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Rubio AO, Dye AM, Ifill KE, Summers K. On the wings of dragons: Wing morphometric differences in the sexually dichromatic common whitetail skimmer dragonfly, Plathemis lydia (Odonata: Libellulidae). PLoS One 2024; 19:e0303690. [PMID: 38809838 PMCID: PMC11135787 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0303690] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/01/2024] [Accepted: 04/29/2024] [Indexed: 05/31/2024] Open
Abstract
Sexual dimorphism is common throughout the animal kingdom, leading to sex-specific phenotypic differences. The common whitetail skimmer dragonfly, Plathemis lydia (Drury, 1773), is sexually dichromatic, where males of this species display a conspicuous white abdomen and females display a dark brown abdomen. Differences in abdomen conspicuousness between male and female P. lydia are likely attributed to differences in selective pressure where males use their white conspicuous abdomen during male-male territorial chases. We hypothesized that male P. lydia would exhibit wing morphology adaptations to better offset the costs of predation and territoriality and that these adaptations would differ from females. We used field-collected images to quantify differences in body length, wing length, wing area, wing shape, and wing loading between male and female P. lydia. Our results show that male P. lydia have significantly shorter fore and hind wings relative to body size with a higher wing loading when compared to females. We also found that male P. lydia have narrower and pointier fore and hind wings compared to females. These results are consistent with the idea that males are adapted for faster flight, specifically higher acceleration capacity, and higher agility whereas females are adapted for higher maneuverability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew O. Rubio
- Department of Biology, East Carolina University, Greenville, North Carolina, United States of America
- Department of Biology and Biochemistry, University of Houston, Houston, Texas, United States of America
| | - Ashley M. Dye
- Department of Biology, East Carolina University, Greenville, North Carolina, United States of America
- Department of Biology and Biochemistry, University of Houston, Houston, Texas, United States of America
| | - Kyle E. Ifill
- Department of Biology, East Carolina University, Greenville, North Carolina, United States of America
| | - Kyle Summers
- Department of Biology, East Carolina University, Greenville, North Carolina, United States of America
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2
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Batabyal A. Predator-prey systems as models for integrative research in biology: the value of a non-consumptive effects framework. J Exp Biol 2023; 226:jeb245851. [PMID: 37772622 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.245851] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/30/2023]
Abstract
Predator-prey interactions are a cornerstone of many ecological and evolutionary processes that influence various levels of biological organization, from individuals to ecosystems. Predators play a crucial role in shaping ecosystems through the consumption of prey species and non-consumptive effects. Non-consumptive effects (NCEs) can induce changes in prey behavior, including altered foraging strategies, habitat selection, life history and anti-predator responses. These defensive strategies have physiological consequences for prey, affecting their growth, reproduction and immune function to name a few. Numerous experimental studies have incorporated NCEs in investigating predator-prey dynamics in the past decade. Interestingly, predator-prey systems can also be used as experimental models to answer physiology, cognition and adaptability questions. In this Commentary, I highlight research that uses NCEs in predator-prey systems to provide novel insights into cognition, adaptation, epigenetic inheritance and aging. I discuss the evolution of instinct, anxiety and other cognitive disorders, the shaping of brain connectomes, stress-induced aging and the development of behavioral coping styles. I outline how studies can integrate the investigation of NCEs with advanced behavioral, genomic and neurological tools to provide novel insights into physiological and cognitive health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anuradha Batabyal
- Department of Physical and Natural Sciences, FLAME University, Pune 412115, India
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Palecanda S, Iwanicki T, Steck M, Porter ML. Crustacean conundrums: a review of opsin diversity and evolution. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2022; 377:20210289. [PMID: 36058240 PMCID: PMC9441232 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2021.0289] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2021] [Accepted: 02/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Knowledge of crustacean vision is lacking compared to the more well-studied vertebrates and insects. While crustacean visual systems are typically conserved morphologically, the molecular components (i.e. opsins) remain understudied. This review aims to characterize opsin diversity across crustacean lineages for an integrated view of visual system evolution. Using publicly available data from 95 species, we identified opsin sequences and classified them by clade. Our analysis produced 485 putative visual opsins and 141 non-visual opsins. The visual opsins were separated into six clades: long wavelength sensitive (LWS), middle wavelength sensitive (MWS) 1 and 2, short wavelength or ultraviolet sensitive (SWS/UVS) and a clade of