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Rebouças R. White-edged cowards: high-pitched treefrogs will be attacked by those with orange legs. BEHAVIOUR 2022. [DOI: 10.1163/1568539x-bja10187] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
Anurans are one of the most diverse groups of animals, with single and multi-modal communication forms commonly used to settle disputes over territory and to attract females. Thus, I aimed to evaluate if male white-edged treefrogs tend to attack smaller individuals and which morphometric factor is related to it. Advertisement calls of this species were recorded and used in a four-choice experiment with the emission of artificially designed calls. I evaluated which speaker individuals approached and if morphometric variables could predict it. I observed that individuals approached significantly more often towards the high-pitched call than other treatments, and the frequency to do so was predicted by the extension of orange colour in their legs. These results indicate that smaller individuals are actively excluded from calling sites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raoni Rebouças
- Laboratório de História Natural de Anfíbios Brasileiros (LaHNAB), Departamento de Biologia Animal, Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Campinas, São Paulo, 13083-862, Brazil
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biologia Animal, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Campinas, São Paulo, 13083-862, Brazil
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2
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Torrent frogs emit acoustic signals of a narrower spectral range in habitats with longer-lasting biotic background noise. Behav Processes 2022; 200:104700. [DOI: 10.1016/j.beproc.2022.104700] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2021] [Revised: 06/29/2022] [Accepted: 07/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
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3
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Freiler MK, Proffitt MR, Smith GT. Electrocommunication signals and aggressive behavior vary among male morphs in an apteronotid fish, Compsaraia samueli. J Exp Biol 2022; 225:275495. [DOI: 10.1242/jeb.243452] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2021] [Accepted: 05/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Within-species variation in male morphology is common among vertebrates and is often characterized by dramatic differences in behavior and hormonal profiles. Males with divergent morphs also often use communication signals in a status-dependent way. Weakly electric knifefish are an excellent system for studying variation in male morphology and communication and its hormonal control. Knifefish transiently modulate the frequency of their electric organ discharge (EOD) during social encounters to produce chirps and rises. In the knifefish Compsaraia samueli, males vary extensively in jaw length. EODs and their modulations (chirps and rises) have never been investigated in this species, so it is unclear whether jaw length is related to the function of these signals. We used three behavioral assays to analyze EOD modulations in male C. samueli: (1) artificial playbacks, (2) relatively brief, live agonistic dyadic encounters, and (3) long-term overnight recordings. We also measured circulating levels of two androgens, 11-ketotestosterone and testosterone. Chirp structure varied within and across individuals in response to artificial playback, but was unrelated to jaw length. Males with longer jaws were more often dominant in dyadic interactions. Chirps and rises were correlated with and preceded attacks regardless of status, suggesting these signals function in aggression. In longer-term interactions, chirp rate declined after one week of pairing, but was unrelated to male morphology. Levels of circulating androgens were low and not predictive of jaw length or EOD signal parameters. These results suggest that communication signals and variation in male morphology are linked to outcomes of non-breeding agonistic contests.
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Affiliation(s)
- Megan K. Freiler
- Department of Biology, Indiana University, 1001 E. 3rd St., Bloomington, IN, 47405, USA
- Center for the Integrative Study of Animal Behavior, Indiana University, 409 N. Park Ave., Bloomington, IN, 47405, USA
| | - Melissa R. Proffitt
- Department of Biology, Indiana University, 1001 E. 3rd St., Bloomington, IN, 47405, USA
- Center for the Integrative Study of Animal Behavior, Indiana University, 409 N. Park Ave., Bloomington, IN, 47405, USA
| | - G. Troy Smith
- Department of Biology, Indiana University, 1001 E. 3rd St., Bloomington, IN, 47405, USA
- Center for the Integrative Study of Animal Behavior, Indiana University, 409 N. Park Ave., Bloomington, IN, 47405, USA
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4
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Social modulation of spatial dynamics in treefrog choruses. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s00265-022-03163-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
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5
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Does song overlap signal aggressiveness? An experimental study with repeated measures in free-ranging great tits. Anim Behav 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2021.07.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
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6
