shaped by sexual selection for their role in courtship and competition. However, few studies assess how multiple selection regimens operate on different components of these complex phenotypes on a macroevolutionary scale. Here, we study this issue by assessing how both sexual and ecological selection work together to influence visual display complexity in the birds of paradise. We first find that sexual dichromatism is highest in lekking species, which undergo more intense sexual selection by female choice, than non-lekking species. At the same time, species in which males directly compete with one another at communal display courts have more carotenoid-based ornaments and fewer melanin ornaments. Meanwhile, display habitat influences gestural complexity. Species that dance in the cluttered understorey have more complex dances than canopy-displaying species. Taken together, our results illustrate how distinct selection regimens each operate on individual elements comprising a complex display. This supports a modular model of display evolution, wherein the ultimate integrated display is the product of synergy between multiple factors that select for different types of phenotypic complexity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meredith C Miles
- Department of Biology, Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, NC, USA
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Briffa M, Lane SM. The role of skill in animal contests: a neglected component of fighting ability. Proc Biol Sci 2018; 284:rspb.2017.1596. [PMID: 28954913 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2017.1596] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2017] [Accepted: 08/25/2017] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
What attributes make some individuals more likely to win a fight than others? A range of morphological and physiological traits have been studied intensely but far less focus has been placed on the actual agonistic behaviours used. Current studies of agonistic behaviour focus on contest duration and the vigour of fighting. It also seems obvious that individuals that fight more skilfully should have a greater chance of winning a fight. Here, we discuss the meaning of skill in animal fights. As the activities of each opponent can be disrupted by the behaviour of their rival, we differentiate among ability, technique and skill itself. In addition to efficient, accurate and sometimes precise movement, skilful fighting also requires rapid decision-making, so that appropriate tactics and strategies are selected. We consider how these different components of skill could be acquired, through genes, experiences of play-fighting and of real fights. Skilful fighting can enhance resource holding potential (RHP) by allowing for sustained vigour, by inflicting greater costs on opponents and by minimizing the chance of damage. Therefore, we argue that skill is a neglected but important component of RHP that could be readily studied to provide new insights into the evolution of agonistic behaviour.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mark Briffa
- School of Biological and Marine Science, Plymouth University, Drake Circus, Plymouth PL3 8AA, UK
| | - Sarah M Lane
- School of Biological and Marine Science, Plymouth University, Drake Circus, Plymouth PL3 8AA, UK
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Schuppe ER, Fuxjager MJ. High‐speed displays encoding motor skill trigger elevated territorial aggression in downy woodpeckers. Funct Ecol 2017. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2435.13010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Eric R. Schuppe
- Department of Biology Wake Forest University Winston‐Salem NC USA
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Motor pattern during fights in the hermit crab Pagurus bernhardus : evidence for the role of skill in animal contests. Anim Behav 2017. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2017.03.031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
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Manica LT, Graves JA, Podos J, Macedo RH. Multimodal flight display of a neotropical songbird predicts social pairing but not extrapair mating success. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2016. [DOI: 10.1007/s00265-016-2208-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
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