thecostracan opsins, with multiple LWS and MWS opsin copies observed. The SWS/UVS opsins were relatively conserved in most species. The crustacean classes Cephalocarida, Remipedia and Hexanauplia exhibited reduced visual opsin diversity compared to others, with the malacostracan decapods having the highest opsin diversity. Non-visual opsins were identified from all investigated classes except Cephalocarida. Additionally, a novel clade of non-visual crustacean-specific, R-type opsins (Rc) was discovered. This review aims to provide a framework for future research on crustacean vision, with an emphasis on the need for more work in spectral characterization and molecular analysis. This article is part of the theme issue 'Understanding colour vision: molecular, physiological, neuronal and behavioural studies in arthropods'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sitara Palecanda
- School of Life Sciences, University of Hawai'i at Mānoa, Honolulu, HI 96822, USA
| | - Thomas Iwanicki
- School of Life Sciences, University of Hawai'i at Mānoa, Honolulu, HI 96822, USA
| | - Mireille Steck
- School of Life Sciences, University of Hawai'i at Mānoa, Honolulu, HI 96822, USA
| | - Megan L. Porter
- School of Life Sciences, University of Hawai'i at Mānoa, Honolulu, HI 96822, USA
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Endler JA, Raggay DM, Maerowitz-McMahan S, Reznick DN, Fuller RC. Visual Background Choice and Light Environment Affect Male Guppy Visual Contrast. Vision (Basel) 2022; 6:vision6030056. [PMID: 36136749 PMCID: PMC9500966 DOI: 10.3390/vision6030056] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2022] [Revised: 09/01/2022] [Accepted: 09/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Male guppies (Poecilia reticulata) have multiple colored spots and perform courtship displays near the edges of streams in Trinidad in shallow water flowing through rainforest. Depending upon the orientation of the pair, the female sees the male displays against gravel or other stream bed substrates or against the spacelight—the roughly uniform light coming from the water column away from the bank. We observed courting pairs in two adjacent natural streams and noted the directions of each male display. We found that the female sees the male more often against spacelight than against gravel when females either faced the spacelight from the opposite bank or from downstream, or both. Visual modelling using natural substrate reflectances and field light measurements showed higher chromatic contrast of males against spacelight than against substrates independent of the two ambient light environments used during displays, but achromatic contrast depended upon the ambient light habitat. This suggests that courtship involves both chromatic and achromatic contrast. We conclude that the orientation of courting pairs and the ambient light spectrum should be accounted for in studies of mate choice, because the visual background and light affect visibility, and these differ with orientation.
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Affiliation(s)
- John A. Endler
- Centre for Integrative Ecology, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Deakin University, Waurn Ponds, VIC 3216, Australia
- Correspondence:
| | - Dara-Marie Raggay
- Department of Life Sciences, University of the West Indies, St Augustine 999183, Trinidad and Tobago
| | | | - David N. Reznick
- Department of Biology, University of California, Riverside, CA 92521, USA
| | - Rebecca C. Fuller
- School of Integrative Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Champaign, IL 61820, USA
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Martin E, Steinmetz HL, Baek SY, Gilbert FR, Brandley NC. Rapid Shifts in Visible Carolina Grasshopper (Dissosteira carolina) Coloration During Flights. Front Ecol Evol 2022. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2022.900544] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Some brightly colored structures are only visible when organisms are moving, such as parts of wings that are only visible in flight. For example, the primarily brown Carolina grasshopper (Dissosteira carolina) has contrasting black-and-cream hindwings that appear suddenly when it takes off, then oscillate unpredictably throughout the main flight before disappearing rapidly upon landing. However, the temporal dynamics of hindwing coloration in motion have not previously been investigated, particularly for animals that differ from humans in their temporal vision. To examine how quickly this coloration appears to a variety of non-human observers, we took high-speed videos of D. carolina flights in the field. For each of the best-quality takeoffs and landings, we performed a frame-by-frame analysis on how the relative sizes of the different-colored body parts changed over time. We found that in the first 7.6 ± 1.5 ms of takeoff, the hindwings unfurled to encompass 50% of the visible grasshopper, causing it to roughly double in size. During the main flight, the hindwings transitioned 6.4 ± 0.4 times per second between pauses and periods of active wing-beating (31.4 ± 0.5 Hz), creating an unstable, confusing image. Finally, during landings, the hindwings disappeared in 11.3 ± 3.0 ms, shrinking the grasshopper to 69 ± 9% of its main flight size. Notably, these takeoffs and landings occurred faster than most recorded species are able to sample images, which suggests that they would be near-instantaneous to a variety of different viewers. We therefore suggest that D. carolina uses its hindwings to initially startle predators (deimatic defense) and then confuse them and disrupt their search images (protean defense) before rapidly returning to crypsis.