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Brasileiro AC, Cascon P, Passos DC. How aggressive calls of a Neotropical treefrog vary among different levels of social tension? ETHOL ECOL EVOL 2021. [DOI: 10.1080/03949370.2020.1858172] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Ana C. Brasileiro
- Graduate Course of Ecology and Natural Resources, Department of Biology, Pici Campus, Federal University of Ceará, Fortaleza, CE Zip Code 60440-900, Brazil
| | - Paulo Cascon
- Graduate Course of Ecology and Natural Resources, Department of Biology, Pici Campus, Federal University of Ceará, Fortaleza, CE Zip Code 60440-900, Brazil
| | - Daniel C. Passos
- Laboratório de Ecologia e Comportamento Animal (LECA), Departamento de Biociências (DBIO), Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ecologia e Conservação (PPGEC), Centro de Ciências Biológicas e da Saúde (CCBS), Universidade Federal Rural do Semi-Árido (UFERSA), Mossoró, Rio Grande do Norte 59.625-900, Brasil
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7
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Foratto RM, Llusia D, Toledo LF, Forti LR. Treefrogs adjust their acoustic signals in response to harmonics structure of intruder calls. Behav Ecol 2021. [DOI: 10.1093/beheco/araa135] [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
Spectral properties of animal acoustic signals may help individuals to assess the characteristics of rivals and to adjust their competitive strategies in territorial disputes. Thus, we hypothesized that the distribution of energy across frequency bands in anuran calls determines behavioral responses in male–male competition. Using playback experiments, we investigated the relevance of the harmonic calls in the acoustic communication of the treefrog Dendropsophus minutus. We exposed territorial males to three synthetic acoustic stimuli composed of aggressive notes: 1) standard call (all harmonics and peak frequency corresponding to the second band); 2) inverted-energy call (all harmonics and peak frequency corresponding to the first band); and 3) concentrated-energy call (all energy contained in the second harmonic). Males responded aggressively to all stimuli, mainly by increasing the rate and duration of their aggressive notes. However, when exposed to stimuli with different harmonic configurations, males changed the harmonic structure of their own calls, emitting more A- and B-notes with peak power in the fundamental frequency, particularly when exposed to the concentrated-energy call. Our results suggest that male frogs may use the harmonic structure of calls to assess opponents and modulate territorial and aggressive behavior, triggering complex acoustic adjustments. This study contributes to our knowledge about the functions of acoustic traits in amphibian social interactions, and particularly of the presence of harmonics that has received less attention compared to other acoustic properties in the study of animal acoustic communication.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roseli Maria Foratto
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biologia Animal, Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Caixa Postal 6109, 13083–970, R. Monteiro Lobato, 255, Barão Geraldo, Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil
- Laboratório Multiusuário de Bioacústica (LMBio) and Laboratório de História Natural de Anfíbios Brasileiros (LaHNAB), Departamento de Biologia Animal, Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Caixa Postal 6109, 13083–970, R. Monteiro Lobato, 255, Barão Geraldo, Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Diego Llusia
- Terrestrial Ecology Group (TEG), Departamento de Ecología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (UAM), Ciudad Universitaria de Cantoblanco, Calle Darwin, 2, 28049, Madrid, Spain
- Centro de Investigación en Biodiversidad y Cambio Global (CIBC-UAM), Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Calle Darwin, 2, 28049, Madrid, Spain
- Departamento de Ecologia, Laboratório de Herpetologia e Comportamento Animal, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Goiás (UFG), Campus Samambaia, Avenida Esperança, S/N - 74001-970 Goiânia, GO, Brazil
| | - Luís Felipe Toledo
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biologia Animal, Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Caixa Postal 6109, 13083–970, R. Monteiro Lobato, 255, Barão Geraldo, Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil
- Laboratório Multiusuário de Bioacústica (LMBio) and Laboratório de História Natural de Anfíbios Brasileiros (LaHNAB), Departamento de Biologia Animal, Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Caixa Postal 6109, 13083–970, R. Monteiro Lobato, 255, Barão Geraldo, Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Lucas Rodriguez Forti
- Laboratório Multiusuário de Bioacústica (LMBio) and Laboratório de História Natural de Anfíbios Brasileiros (LaHNAB), Departamento de Biologia Animal, Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Caixa Postal 6109, 13083–970, R. Monteiro Lobato, 255, Barão Geraldo, Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil
- Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Federal da Bahia, Campus de Ondina, R. Barão de Jeremoabo, 668, Salvador, BA, Brazil
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8
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Barkan CL, Leininger EC, Zornik E. Everything in modulation: neuromodulators as keys to understanding communication dynamics. Integr Comp Biol 2021; 61:854-866. [PMID: 34038510 DOI: 10.1093/icb/icab102] [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
