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
Behavioral Sciences
Lauren M. Harrison, Gabriela C. Melo, Daniela M. Perez, Patricia R. Y. Backwell
Summary: Experimental results show that females have a strong preference for leader males, but followers still obtain a certain proportion of mates. Proximity of followers to females does not affect female preference for leaders, but being a leader increases a male's success when he is further from the female than rival males. Furthermore, the presence of a leader male makes females more likely to approach a distant group, suggesting that followers benefit from participating in synchrony.
BEHAVIORAL ECOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Biology
Andrew D. Cronin, Judith A. H. Smit, Matias Munoz, Armand Poirier, Peter A. Moran, Paul Jerem, Wouter Halfwerk
Summary: Urbanisation can influence mating opportunities and selection pressures on sexual traits. Studies show differences between urban and non-urban populations in terms of sexual traits and factors associated with urbanisation. However, there is limited understanding of the drivers of urban sexual selection and whether changes in traits are adaptive or short-term ecological responses. Urbanisation provides a unique opportunity to study sexual selection, but an integrative approach combining experimental and observational work is needed.
BIOLOGICAL REVIEWS
(2022)
Article
Zoology
Shou-Wang Lin, Lara Lopardo, Gabriele Uhl
Summary: Sexual selection plays a significant role in the diversification of dwarf spiders, as evidenced by the diverse prosomal structures observed in males. This study redefines the genus Oedothorax based on a phylogenetic analysis and proposes several synonymies and new genera. The findings suggest multiple origins of prosomal modification types, highlighting the importance of sexual selection in erigonine evolution.
ZOOLOGICAL JOURNAL OF THE LINNEAN SOCIETY
(2022)
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
Behavioral Sciences
David Canal, Monika Jablonszky, Katalin Krenhardt, Gabor Marko, Gergely Nagy, Eszter Szasz, Janos Torok, Sandor Zsebok, Laszlo Zsolt Garamszegi
Summary: This study revealed the relative importance of male and female identity in male courtship behavior, as well as the increased male responsiveness to stimulus females as the breeding season progressed. Furthermore, the results suggest that invitation latency is a consistent courtship attribute in males that can be adjusted plastically according to perceived female quality and environmental conditions.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
James Starrett, Rowan H. McGinley, Eileen A. Hebets, Jason E. Bond
Summary: This study applies a phylogenomic approach to analyze the Nearctic spider genus Schizocosa and discovers that the New World Schizocosa does not form a monophyletic group. It suggests the need to reconsider previous hypotheses of North American species and species groups and establishes a new paradigm for studying the evolution of reproductive communication and mating. The study also reveals a complex pattern of homoplasy and the influence of sexual selection and natural selection on character evolution.
MOLECULAR PHYLOGENETICS AND EVOLUTION
(2022)
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
Behavioral Sciences
Naomi L. Zweerus, Michiel van Wijk, Coby Schal, Astrid T. Groot
Summary: The evolution of sexual signals is influenced by whether one or both sexes engage in mate choice. In the case of the noctuid moth Chloridea virescens, both males and females emit sex-specific pheromones, but females tend to choose larger males for mating. Female mate choice in this moth species is not influenced by male pheromones, and females use behavior and tactile stimuli to make decisions during courtship.
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
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
Behavioral Sciences
Jessie C. Tanner, Leigh W. Simmons
Summary: This study found that even a small number of male field crickets singing can reduce female response rates and prevent mate choice. This can be due to either acoustic interference or choice overload. The results suggest that in noisy natural environments, receivers may not always be able to express their well-documented mating preferences.