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Silva DJA, Erickson MF, dos Santos Guidi R, Pessoa DMA. Thin-fingered fiddler crabs display a natural preference for UV light cues but show no sensory bias to other hypertrophied claw coloration. Behav Processes 2022; 200:104667. [DOI: 10.1016/j.beproc.2022.104667] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2021] [Revised: 05/06/2022] [Accepted: 05/30/2022] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
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Fleishman LJ, Wadman CS, Maximov KJ. The interacting effects of total light intensity and chromatic contrast on visual signal visibility in an Anolis lizard. Anim Behav 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2020.07.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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8
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Brodrick EA, Roberts NW, Sumner-Rooney L, Schlepütz CM, How MJ. Light adaptation mechanisms in the eye of the fiddler crab Afruca tangeri. J Comp Neurol 2020; 529:616-634. [PMID: 32592497 DOI: 10.1002/cne.24973] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2020] [Revised: 06/18/2020] [Accepted: 06/22/2020] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
A great diversity of adaptations is found among animals with compound eyes and even closely related taxa can show variation in their light-adaptation strategies. A prime example of a visual system evolved to function in specific light environments is the fiddler crab, used widely as a model to research aspects of crustacean vision and neural pathways. However, questions remain regarding how their eyes respond to the changes in brightness spanning many orders of magnitude, associated with their habitat and ecology. The fiddler crab Afruca tangeri forages at low tide on tropical and semi-tropical mudflats, under bright sunlight and on moonless nights, suggesting that their eyes undergo effective light adaptation. Using synchrotron X-ray tomography, light and transmission electron microscopy and in vivo ophthalmoscopy, we describe the ultrastructural changes in the eye between day and night. Dark adaptation at dusk triggered extensive widening of the rhabdoms and crystalline cone tips. This doubled the ommatidial acceptance angles and increased microvillar surface area for light capture in the rhabdom, theoretically boosting optical sensitivity 7.4 times. During daytime, only partial dark-adaptation was achieved and rhabdoms remained narrow, indicating strong circadian control on the process. Bright light did not evoke changes in screening pigment distributions, suggesting a structural inability to adapt rapidly to the light level fluctuations frequently experienced when entering their burrow to escape predators. This should enable fiddler crabs to shelter for several minutes without undergoing significant dark-adaptation, their vision remaining effectively adapted for predator detection when surfacing again in bright light.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emelie A Brodrick
- Ecology of Vision Laboratory, School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | - Nicholas W Roberts
- Ecology of Vision Laboratory, School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | | | | | - Martin J How
- Ecology of Vision Laboratory, School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
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Sacchi R, Cancian S, Ghia D, Fea G, Coladonato A. Color variation in signal crayfish Pacifastacus leniusculus. Curr Zool 2020; 67:35-43. [PMID: 33654488 PMCID: PMC7901764 DOI: 10.1093/cz/zoaa031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2020] [Accepted: 06/09/2020] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
External coloration in animals depends on the interaction of several different factors including the genetics and epigenetics processes that underlie the color expression, the mechanisms of color perception, and the general mechanisms controlling color evolution and function. Among all, camouflages from predators and conspicuousness are of particular interest because pose animal to choose between opposite adjustment in coloration. The external coloration of crustaceans is mainly due to the accumulation of carotenoids in the exoskeleton and the epidermal layer, and the trade-off between camouflage and communication had led to a variety of responses, involving signal partitioning, spectral sensibility, changing coloration, or signaling behavior. Here, we used digital images to explore intrapopulation variability of the external coloration of Pacifastacus leniusculus among body regions within an individual and between sexes. We found that 1) ventral coloration of claws are more saturated and brilliant than upper parts, 2) males express a more saturated and brightness coloration than females, especially on the lower portion of claws, 3) color intensity and brightness increases with size differently in different body regions, and 4) brightness is more variable in males than in females. All the above patterns support the hypothesis that color in this species could be the result of a compromise between camouflage from predators and conspicuousness for communication. The results of this study suggest that carotenoid might have something to do with intraspecific communication and perform more complex functions than that of a simple pigment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roberto Sacchi
- Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra e dell'Ambiente, Università degli Studi di Pavia, Viale Taramelli 24, Pavia, I-27100, Italy
| | - Stefania Cancian
- Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra e dell'Ambiente, Università degli Studi di Pavia, Viale Taramelli 24, Pavia, I-27100, Italy
| | - Daniela Ghia
- Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra e dell'Ambiente, Università degli Studi di Pavia, Viale Taramelli 24, Pavia, I-27100, Italy
| | - Gianluca Fea
- Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra e dell'Ambiente, Università degli Studi di Pavia, Viale Taramelli 24, Pavia, I-27100, Italy
| | - Alan Coladonato
- Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra e dell'Ambiente, Università degli Studi di Pavia, Viale Taramelli 24, Pavia, I-27100, Italy
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Pardo JCF, Stefanelli-Silva G, Christy JH, Costa TM. Fiddler crabs and their above-ground sedimentary structures: a review. J ETHOL 2020. [DOI: 10.1007/s10164-020-00647-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
Abstract
AbstractFiddler crabs are abundant, semi-terrestrial crustaceans inhabiting tropical, subtropical and warm temperate coasts worldwide. Some species build above-ground sedimentary structures at or near the opening to their burrows. The functions and shapes of these constructions vary interspecifically and according to the sex of the builder. Here, we compile the dispersed reports on these structures, suggest uniform naming for different shapes, review explanations for their functions and explore associations between the attributes of builders and their structures. We found that 47 fiddler crab species build at least one type (or subtype) of structure, including chimneys, hoods, pillars, semidomes, mudballs, and rims. Sedimentary structures show a strong association with sediment type as well as builder front type, genus and sex, but not with fiddler crab clade. Experimental studies have revealed distinct, sometimes multiple functions for some of these structures (e.g., female attraction, reduction of aggressive behavior and/or landmark orientation); however, most studies have been observational leaving the proposed functions of these structures for many species untested. Both field and laboratory experiments as well as observational studies can help us to better understand these sedimentary structures and their role in fiddler crab behavior and ecology.