Across the animal kingdom, the ability to produce communication signals appropriate to social encounters is essential, but how these behaviors are selected and adjusted in a context-dependent manner is poorly understood. This question can be addressed on many levels, including sensory processing by peripheral organs and the CNS, sensorimotor integration in decision-making brain regions, and motor circuit activation and modulation. Because neuromodulator systems act at each of these levels, they are a useful lens through which to explore the mechanisms underlying complex patterns of communication. It has been clear for decades that understanding the logic of input-output decision making by the nervous system requires far more than simply identifying the connections linking sensory organs to motor circuits; this is due in part to the fact that neuromodulators can promote distinct and temporally dynamic responses to similar signals. We focus on the vocal circuit dynamics of Xenopus frogs, and describe complementary examples from diverse vertebrate communication systems. While much remains to be discovered about how neuromodulators direct flexibility in communication behaviors, these examples illustrate that several neuromodulators can act upon the same circuit at multiple levels of control, and that the functional consequence of neuromodulation can depend on species-specific factors as well as dynamic organismal characteristics like internal state.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Erik Zornik
- Reed College, Biology Department, Portland, OR
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9
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Guo D, Ding J, Liu H, Zhou L, Feng J, Luo B, Liu Y. Social calls influence the foraging behavior in wild big-footed myotis. Front Zool 2021; 18:3. [PMID: 33413435 PMCID: PMC7791762 DOI: 10.1186/s12983-020-00384-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2020] [Accepted: 12/21/2020] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Why a variety of social animals emit foraging-associated calls during group foraging remains an open question. These vocalizations may be used to recruit conspecifics to food patches (i.e. food advertisement hypothesis) or defend food resources against competitors (food defence hypothesis), presumably depending on food availability. Insectivorous bats rely heavily on vocalizations for navigation, foraging, and social interactions. In this study, we used free-ranging big-footed myotis (Myotis macrodactylus Temminck, 1840) to test whether social calls produced in a foraging context serve to advertise food patches or to ward off food competitors. Using a combination of acoustic recordings, playback experiments with adult females and dietary monitoring (light trapping and DNA metabarcoding techniques), we investigated the relationship between insect availability and social vocalizations in foraging bats. RESULTS The big-footed myotis uttered low-frequency social calls composed of 7 syllable types during foraging interactions. Although the dietary composition of bats varied across different sampling periods, Diptera, Lepidoptera, and Trichoptera were the most common prey consumed. The number of social vocalizations was primarily predicted by insect abundance, insect species composition, and echolocation vocalizations from conspecifics. The number of conspecific echolocation pulses tended to decrease following the emission of most social calls. Feeding bats consistently decreased foraging attempts and food consumption during playbacks of social calls with distinctive structures compared to control trials. The duration of flight decreased 1.29-1.96 fold in the presence of social calls versus controls. CONCLUSIONS These results support the food defence hypothesis, suggesting that foraging bats employ social calls to engage in intraspecific food competition. This study provides correlative evidence for the role of insect abundance and diversity in influencing the emission of social calls in insectivorous bats. Our findings add to the current knowledge of the function of social calls in echolocating bats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dongge Guo
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Resource Conservation and Utilization, Northeast Normal University, 2555 Jingyue Street, Changchun, 130117, China
| | - Jianan Ding
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Resource Conservation and Utilization, Northeast Normal University, 2555 Jingyue Street, Changchun, 130117, China
| | - Heng Liu
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Resource Conservation and Utilization, Northeast Normal University, 2555 Jingyue Street, Changchun, 130117, China
| | - Lin Zhou
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Resource Conservation and Utilization, Northeast Normal University, 2555 Jingyue Street, Changchun, 130117, China
| | - Jiang Feng
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Resource Conservation and Utilization, Northeast Normal University, 2555 Jingyue Street, Changchun, 130117, China.,College of Life Science, Jilin Agricultural University, 2888 Xincheng Street, Changchun, 130118, China
| | - Bo Luo
- Key Laboratory of Southwest China Wildlife Resources Conservation of Ministry of Education, China West Normal University, Nanchong, 637002, China.
| | - Ying Liu
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Resource Conservation and Utilization, Northeast Normal University, 2555 Jingyue Street, Changchun, 130117, China.
