A multifunctional warning signal behaves as an agonistic status signal in a poison frog

Self Cite

Sexual signals are important for intraspecific communication and mate selection, but their evolution may be driven by both natural and sexual selection, and stochastic processes. Strawberry poison frogs (Oophaga pumilio) show strong color divergence among populations, but coloration also varies among individuals of the same population. The importance of coloration for female mate choice has been studied intensely, and sexual selection seems to affect color divergence in strawberry poison frogs. However, the effect of coloration on mating success under field conditions has received very little attention. Furthermore, few studies examined how phenotypic variation among individuals of the same color morph affects mate selection under natural conditions. We measured the spectral reflectance of courting and noncourting individuals and their background substrates in three geographically separated populations. In one population (Sarapiquí, Costa Rica), we found that naturally occurring courting pairs of males and females had significantly brighter dorsal coloration than individual males and females not engaged in courtship interactions. Our field observations suggest that, in the wild, females prefer brighter males while the reason for the higher courtship activity of brighter females remains unclear. Overall our results imply that brightness differences among individuals of the same color morph may actually affect reproductive success in some populations of strawberry poison frogs.

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Mating status correlates with dorsal brightness in some but not all poison frog populations

Dreher

Rodríguez

Cummings

et al. 2017

Self Cite

“…Being able to produce 3D printed models of animals, that can be colored to account for the species’ visual system, allows direct manipulation of a visual signal, while maintaining (and controlling) morphology to encourage responses. This approach has been used to investigate the coloration of the poison frog , Oophaga pumilio , where brightness was found to be an indicator of more aggressive males (Crothers & Cummings, ). Similarly, Brandley et al () investigated the evolution of the red “hourglass” mark of the black widow spider ( Latrodectus spp.…”

Section: Evolutionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The communication of an individual's fitness through coloration is common, especially in males (Andersson, 1994;Krebs & Davies, 1993;Svensson & Wong, 2011). Testing the influence of coloration on mating success or other interactions is normally done through comparison between an individual's brightness and the rest of the population (Crothers & Cummings, 2015). However, this process is time consuming and may require the capture, and associated stress, of animals.…”

Section: Morphology and Colorationmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

3D Printing: Applications in evolution and ecology

Walker

Humphries

2019

In the commercial and medical sectors, 3D printing is delivering on its promise to enable a revolution. However, in the fields of Ecology and Evolution we are only on the brink of embracing the advantages that 3D printing can offer. Here we discuss examples where the process has enabled researchers to develop new techniques, work with novel species, and to enhance the impact of outreach activities. Our aim is to showcase the potential that 3D printing offers in terms of improved experimental techniques, greater flexibility, reduced costs and promoting open science, while also discussing its limitations. By taking a general overview of studies using the technique from fields across the broad range of Ecology and Evolution, we show the flexibility of 3D printing technology and aim to inspire the next generation of discoveries.

Ultraviolet components offer minimal contrast enhancement to an aposematic signal

Yeager

Barnett

2020