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11
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Lynn JC, Cole GL. The effect of against-background contrast on female preferences for a polymorphic colour sexual signal. Anim Behav 2019. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2019.01.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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12
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13
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Affiliation(s)
- Tim Caro
- Department of Wildlife, Fish and Conservation Biology, University of California, Davis, CA, USA
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14
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Colpo KD, López-Greco LS. Dynamics of energy reserves and the cost of reproduction in female and male fiddler crabs. ZOOLOGY 2018; 126:11-19. [DOI: 10.1016/j.zool.2018.01.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2017] [Revised: 12/04/2017] [Accepted: 01/09/2018] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
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15
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Badiane A, Pérez i de Lanuza G, García‐Custodio MDC, Carazo P, Font E. Colour patch size and measurement error using reflectance spectrophotometry. Methods Ecol Evol 2017. [DOI: 10.1111/2041-210x.12801] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Arnaud Badiane
- Department of Biological Sciences Macquarie University Sydney NSW 2109 Australia
- Ethology Lab Cavanilles Institute of Biodiversity and Evolutionary Biology University of Valencia Valencia APDO 22085, 46071 Spain
| | - Guillem Pérez i de Lanuza
- CIBIO, Research Centre in Biodiversity and Genetic Resources, InBIO, University of Porto, Institute of Agrarian Sciences of Vairão R. Padre Armando Quintas 4485‐661 Vairão Portugal
| | - María del Carmen García‐Custodio
- Ethology Lab Cavanilles Institute of Biodiversity and Evolutionary Biology University of Valencia Valencia APDO 22085, 46071 Spain
| | - Pau Carazo
- Ethology Lab Cavanilles Institute of Biodiversity and Evolutionary Biology University of Valencia Valencia APDO 22085, 46071 Spain
| | - Enrique Font
- Ethology Lab Cavanilles Institute of Biodiversity and Evolutionary Biology University of Valencia Valencia APDO 22085, 46071 Spain
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Perez DM, Christy JH, Backwell PRY. Choosing a mate in a high predation environment: Female preference in the fiddler crab Uca terpsichores. Ecol Evol 2016; 6:7443-7450. [PMID: 28725411 PMCID: PMC5513263 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.2510] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2016] [Revised: 08/15/2016] [Accepted: 08/18/2016] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The interplay between a receiver's sensory system and a sender's courtship signals is fundamental to the operation of sexual selection. Male courtship signals that match a female receiver's preexisting perceptual biases can be favored yet the message they communicate is not always clear. Do they simply beacon the male's location or also indicate his quality? We explored this question in a species of fiddler crab Uca terpsichores that courts under elevated predation risk and that mates and breeds underground in the safety of males' burrows. Sexually receptive females leave their own burrows and are thereby exposed to avian predators as they sequentially approach several courting males before they choose one. Males court by waving their single greatly enlarge claw and sometimes by building a sand hood next to their burrow entrance. Hoods are attractive because they elicit a risk-reducing orientation behavior in females, and it has been suggested that claw waving may also serve primarily to orient the female to the male. If the wave communicates male quality, then females should discriminate mates on the basis of variation in elements of the wave, as has been shown for other fiddler crabs. Alternatively, variation in elements of the claw waving display may have little effect on the display's utility as a beacon of the location of the male and his burrow. We filmed courting males and females under natural conditions as females responded to claw waving and chose mates. Analysis of the fine-scale courtship elements between the males that females rejected and those they chose revealed no differences. When predation risk during courtship is high, males' courtship displays may serve primarily to guide females to safe mating and breeding sites and not as indicators of male quality apart from their roles as beacons.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniela M. Perez
- Research School of BiologyThe Australian National UniversityCanberraACTAustralia
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18
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Brandley N, Johnson M, Johnsen S. Aposematic signals in North American black widows are more conspicuous to predators than to prey. Behav Ecol 2016. [DOI: 10.1093/beheco/arw014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
The iconic red hourglass of the black widow spiders (genus Latrodectus) is traditionally considered an aposematic signal, yet experimental evidence is lacking. Here, we present data that suggest that black widow coloration may have evolved to be an aposematic signal that is more conspicuous to their vertebrate predators than to their insect prey. In choice experiments with wild birds, we found that the red-and-black coloration deters potential predators: Wild birds were ~3 times less likely to attack a black widow model with an hourglass than one without. Using visual-system appropriate models, we also found that a black widow’s red-and-black color combo is more apparent to a typical bird than a typical insect. Additionally, an ancestral reconstruction reveals that red dorsal coloration is ancestral in black widows and that at some point some North American widows lost their red dorsal coloration. Behaviorally, differences in red dorsal coloration between 2 North American species are accompanied by differences in microhabitat that affects how often a bird will view a black widow’s dorsal region. All observations are consistent with a cost–benefit trade-off of being more conspicuous to predators than to prey. We suggest that limiting detection by prey may help explain why red and black aposematic signals occur frequently in nature.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas Brandley
- Department of Biology, Duke University, Box 90338, Durham, NC 27708, USA and
- Department of Organismal Biology and Ecology, Colorado College, 14 East Cache La Poudre Street, Colorado Springs, CO 80903, USA
| | - Matthew Johnson
- Department of Biology, Duke University, Box 90338, Durham, NC 27708, USA and
| | - Sönke Johnsen
- Department of Biology, Duke University, Box 90338, Durham, NC 27708, USA and