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10
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Fissette SD, Bussy U, Huerta B, Buchinger TJ, Li W. Evidence that male sea lamprey increase pheromone release after perceiving a competitor. J Exp Biol 2020; 223:jeb226647. [PMID: 32527965 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.226647] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2020] [Accepted: 05/28/2020] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Sexual signals evolve via selective pressures arising from male-male competition and female choice, including those originating from unintended receivers that detect the signal. For example, males can acquire information from other males signaling to females and alter their own signal. Relative to visual and acoustic signals, less is known about how such communication networks influence chemical signaling among animals. In sea lamprey (Petromyzon marinus), the chemical communication system is essential for reproduction, offering a useful system to study a pheromone communication network that includes signalers and both intended and unintended receivers. Male sea lamprey aggregate on spawning grounds, where individuals build nests and signal to females using sex pheromones. We examined how exposure to a major component of the male pheromone, 3keto-petromyzonol sulfate (3kPZS), influenced male pheromone signaling, and whether females had a preference for males that altered their signal. Exposure to 3kPZS, at a concentration of 5×10-10 mol l-1, simulated the presence of other male(s) and led to increased 3kPZS release rates within 10 min, followed by a return to baseline levels within 30 min. Exposure also led to increases in hepatic synthesis and circulatory transport of pheromone components. In behavioral assays, females preferred the odor of males that had been exposed to 3kPZS; therefore, males likely benefit from upregulating 3kPZS release after detecting competition for mates. Here, we define how a specific pheromone component influences chemical signaling during intrasexual competition, and show a rare example of how changes in chemical signaling strategies resulting from male competition may influence mate choice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Skye D Fissette
- Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA
| | - Ugo Bussy
- Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA
| | - Belinda Huerta
- Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA
| | - Tyler J Buchinger
- Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA
| | - Weiming Li
- Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA
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11
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Schwartz JJ, Mazie AAB. Taxis bold as love: the influence of aggressive calls on acoustic attraction of female gray treefrogs, Hyla versicolor. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2020. [DOI: 10.1007/s00265-020-02836-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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12
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Chen ZQ, Lin YF, Tang Y, Ding GH, Wu YQ, Lin ZH. Acoustic divergence in advertisement calls among three sympatric Microhyla species from East China. PeerJ 2020; 8:e8708. [PMID: 32201644 PMCID: PMC7071819 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.8708] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2019] [Accepted: 02/07/2020] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Species-specific advertisement calls are the main mechanism of transmitting information between individuals in anuran amphibians and are therefore indispensable for anuran survival and reproduction. Survey methods that monitor these calls can be used for rapid species recognition, behavioral experiments, and conservation monitoring. In this study, we described in detail 10 call parameters from three sympatric species in the genus Microhyla and analyzed the differences in call parameter among these species to provide a basis for systematic monitoring, acoustic analysis and taxonomic study of this genus. Methods The quantitative analyses of temporal and spectral call parameters were used in our study for the advertisement calls of three sympatric Microhyla species (M. beilunensis, M. fissipes and M. heymonsi) in Zhejiang Province, East China. Results Our results showed the following: (1) Significant differences existed among the three sympatric Microhyla species in call duration (CD), call interval (CI), number of pulses (NP), pulse rate, call intensity (CIT), dominant frequency (DF) and frequency of the first to fourth formants (F1, F2, F3 and F4). (2) Some spectral parameters (DF, F1 and F3) were negatively correlated with the body size of the vocalizing individuals in each species. (3) The coefficients of variation within individuals (CVw) for CIT, DF and F1-F4 were smaller than 5%, whereas the CVW for CI was larger than 10% in each species. (4) The principal component analysis and discriminant function analysis showed that call parameters could distinguish the three Microhyla species. (5) The phylogenetic generalized least squares analysis showed that phylogenetic relationships affected CD and NP against snout-vent length (SVL), DF and NP against CD, and NP against DF, but not of DF against SVL; based on the phylogenetic analysis, CD and NP were not related to SVL, but DF was negatively related to SVL.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhi-Qiang Chen
- Laboratory of Amphibian Diversity Investigation, College of Ecology, Lishui University, Lishui, Zhejiang, P.R. China.,College of Animal Science and Technology, Zhejiang A & F University, Lin'an, Zhejiang, P.R. China
| | - You-Fu Lin
- Laboratory of Amphibian Diversity Investigation, College of Ecology, Lishui University, Lishui, Zhejiang, P.R. China.,College of Forestry, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, P.R. China
| | - Yun Tang
- Laboratory of Amphibian Diversity Investigation, College of Ecology, Lishui University, Lishui, Zhejiang, P.R. China.,College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, P.R. China
