Article
Zoology
Yatao Wu, Jiahui Bao, Pingshin Lee, Jinmei Wang, Sheng Wang, Fang Zhang
Summary: Nonlinear phenomena in the vocalization of male Odorrana tormota are negatively correlated with body size, with females preferring smaller males with higher nonlinear content. Females also show a preference for calls with higher nonlinear content, indicating a role for nonlinear phenomena in mate choice and attractiveness. These findings suggest that nonlinear phenomena play a specific function in sexual selection in O. tormota.
ASIAN HERPETOLOGICAL RESEARCH
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Pan Chen, Jinmei Wang, Junqi Miao, Hao Dong, Jiahui Bao, Yatao Wu, Fang Zhang
Summary: This study suggests that the nonlinear phenomena (NLP) components in courtship calls of anuran species can increase complexity and attract female mate choice. The results show that a higher proportion of NLP components in calls is positively related to male body size, and females prefer males with larger body sizes and higher P-NLP-C. This study provides new insights into the role of NLP in anuran mate selection.
ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2022)
Article
Behavioral Sciences
Charlene Gemard, Thierry Aubin, Eliette L. Reboud, Francesco Bonadonna
Summary: Female blue petrels show a preference for high-pitched calls and calls with a high call rate, possibly related to male bill morphology and sexual motivation. Despite the potential increase in predation risks, producing frequent high-pitched calls seems to be favorable for conspicuous sexual signaling in mate selection.
BEHAVIORAL ECOLOGY AND SOCIOBIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Michael J. Ryan
Summary: Darwin's theory of sexual selection, proposed one hundred fifty years ago, focuses on female preferences for elaborately ornamented males due to their taste for beauty. Research has since explored fitness advantages, sensory ecology, signal design, neural circuits, and neurochemistry, providing insight into the mechanisms behind mate choice. Recent studies inspired by human research in psychophysics, behavioral economics, and neuroaesthetics have further advanced our understanding of mate choices.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Filipe C. Serrano, Juan C. Diaz-Ricaurte, Marcio Martins
Summary: Misdirected amplexus, an unusual reproductive behavior, occurs extensively in amphibians across the globe. This comprehensive data set of 378 misdirected amplexus events for 156 amplectant species provides a baseline for understanding the spatial, temporal, and phylogenetic patterns of this behavior. It also encourages further research on the environmental and ecological drivers behind misdirected amplexus.
Article
Biology
Logan S. James, Wouter Halfwerk, Kimberly L. Hunter, Rachel A. Page, Ryan C. Taylor, Preston S. Wilson, Michael J. Ryan
Summary: This study examined the relationship between components of communication systems in female tungara frogs and fringelipped bats. The results showed that vocal sac volume, call amplitude, and water ripple height were correlated, with vocal sac volume and call amplitude showing the strongest association. Multimodal models were found to predict the mass of calling males better than unimodal models, providing a foundation for future studies on complex displays integration and comparison by receivers.
JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL BIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Ryan Calsbeek, Francisco Javier Zamora-Camacho, Laurel B. Symes
Summary: A novel application of acoustic camera technology was used to investigate the influence of individual wood frogs' calls on chorus properties and mating opportunities. The results showed that males and females preferred choruses with low variance in dominant frequency, and females preferred choruses with low mean peak frequency. Field studies revealed that more egg masses were laid in ponds where male frogs chorused with low variance in dominant frequency.
Article
Psychology, Multidisciplinary
Katarzyna Pisanski, Maydel Fernandez-Alonso, Nadir Diaz-Simon, Anna Oleszkiewicz, Adrian Sardinas, Robert Pellegrino, Nancy Estevez, Emanuel C. Mora, Curtis R. Luckett, David R. Feinberg
Summary: Height preferences in mate selection differ between genders, with men generally preferring taller female partners. Additionally, men exhibit stronger assortative preferences for height in short-term relationships compared to long-term relationships.
FRONTIERS IN PSYCHOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Behavioral Sciences
Jessie C. Tanner, Emily R. Johnson, Marlene Zuk
Summary: The study investigated the impact of acoustic signals on adult female mating preferences and found that some measures of female response are plastic and mediated by song quality, but effects were population specific and not entirely consistent with predictions.
Article
Biology
Longhui Zhao, Jichao Wang, Haodi Zhang, Tongliang Wang, Yue Yang, Yezhong Tang, Wouter Halfwerk, Jianguo Cui
Summary: This study evaluates whether physical movements of parasite defense behavior increase the complexity and attractiveness of an acoustic sexual signal in little torrent frogs, showing that these movements can influence female preference for acoustic signals. The results suggest that females may play an important role in incorporating multiple signal modalities.
Article
Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science
Haixia Li, Jie Wang, Xu Zhang, Yu Hu, Qinglin Cai, Ying Liu, Zhen Ma
Summary: This study analyzed the differences in mate choice behavior and criteria between males and females in Aequidens rivulatus. The results showed that males paid more attention to female attractiveness and preference degree, whereas females focused on male ability and appearance. These findings are crucial for improving artificial mating and determining successful mating.
Article
Ecology
E. Tuschhoff, John J. J. Wiens
Summary: Sexual selection plays a crucial role in driving phenotypic diversity and diversification in animals. Female mate choice is the most common mechanism of sexual selection, but male-male competition and male mate choice also exist. Tactile traits are more widespread, while auditory traits are less common. These different types of sexual selection traits are mainly confined to arthropods and chordates, where accelerated rates of evolution are observed. Additionally, these traits are strongly correlated with each other in their evolution across animals. However, there is limited evidence supporting the idea that sexual selection traits drive large-scale patterns of diversification and species richness across all animals.
FRONTIERS IN ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Jonathan M. Henshaw, Lutz Fromhage, Adam G. Jones
Summary: The aesthetic preferences of potential mates play a significant role in the evolution of elaborate ornaments. Females tend to prefer ornaments that signal a male's quality and have preexisting perceptual biases. The costs of preference expression and the potential genetic benefits associated with offspring attractiveness are important factors in shaping female preferences.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2022)
Article
Biology
Shengnan Chen, Ying Jiang, Long Jin, Wenbo Liao
Summary: Testis asymmetry in anuran species was studied to test the packaging and compensation hypotheses. The results showed a positive correlation between testes size asymmetry and livers mass, supporting the packaging hypothesis; and a positive relationship between postcopulatory sperm competition and the degree of testes asymmetry, supporting the role of sexual selection. However, no effect of developmental stress on testes size asymmetry was found, inconsistent with the compensation hypothesis.
Article
Psychology, Multidisciplinary
Linda Taimre, Ryan C. Anderson, Olivia Paisley
Summary: Mate copying is a social phenomenon in which individuals evaluate opposite-sex others based on their relationship history. Women are aware of mate copying when evaluating potential male romantic partners, but seeing a man pictured with another woman does not provide additional information about his specific traits.
CURRENT PSYCHOLOGY
(2022)