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Russell BJ, Dierssen HM. Use of Hyperspectral Imagery to Assess Cryptic Color Matching in Sargassum Associated Crabs. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0136260. [PMID: 26352667 PMCID: PMC4564216 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0136260] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2015] [Accepted: 08/03/2015] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Mats of the pelagic macroalgae Sargassum represent a complex environment for the study of marine camouflage at the air-sea interface. Endemic organisms have convergently evolved similar colors and patterns, but quantitative assessments of camouflage strategies are lacking. Here, spectral camouflage of two crab species (Portunus sayi and Planes minutus) was assessed using hyperspectral imagery (HSI). Crabs matched Sargassum reflectance across blue and green wavelengths (400-550 nm) and diverged at longer wavelengths. Maximum discrepancy was observed in the far-red (i.e., 675 nm) where Chlorophyll a absorption occurred in Sargassum and not the crabs. In a quantum catch color model, both crabs showed effective color matching against blue/green sensitive dichromat fish, but were still discernible to tetrachromat bird predators that have visual sensitivity to far red wavelengths. The two species showed opposing trends in background matching with relation to body size. Variation in model parameters revealed that discrimination of crab and background was impacted by distance from the predator, and the ratio of cone cell types for bird predators. This is one of the first studies to detail background color matching in this unique, challenging ecosystem at the air-sea interface.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brandon J. Russell
- Department of Marine Science, University of Connecticut, Groton, CT, 06340, United States of America
| | - Heidi M. Dierssen
- Department of Marine Science, University of Connecticut, Groton, CT, 06340, United States of America
- Department of Geography, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, 06268, United States of America
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Marshall KLA, Philpot KE, Stevens M. Conspicuous male coloration impairs survival against avian predators in Aegean wall lizards, Podarcis erhardii. Ecol Evol 2015; 5:4115-31. [PMID: 26442582 PMCID: PMC4588654 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.1650] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2015] [Revised: 06/03/2015] [Accepted: 07/09/2015] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Animal coloration is strikingly diverse in nature. Within-species color variation can arise through local adaptation for camouflage, sexual dimorphism and conspicuous sexual signals, which often have conflicting effects on survival. Here, we tested whether color variation between two island populations of Aegean wall lizards (Podarcis erhardii) is due to sexual dimorphism and differential survival of individuals varying in appearance. On both islands, we measured attack rates by wild avian predators on clay models matching the coloration of real male and female P. erhardii from each island population, modeled to avian predator vision. Avian predator attack rates differed among model treatments, although only on one island. Male-colored models, which were more conspicuous against their experimental backgrounds to avian predators, were accordingly detected and attacked more frequently by birds than less conspicuous female-colored models. This suggests that female coloration has evolved primarily under selection for camouflage, whereas sexually competing males exhibit costly conspicuous coloration. Unexpectedly, there was no difference in avian attack frequency between local and non-local model types. This may have arisen if the models did not resemble lizard coloration with sufficient precision, or if real lizards behaviorally choose backgrounds that improve camouflage. Overall, these results show that sexually dimorphic coloration can affect the risk of predator attacks, indicating that color variation within a species can be caused by interactions between natural and sexual selection. However, more work is needed to determine how these findings depend on the island environment that each population inhabits.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Martin Stevens
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation University of Exeter Penryn Campus Penryn Cornwall TR10 9FE UK
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Dreher CE, Cummings ME, Pröhl H. An Analysis of Predator Selection to Affect Aposematic Coloration in a Poison Frog Species. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0130571. [PMID: 26110826 PMCID: PMC4481408 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0130571] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2015] [Accepted: 05/22/2015] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Natural selection is widely noted to drive divergence of phenotypic traits. Predation pressure can facilitate morphological divergence, for example the evolution of both cryptic and conspicuous coloration in animals. In this context Dendrobatid frogs have been used to study evolutionary forces inducing diversity in protective coloration. The polytypic strawberry poison frog (Oophaga pumilio) shows strong divergence in aposematic coloration among populations. To investigate whether predation pressure is important for color divergence among populations of O. pumilio we selected four mainland populations and two island populations from Costa Rica and Panama. Spectrometric measurements of body coloration were used to calculate color and brightness contrasts of frogs as an indicator of conspicuousness for the visual systems of several potential predators (avian, crab and snake) and a conspecific observer. Additionally, we conducted experiments using clay model frogs of different coloration to investigate whether the local coloration of frogs is better protected than non-local color morphs, and if predator communities vary among populations. Overall predation risk differed strongly among populations and interestingly was higher on the two island populations. Imprints on clay models indicated that birds are the main predators while attacks of other predators were rare. Furthermore, clay models of local coloration were equally likely to be attacked as those of non-local coloration. Overall conspicuousness (and brightness contrast) of local frogs was positively correlated with attack rates by birds across populations. Together with results from earlier studies we conclude that conspicuousness honestly indicates toxicity to avian predators. The different coloration patterns among populations of strawberry poison frogs in combination with behavior and toxicity might integrate into equally efficient anti-predator strategies depending on local predation and other ecological factors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Corinna E Dreher
- Institute of Zoology, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Foundation, Hannover, Germany.