| | - Guo-Hua Ding
- Laboratory of Amphibian Diversity Investigation, College of Ecology, Lishui University, Lishui, Zhejiang, P.R. China
| | - Yan-Qing Wu
- Nanjing Institute of Environmental Sciences, Ministry of Ecology and Environment, Nanjing, Jiangsu, P.R. China
| | - Zhi-Hua Lin
- Laboratory of Amphibian Diversity Investigation, College of Ecology, Lishui University, Lishui, Zhejiang, P.R. China
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13
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Are good fighters also good singers? The relationship between acoustic traits and fight success in the treefrog Pithecopus nordestinus (Phyllomedusidae). Acta Ethol 2020. [DOI: 10.1007/s10211-020-00337-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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14
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Acoustic signalling of aggressive intent in the agonistic encounters of female Asian particoloured bats. Anim Behav 2019. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2019.01.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
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15
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Dueling frogs: do male green tree frogs (Hyla cinerea) eavesdrop on and assess nearby calling competitors? Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2019. [DOI: 10.1007/s00265-018-2632-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
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16
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Great Himalayan leaf-nosed bats modify vocalizations to communicate threat escalation during agonistic interactions. Behav Processes 2018; 157:180-187. [DOI: 10.1016/j.beproc.2018.09.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2017] [Revised: 08/27/2018] [Accepted: 09/26/2018] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
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17
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Huang X, Metzner W, Zhang K, Wang Y, Luo B, Sun C, Jiang T, Feng J. Acoustic similarity elicits responses to heterospecific distress calls in bats (Mammalia: Chiroptera). Anim Behav 2018. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2018.10.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
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18
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Warren MR, Spurrier MS, Roth ED, Neunuebel JP. Sex differences in vocal communication of freely interacting adult mice depend upon behavioral context. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0204527. [PMID: 30240434 PMCID: PMC6150532 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0204527] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2018] [Accepted: 09/10/2018] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Ultrasonic vocalizations (USVs) are believed to play a critical role in mouse communication. Although mice produce USVs in multiple contexts, signals emitted in reproductive contexts are typically attributed solely to the male mouse. Only recently has evidence emerged showing that female mice are also vocally active during mixed-sex interactions. Therefore, this study aimed to systematically quantify and compare vocalizations emitted by female and male mice as the animals freely interacted. Using an eight-channel microphone array to determine which mouse emitted specific vocalizations during unrestrained social interaction, we recorded 13 mixed-sex pairs of mice. We report here that females vocalized significantly less often than males during dyadic interactions, with females accounting for approximately one sixth of all emitted signals. Moreover, the acoustic features of female and male signals differed. We found that the bandwidths (i.e., the range of frequencies that a signal spanned) of female-emitted signals were smaller than signals produced by males. When examining how the frequency of each signal changed over time, the slopes of male-emitted signals decreased more rapidly than female signals. Further, we revealed notable differences between male and female vocal signals when the animals were performing the same behaviors. Our study provides evidence that a female mouse does in fact vocalize during interactions with a male and that the acoustic features of female and male vocalizations differ during specific behavioral contexts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Megan R. Warren
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of Delaware, Newark, Delaware, United States of America
| | - Morgan S. Spurrier
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of Delaware, Newark, Delaware, United States of America
| | - Eric D. Roth
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of Delaware, Newark, Delaware, United States of America
| | - Joshua P. Neunuebel
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of Delaware, Newark, Delaware, United States of America
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19
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Moran IG, Doucet SM, Newman AEM, Ryan Norris D, Mennill DJ. Quiet violence: Savannah Sparrows respond to playback-simulated rivals using low-amplitude songs as aggressive signals. Ethology 2018. [DOI: 10.1111/eth.12805] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Ines G. Moran
- Department of Biological Sciences; University of Windsor; Windsor Ontario Canada
| | - Stéphanie M. Doucet
- Department of Biological Sciences; University of Windsor; Windsor Ontario Canada
| | - Amy E. M. Newman
- Department of Integrative Biology; University of Guelph; Guelph Ontario Canada
| | - D. Ryan Norris
- Department of Integrative Biology; University of Guelph; Guelph Ontario Canada
| | - Daniel J. Mennill
- Department of Biological Sciences; University of Windsor; Windsor Ontario Canada
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20
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Are aggressive vocalizations the honest signals of body size and quality in female Asian particoloured bats? Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2018. [DOI: 10.1007/s00265-018-2510-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/16/2022]