BEHAVIORAL ECOLOGY
(2022)
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
Michael S. S. Reichert, Ivan de la Hera
Summary: By studying the preferences of both sexes in response to novel mating signals in grey treefrogs, evidence of sensory bias was found in both males and females: males exhibited more intense responses to complex stimuli, while females sometimes preferred complex stimuli.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY B-BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Roshan Kumar Vijendravarma, Sunitha Narasimha, Elsa Steinfath, Jan Clemens, Pierre Leopold
Summary: Symmetry plays a crucial role in sexual selection, as it can be used as a signal of potential mates' quality through nonvisual cues. Researchers discovered that altering gravity can increase asymmetry in Drosophila, and symmetry-based discrimination was observed in both male and female mate-choice tests.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2022)
Article
Behavioral Sciences
Darren Rebar, Flavia Barbosa, Michael D. Greenfield
BEHAVIORAL ECOLOGY
(2016)
Article
Behavioral Sciences
Flavia Barbosa, Darren Rebar, Michael D. Greenfield
BEHAVIORAL ECOLOGY
(2016)
Article
Behavioral Sciences
Thibaut Marin-Cudraz, Michael D. Greenfield
BEHAVIORAL ECOLOGY AND SOCIOBIOLOGY
(2016)
Article
Ecology
Mathieu Mahamoud-Issa, Thibaut Marin-Cudraz, Virginie Party, Michael D. Greenfield
EVOLUTIONARY ECOLOGY
(2017)
Article
Ecology
F. Barbosa, D. Rebar, M. D. Greenfield
JOURNAL OF EVOLUTIONARY BIOLOGY
(2018)
Article
Behavioral Sciences
Darren Rebar, Flavia Barbosa, Michael D. Greenfield
BEHAVIORAL ECOLOGY AND SOCIOBIOLOGY
(2019)
Article
Evolutionary Biology
Yareli Esquer-Garrigos, Rejane Streiff, Virginie Party, Sabine Nidelet, Miguel Navascues, Michael D. Greenfield
BIOLOGICAL JOURNAL OF THE LINNEAN SOCIETY
(2019)
Article
Genetics & Heredity
Boryana S. Koseva, Jennifer L. Hackett, Yihong Zhou, Bethany R. Harris, John K. Kelly, Michael D. Greenfield, Jennifer M. Gleason, Stuart J. Macdonald
G3-GENES GENOMES GENETICS
(2019)
Editorial Material
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Andrea Ravignani, Laura Verga, Michael D. Greenfield
ANNALS OF THE NEW YORK ACADEMY OF SCIENCES
(2019)
Review
Biology
Michael D. Greenfield, Ikkyu Aihara, Guy Amichay, Marianna Anichini, Vivek Nityananda
Summary: Animals communicating in groups have different mechanisms, such as adjusting broadcast timing, emitting leading signals, or synchronizing signaling rhythms, to avoid interference and focus on specific individuals. Different species have different ways of dealing with group signaling issues, some focusing on close neighbors while others require complex timing mechanisms to attend to all individuals. Signaling and receiving are often dictated by sex, and the mechanisms allowing for communication in groups are closely intertwined with the rhythmic signaling process.
PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY B-BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
(2021)
Editorial Material
Biology
Michael D. Greenfield, Henkjan Honing, Sonja A. Kotz, Andrea Ravignani
Summary: Studies show that synchronization and rhythm interactions in both human and non-human animals are achieved through a limited number of coupled-oscillator mechanisms, with synchronous displays often emerging as a result of entrainment between signaling individuals, even when not all individuals benefit from the collective timing.
PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY B-BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
(2021)
Article
Biology
Julie Thevenet, Leo Papet, Zilca Campos, Michael Greenfield, Nicolas Boyer, Nicolas Grimault, Nicolas Mathevon
Summary: The ability to distinguish target sound signals from masking noise through Spatial Release from Masking (SRM) is observed in wild and captive crocodilian species. Field experiments and investigations in captivity demonstrate that two species of crocodilians are able to use SRM in their natural habitat, with maximal effectiveness occurring at angles exceeding 15 degrees.
COMMUNICATIONS BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Behavioral Sciences
Michael D. Greenfield, Bjorn Merker
Summary: This review explores the coordinated group displays and rhythmic entrainment mechanisms in arthropods and anurans, as well as the phenomenon of perfect synchrony which is typically observed only in humans. The discussion focuses on the functions of rhythmic entrainment in different species and the adaptive circumstances in which it might evolve.
NEUROSCIENCE AND BIOBEHAVIORAL REVIEWS
(2023)
Article
Evolutionary Biology
Michael D. Greenfield, Thibaut Marin-Cudraz, Virginie Party
BIOLOGICAL JOURNAL OF THE LINNEAN SOCIETY
(2017)
Article
Behavioral Sciences
Darren Rebar, Michael D. Greenfield