| | - Molly E Cummings
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Texas, Austin, TX, United States of America
| | - Heike Pröhl
- Institute of Zoology, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Foundation, Hannover, Germany
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22
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Stangel J, Preininger D, Sztatecsny M, Hödl W. Ontogenetic Change of Signal Brightness in the Foot-Flagging Frog Species Staurois parvus and Staurois guttatus. HERPETOLOGICA 2015; 71:1-7. [PMID: 25983337 DOI: 10.1655/herpetologica-d-14-00014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Adult individuals of several anuran species exhibit conspicuous visual displays during intraspecific communication. While signal properties in adults have been subject to an increasing number of studies, little is known about the variation of visual signals in juveniles and during ontogenetic changes. Foot-flagging signals of the Bornean frogs Staurois guttatus and S. parvus were observed in juveniles a few days after metamorphosis. We investigated color parameters of foot webbings and body coloration of individuals bred at the Vienna Zoo, and their relation to age and body size using spectrophotometry. Our results indicate that the brightness of foot webbings of S. guttatus and S. parvus increased with increasing age. Additionally, we compared the results with measurements of adult individuals from a population in Brunei and discuss possible differences related to diet and age as well as the habitat use of juveniles and adults. We suggest that the ontogenetic increase in foot-webbing brightness enhances visual conspicuousness and the signal-to-noise ratio of the visual signal with sexual maturity and potentially functions as cue to the age of the signaler.
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Affiliation(s)
- Judith Stangel
- Department of Integrative Zoology, University of Vienna, Althanstraße 14, A-1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Doris Preininger
- Department of Integrative Zoology, University of Vienna, Althanstraße 14, A-1090 Vienna, Austria ; Vienna Zoo, Maxingstraße 13B, A-1130 Vienna, Austria
| | - Marc Sztatecsny
- Department of Integrative Zoology, University of Vienna, Althanstraße 14, A-1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Walter Hödl
- Department of Integrative Zoology, University of Vienna, Althanstraße 14, A-1090 Vienna, Austria
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23
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Delhey K, Delhey V, Kempenaers B, Peters A. A practical framework to analyze variation in animal colors using visual models. Behav Ecol 2014. [DOI: 10.1093/beheco/aru198] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
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Phamduy P, Polverino G, Fuller RC, Porfiri M. Fish and robot dancing together: bluefin killifish females respond differently to the courtship of a robot with varying color morphs. BIOINSPIRATION & BIOMIMETICS 2014; 9:036021. [PMID: 25162832 DOI: 10.1088/1748-3182/9/3/036021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
The experimental integration of bioinspired robots in groups of social animals has become a valuable tool to understand the basis of social behavior and uncover the fundamental determinants of animal communication. In this study, we measured the preference of fertile female bluefin killifish (Lucania goodei) for robotic replicas whose aspect ratio, body size, motion pattern, and color morph were inspired by adult male killifish. The motion of the fish replica was controlled via a robotic platform, which simulated the typical courtship behavior observed in killifish males. The positional preferences of females were measured for three different color morphs (red, yellow, and blue). While variation in preference was high among females, females tend to spend more time in the vicinity of the yellow painted robot replicas. This preference may have emerged because the yellow robot replicas were very bright, particularly in the longer wavelengths (550–700 nm) compared to the red and blue replicas. These findings are in agreement with previous observations in mosquitofish and zebrafish on fish preference for artificially enhanced yellow pigmentation.
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25
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Marshall KLA, Stevens M. Wall lizards display conspicuous signals to conspecifics and reduce detection by avian predators. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2014; 25:1325-1337. [PMID: 25419083 PMCID: PMC4235580 DOI: 10.1093/beheco/aru126] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2014] [Revised: 06/14/2014] [Accepted: 06/19/2014] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
Abstract
Visual signals are often under conflicting selection to be hidden from predators while being conspicuous to mates and rivals. Here, we investigated whether 3 different island populations of Aegean wall lizards (Podarcis erhardii) with variable coloration among diverse island habitats exhibit simultaneous camouflage and sexual signals. We examined whether signals appear better tuned to conspecific vision as opposed to that of avian predators, and whether background-matching camouflage and sexual signals are partitioned to specific body regions. This could facilitate both covert sexual signaling and camouflage according to the viewing perspectives of predators and conspecifics. We found that lizards typically appeared twice as conspicuous to conspecifics than to avian predators against the same visual background, largely due to lizards’ enhanced sensitivity to ultraviolet, suggesting that P. erhardii signals are tuned to conspecific vision to reduce detection by predators. Males were more conspicuous than females to both predators and conspecifics. In 2 populations, male backs were relatively more camouflaged to predators compared to signaling flanks, whereas in females, exposed and concealed surfaces were camouflaged to predators and generally did not differ in background matching. These findings indicate that lizard coloration evolves under the competing demands of natural and sexual selection to promote signals that are visible to conspecifics while being less perceptible to avian predators. They also elucidate how interactions between natural and sexual selection influence signal detectability and partitioning to different body regions, highlighting the importance of considering receiver vision, viewing perspectives, and signaling environments in studies of signal evolution. Lizards and their predators see the world differently, allowing lizards (Podarcis erhardii) to display bright sexual signals that are less visible to hunting birds. Males are more conspicuous than females, but reduce their visibility to predators by having camouflaged backs and restricting brighter signals to their sides, which makes them less visible to birds hunting from above while still being highly visible to mates and rivals on the ground.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Martin Stevens