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21
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Reichert MS, Höbel G. Phenotypic integration and the evolution of signal repertoires: A case study of treefrog acoustic communication. Ecol Evol 2018; 8:3410-3429. [PMID: 29607035 PMCID: PMC5869261 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.3927] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2017] [Revised: 01/15/2018] [Accepted: 01/23/2018] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Animal signals are inherently complex phenotypes with many interacting parts combining to elicit responses from receivers. The pattern of interrelationships between signal components reflects the extent to which each component is expressed, and responds to selection, either in concert with or independently of others. Furthermore, many species have complex repertoires consisting of multiple signal types used in different contexts, and common morphological and physiological constraints may result in interrelationships extending across the multiple signals in species' repertoires. The evolutionary significance of interrelationships between signal traits can be explored within the framework of phenotypic integration, which offers a suite of quantitative techniques to characterize complex phenotypes. In particular, these techniques allow for the assessment of modularity and integration, which describe, respectively, the extent to which sets of traits covary either independently or jointly. Although signal and repertoire complexity are thought to be major drivers of diversification and social evolution, few studies have explicitly measured the phenotypic integration of signals to investigate the evolution of diverse communication systems. We applied methods from phenotypic integration studies to quantify integration in the two primary vocalization types (advertisement and aggressive calls) in the treefrogs Hyla versicolor, Hyla cinerea, and Dendropsophus ebraccatus. We recorded male calls and calculated standardized phenotypic variance-covariance (P) matrices for characteristics within and across call types. We found significant integration across call types, but the strength of integration varied by species and corresponded with the acoustic similarity of the call types within each species. H. versicolor had the most modular advertisement and aggressive calls and the least acoustically similar call types. Additionally, P was robust to changing social competition levels in H. versicolor. Our findings suggest new directions in animal communication research in which the complex relationships among the traits of multiple signals are a key consideration for understanding signal evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael S. Reichert
- School of Biological, Earth and Environmental SciencesUniversity College CorkCorkIreland
| | - Gerlinde Höbel
- Department of Biological SciencesUniversity of Wisconsin‐MilwaukeeMilwaukeeWIUSA
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The function of ultrasonic vocalizations during territorial defence by pair-bonded male and female California mice. Anim Behav 2018. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2017.11.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
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23
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Zhu B, Wang J, Sun Z, Yang Y, Wang T, Brauth SE, Tang Y, Cui J. Competitive pressures affect sexual signal complexity in Kurixalus odontotarsus: insights into the evolution of compound calls. Biol Open 2017; 6:1913-1918. [PMID: 29175862 PMCID: PMC5769655 DOI: 10.1242/bio.028928] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Male-male vocal competition in anuran species is critical for mating success; however, it is also energetically demanding and highly time-consuming. Thus, we hypothesized that males may change signal elaboration in response to competition in real time. Male serrate-legged small treefrogs (Kurixalus odontotarsus) produce compound calls that contain two kinds of notes, harmonic sounds called ‘A notes’ and short broadband sounds called ‘B notes’. Using male evoked vocal response experiments, we found that competition influences the temporal structure and complexity of vocal signals produced by males. Males produce calls with a higher ratio of notes:call, and more compound calls including more A notes but fewer B notes with contest escalation. In doing so, males minimize the energy costs and maximize the benefits of competition when the level of competition is high. This means that the evolution of sexual signal complexity in frogs may be susceptible to selection for plasticity related to adjusting performance to the pressures of competition, and supports the idea that more complex social contexts can lead to greater vocal complexity. Summary: Competitive pressure influences the temporal structure and complexity of vocal signals. The evolution of sexual signal complexity may be susceptible to selection for plasticity related to adjusting performance to the level of competition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bicheng Zhu
- Chengdu Institute of Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu 610041, Sichuan, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Jichao Wang
- Department of Biology, Hainan Normal University, Haikou 571158, Hainan, China
| | - Zhixin Sun
- Department of Biology, Hainan Normal University, Haikou 571158, Hainan, China
| | - Yue Yang
- Chengdu Institute of Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu 610041, Sichuan, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Tongliang Wang
- Department of Biology, Hainan Normal University, Haikou 571158, Hainan, China
| | - Steven E Brauth
- Department of Psychology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA
| | - Yezhong Tang
- Chengdu Institute of Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu 610041, Sichuan, China
| | - Jianguo Cui