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter , Penryn Campus, Penryn, Cornwall, TR10 9FE , UK
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26
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Swanson BO, George MN, Anderson SP, Christy JH. Evolutionary variation in the mechanics of fiddler crab claws. BMC Evol Biol 2013; 13:137. [PMID: 23855770 PMCID: PMC3716949 DOI: 10.1186/1471-2148-13-137] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2012] [Accepted: 06/04/2013] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Fiddler crabs, genus Uca, are classic examples of how intense sexual selection can produce exaggerated male traits. Throughout the genus the enlarged “major” cheliped (claw) of the male fiddler crab is used both as a signal for attracting females and as a weapon for combat with other males. However, the morphology of the major claw is highly variable across the approximately 100 species within the genus. Here we address variation, scaling, and correlated evolution in the mechanics of the major claw by analyzing the morphology and mechanical properties of the claws of 21 species of fiddler crabs from the Pacific, Gulf and Atlantic coasts of the Americas. Results We find that the mechanics that produce claw closing forces, the sizes of claws and the mechanical strength of the cuticle of claws are all highly variable across the genus. Most variables scale isometrically with body size across species but claw force production scales allometrically with body size. Using phylogenetically independent contrasts, we find that the force that a claw can potentially produce is positively correlated with the strength of the cuticle on the claw where forces are delivered in a fight. There is also a negative correlation between the force that a claw can potentially produce and the size of the claw corrected for the mass of the claw. Conclusions These relationships suggest that there has been correlated evolution between force production and armoring, and that there is a tradeoff between claw mechanics for signaling and claw mechanics for fighting.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brook O Swanson
- Department of Biology, Gonzaga University, Spokane, WA 99258, USA.
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27
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28
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29
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No evidence for differential survival or predation between sympatric color morphs of an aposematic poison frog. Evol Ecol 2013. [DOI: 10.1007/s10682-013-9636-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
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30
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Flores EE, Stevens M, Moore AJ, Blount JD. Diet, development and the optimization of warning signals in post‐metamorphic green and black poison frogs. Funct Ecol 2013. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2435.12084] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Eric E. Flores
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation College of Life & Environmental Sciences University of Exeter Cornwall Campus Penryn TR10 9EZ UK
| | - Martin Stevens
- Department of Zoology University of Cambridge Downing Street Cambridge CB2 3EJ UK
| | - Allen J. Moore
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation College of Life & Environmental Sciences University of Exeter Cornwall Campus Penryn TR10 9EZ UK
- Department of Genetics University of Georgia Athens GA 30602 USA
| | - Jonathan D. Blount
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation College of Life & Environmental Sciences University of Exeter Cornwall Campus Penryn TR10 9EZ UK
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31
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Crothers LR, Cummings ME. Warning signal brightness variation: sexual selection may work under the radar of natural selection in populations of a polytypic poison frog. Am Nat 2013; 181:E116-24. [PMID: 23594556 DOI: 10.1086/670010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Abstract
Though theory predicts consistency of warning signals in aposematic species to facilitate predator learning, variation in these signals often occurs in nature. The strawberry poison frog Dendrobates pumilio is an exceptionally polytypic (populations are phenotypically distinct) aposematic frog exhibiting variation in warning color and brightness. In the Solarte population, males and females both respond differentially to male brightness variation. Here, we demonstrate through spectrophotometry and visual modeling that aposematic brightness variation within this population is likely visible to two putative predators (crabs, snakes) and conspecifics but not to the presumed major predator (birds). This study thus suggests that signal brightness within D. pumilio populations can be shaped by sexual selection, with limited opportunity for natural selection to influence this trait due to predator sensory constraints. Because signal brightness changes can ultimately lead to changes in hue, our findings at the within-population level can provide insights into understanding this polytypism at across-population scales.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura R Crothers
- Section of Integrative Biology, University of Texas, Austin, Texas 78712, USA.