- Chengdu Institute of Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu 610041, Sichuan, China
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Walter MH, Schnitzler HU. Spectral call features provide information about the aggression level of greater mouse-eared bats (Myotis myotis) during agonistic interactions. BIOACOUSTICS 2017. [DOI: 10.1080/09524622.2017.1359798] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Michael H. Walter
- Animal Physiology, Institute for Neurobiology, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Hans-Ulrich Schnitzler
- Animal Physiology, Institute for Neurobiology, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
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Luo B, Lu G, Chen K, Guo D, Huang X, Liu Y, Feng J. Social calls honestly signal female competitive ability in Asian particoloured bats. Anim Behav 2017. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2017.03.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
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Keesom SM, Finton CJ, Sell GL, Hurley LM. Early-Life Social Isolation Influences Mouse Ultrasonic Vocalizations during Male-Male Social Encounters. PLoS One 2017; 12:e0169705. [PMID: 28056078 PMCID: PMC5215938 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0169705] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2016] [Accepted: 12/20/2016] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Early-life social isolation has profound effects on adult social competence. This is often expressed as increased aggression or inappropriate displays of courtship-related behaviors. The social incompetence exhibited by isolated animals could be in part due to an altered ability to participate in communicatory exchanges. House mice (Mus musculus) present an excellent model for exploring this idea, because social isolation has a well-established influence on their social behavior, and mice engage in communication via multiple sensory modalities. Here, we tested the prediction that social isolation during early life would influence ultrasonic vocalizations (USVs) emitted by adult male mice during same-sex social encounters. Starting at three weeks of age, male mice were housed individually or in social groups of four males for five weeks, after which they were placed in one of three types of paired social encounters. Pair types consisted of: two individually housed males, two socially housed males, or an individually housed and a socially housed male (“mixed” pairs). Vocal behavior (USVs) and non-vocal behaviors were recorded from these 15-minute social interactions. Pairs of mice consisting of at least one individually housed male emitted more and longer USVs, with a greater proportional use of USVs containing frequency jumps and 50-kHz components. Individually housed males in the mixed social pairs exhibited increased levels of mounting behavior towards the socially housed males. Mounting in these pairs was positively correlated with increased number and duration of USVs as well as increased proportional use of spectrally more complex USVs. These findings demonstrate that USVs are part of the suite of social behaviors influenced by early-life social isolation, and suggest that altered vocal communication following isolation reflects reduced social competence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah M. Keesom
- Department of Biology, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | - Caitlyn J. Finton
- Department of Biology, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana, United States of America
| | - Gabrielle L. Sell
- Department of Biology, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana, United States of America
| | - Laura M. Hurley
- Department of Biology, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana, United States of America
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Luo B, Huang X, Li Y, Lu G, Zhao J, Zhang K, Zhao H, Liu Y, Feng J. Social call divergence in bats: a comparative analysis. Behav Ecol 2017. [DOI: 10.1093/beheco/arw184] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
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Yasuda CI, Koga T. Importance of weapon size in all stages of male–male contests in the hermit crab Pagurus minutus. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2016. [DOI: 10.1007/s00265-016-2221-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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29
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Asymmetric competition over calling sites in two closely related treefrog species. Sci Rep 2016; 6:32569. [PMID: 27599461 PMCID: PMC5013533 DOI: 10.1038/srep32569] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2015] [Accepted: 08/10/2016] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
Interspecific competition occurs when one species using a resource limits the use of that resource by another species. A dominance relationship between the species competing over a resource may result in asymmetric competition. Here, we tested the hypothesis that two sympatric treefrog species, the endangered Hyla suweonensis and the abundant H. japonica, compete with each other over calling sites. We observed the locations of calling individuals of the two treefrog species in rice paddies and tested whether removing one species affected the calling locations of the other species. Individuals of the two species were spatially isolated within rice paddies, with H. japonica at the edges and H. suweonensis in the interior. Male H. suweonensis moved towards the edges of rice paddies when male H. japonica were removed from the area, whereas male H. japonica hardly moved when male H. suweonensis were removed. The results of both studies are consistent with asymmetric interspecific competition, in which the calling locations of H. suweonensis are affected by the calling activity of H. japonica. In addition, H. japonica were found “sitting” on the substrate during call production, whereas H. suweonensis were “holding” onto vegetation. The difference in calling posture may represent an adaptive response to asymmetric interspecific competition.