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32
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Twomey E, Yeager J, Brown JL, Morales V, Cummings M, Summers K. Phenotypic and Genetic Divergence among Poison Frog Populations in a Mimetic Radiation. PLoS One 2013; 8:e55443. [PMID: 23405150 PMCID: PMC3566184 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0055443] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2012] [Accepted: 12/31/2012] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The evolution of Müllerian mimicry is, paradoxically, associated with high levels of diversity in color and pattern. In a mimetic radiation, different populations of a species evolve to resemble different models, which can lead to speciation. Yet there are circumstances under which initial selection for divergence under mimicry may be reversed. Here we provide evidence for the evolution of extensive phenotypic divergence in a mimetic radiation in Ranitomeya imitator, the mimic poison frog, in Peru. Analyses of color hue (spectral reflectance) and pattern reveal substantial divergence between morphs. However, we also report that there is a “transition-zone” with mixed phenotypes. Analyses of genetic structure using microsatellite variation reveals some differentiation between populations, but this does not strictly correspond to color pattern divergence. Analyses of gene flow between populations suggest that, while historical levels of gene flow were low, recent levels are high in some cases, including substantial gene flow between some color pattern morphs. We discuss possible explanations for these observations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Evan Twomey
- Department of Biology, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC, USA
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33
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Maan ME, Cummings ME. Poison Frog Colors Are Honest Signals of Toxicity, Particularly for Bird Predators. Am Nat 2012; 179:E1-14. [DOI: 10.1086/663197] [Citation(s) in RCA: 160] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
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34
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Darnell MZ, Munguia P. Thermoregulation as an Alternate Function of the Sexually Dimorphic Fiddler Crab Claw. Am Nat 2011; 178:419-28. [DOI: 10.1086/661239] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
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35
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Zylinski S, How MJ, Osorio D, Hanlon RT, Marshall NJ. To be seen or to hide: visual characteristics of body patterns for camouflage and communication in the Australian giant cuttlefish Sepia apama. Am Nat 2011; 177:681-90. [PMID: 21508613 DOI: 10.1086/659626] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Abstract
It might seem obvious that a camouflaged animal must generally match its background whereas to be conspicuous an organism must differ from the background. However, the image parameters (or statistics) that evaluate the conspicuousness of patterns and textures are seldom well defined, and animal coloration patterns are rarely compared quantitatively with their respective backgrounds. Here we examine this issue in the Australian giant cuttlefish Sepia apama. We confine our analysis to the best-known and simplest image statistic, the correlation in intensity between neighboring pixels. Sepia apama can rapidly change their body patterns from assumed conspicuous signaling to assumed camouflage, thus providing an excellent and unique opportunity to investigate how such patterns differ in a single visual habitat. We describe the intensity variance and spatial frequency power spectra of these differing body patterns and compare these patterns with the backgrounds against which they are viewed. The measured image statistics of camouflaged animals closely resemble their backgrounds, while signaling animals differ significantly from their backgrounds. Our findings may provide the basis for a set of general rules for crypsis and signals. Furthermore, our methods may be widely applicable to the quantitative study of animal coloration.
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Affiliation(s)
- S Zylinski
- School of Life Sciences, University of Sussex, Brighton, United Kingdom.
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36
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Kim TW, Ryu HJ, Choi JB, Choe JC. Tower construction by the manicure crab Cleistostoma dilatatum during dry periods on an intertidal mudflat. J ETHOL 2011. [DOI: 10.1007/s10164-011-0280-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
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37
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Fowler-Finn KD, Hebets EA. The degree of response to increased predation risk corresponds to male secondary sexual traits. Behav Ecol 2011. [DOI: 10.1093/beheco/arq197] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
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38
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Pröhl H, Ostrowski T. Behavioural elements reflect phenotypic colour divergence in a poison frog. Evol Ecol 2010. [DOI: 10.1007/s10682-010-9455-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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39
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Fowler-Finn KD, Hebets EA. More Ornamented Males Exhibit Increased Predation Risk and Antipredatory Escapes, but not Greater Mortality. Ethology 2010. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1439-0310.2010.01852.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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40
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Effect of visual background complexity and light level on the detection of visual signals of male Schizocosa ocreata wolf spiders by female conspecifics. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2010. [DOI: 10.1007/s00265-010-1079-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
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41
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ROBERTSON JEANNEMARIE, ROSENBLUM ERICABREE. Rapid divergence of social signal coloration across the White Sands ecotone for three lizard species under strong natural selection. Biol J Linn Soc Lond 2009. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1095-8312.2009.01291.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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42
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Detto T, Backwell PR. The fiddler crab Uca mjoebergi uses ultraviolet cues in mate choice but not aggressive interactions. Anim Behav 2009. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2009.05.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
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43
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Dangles O, Irschick D, Chittka L, Casas J. Variability in Sensory Ecology: Expanding the Bridge Between Physiology and Evolutionary Biology. QUARTERLY REVIEW OF BIOLOGY 2009; 84:51-74. [DOI: 10.1086/596463] [Citation(s) in RCA: 67] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
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44
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Fuller RC. A test of the critical assumption of the sensory bias model for the evolution of female mating preference using neural networks. Evolution 2009; 63:1697-711. [PMID: 19228190 DOI: 10.1111/j.1558-5646.2009.00659.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
The sensory bias model for the evolution of mating preferences states that mating preferences evolve as correlated responses to selection on nonmating behaviors sharing a common sensory system. The critical assumption is that pleiotropy creates genetic correlations that affect the response to selection. I simulated selection on populations of neural networks to test this. First, I selected for various combinations of foraging and mating preferences. Sensory bias predicts that populations with preferences for like-colored objects (red food and red mates) should evolve more readily than preferences for differently colored objects (red food and blue mates). Here, I found no evidence for sensory bias. The responses to selection on foraging and mating preferences were independent of one another. Second, I selected on foraging preferences alone and asked whether there were correlated responses for increased mating preferences for like-colored mates. Here, I found modest evidence for sensory bias. Selection for a particular foraging preference resulted in increased mating preference for similarly colored mates. However, the correlated responses were small and inconsistent. Selection on foraging preferences alone may affect initial levels of mating preferences, but these correlations did not constrain the joint evolution of foraging and mating preferences in these simulations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca C Fuller
- School of Integrative Biology, University of Illinois, 104 Shelford Vivarium, Champaign, IL 61820, USA.
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