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Roca IT, Desrochers L, Giacomazzo M, Bertolo A, Bolduc P, Deschesnes R, Martin CA, Rainville V, Rheault G, Proulx R. Shifting song frequencies in response to anthropogenic noise: a meta-analysis on birds and anurans. Behav Ecol 2016. [DOI: 10.1093/beheco/arw060] [Citation(s) in RCA: 70] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
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Dunlop RA. Changes in vocal parameters with social context in humpback whales: considering the effect of bystanders. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2016; 70:857-870. [PMID: 27217614 PMCID: PMC4859862 DOI: 10.1007/s00265-016-2108-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2015] [Revised: 03/20/2016] [Accepted: 03/21/2016] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Abstract Many theories and communication models developed from terrestrial studies focus on a simple dyadic exchange between a sender and receiver. During social interactions, the “frequency code” hypothesis suggests that frequency characteristics of vocal signals can simultaneously encode for static signaler attributes (size or sex) and dynamic information, such as motivation or emotional state. However, the additional presence of a bystander may result in a change of signaling behavior if the costs and benefits associated with the presence of this bystander are different from that of a simple dyad. In this study, two common humpback whale social calls (“wops” and “grumbles”) were tested for differences related to group social behavior and the presence of bystanders. “Wop” parameters were stable with group social behavior, but were emitted at lower (14 dB) levels in the presence of a nearby singing whale compared to when a singing whale was not in the area. “Grumbles” were emitted at lower (30–39 Hz) fundamental frequencies in affiliative compared to non-affiliative groups and, in the presence of a nearby singing whale, were also emitted at lower (14 dB) levels. Vocal rates did not significantly change. The results suggest that, in humpbacks, the frequency in certain sound types relates to the social behavior of the vocalizing group, implying a frequency code system. The presence of a nearby audible bystander (a singing whale) had no effect on this frequency code, but by reducing their acoustic level, the signal-to-noise ratio at the singer would have been below 0, making it difficult for the singer to audibly detect the group. Significance statement The frequency, duration, and amplitude parameters of humpback whale social vocalizations were tested between different social contexts: group social behavior (affiliating versus non-affiliating), the presence of a nearby singing whale, and the presence of a nearby non-singing group. “Grumbles” (commonly heard low-frequency unmodulated sounds) frequencies were lower in affiliating groups compared to non-affiliating groups, suggesting a change in group motivation (such as levels of aggression). “Wop” (another common sound type) structure (frequency and duration) was similar in affiliating and non-affiliating groups. In the presence of an audible bystander (a singing whale), both sound types were emitted at similar rates, but much lower amplitudes (14 dB), vastly reducing the detectability of these sounds by the singer. This suggests that these groups were acoustically avoiding the singing whale. They did not, however, acoustically respond to the presence of a nearby non-singing group.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca A Dunlop
- Cetacean Ecology and Acoustics Laboratory, School of Veterinary Science, The University of Queensland, Gatton, Queensland 4343 Australia
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Akre KL, Johnsen S. Communication Through a Window of Error: Proportional Processing and Signal Categorization. PSYCHOLOGICAL MECHANISMS IN ANIMAL COMMUNICATION 2016. [DOI: 10.1007/978-3-319-48690-1_6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
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Bee M, Reichert M, Tumulty J. Assessment and Recognition of Rivals in Anuran Contests. ADVANCES IN THE STUDY OF BEHAVIOR 2016. [DOI: 10.1016/bs.asb.2016.01.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
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34
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Keesom SM, Rendon NM, Demas GE, Hurley LM. Vocal behaviour during aggressive encounters between Siberian hamsters, Phodopus sungorus. Anim Behav 2015. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2015.01.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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Fernandez AA, Fasel N, Knörnschild M, Richner H. When bats are boxing: aggressive behaviour and communication in male Seba's short-tailed fruit bat. Anim Behav 2014. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2014.10.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
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36
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Close-range vocal signals elicit a stress response in male green treefrogs: resolution of an androgen-based conflict. Anim Behav 2014. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2014.07.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
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Complex Call with Different Messages inBokermannohyla ibitiguara(Anura, Hylidae), a Gladiator Frog of the Brazilian Cerrado. J HERPETOL 2014. [DOI: 10.1670/13-090] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
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38
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Reichert MS. Playback tests and studies of animal contest dynamics: concepts and an example in the gray tree frog. Behav Ecol 2014. [DOI: 10.1093/beheco/aru030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
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Reichert MS, Gerhardt HC. Behavioral strategies and signaling in interspecific aggressive interactions in gray tree frogs. Behav Ecol 2014. [DOI: 10.1093/beheco/aru016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
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Tárano Z, Fuenmayor E. Complex Vocal Responses to Conspecific Calls in Whistling FrogsEleutherodactylus johnstonei: Playback Experiments in the Field. Ethology 2014. [DOI: 10.1111/eth.12207] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Zaida Tárano
- Instituto de Biología Experimental; Universidad Central de Venezuela; Caracas Venezuela
| | - Eloisa Fuenmayor
- Instituto de Biología Experimental; Universidad Central de Venezuela; Caracas Venezuela
- Asociación para la Conservación de las Áreas Naturales (ACOANA); Caracas Venezuela
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