Cognitively Driven Co‐Option and the Evolution of Complex Sexual Displays in Bowerbirds

Comment on 'Parasite defensive limb movements enhance acoustic signal attraction in male little torrent frogs'

“…For the main conclusions of Zhao et al, 2022 to be correct, the following must be true: (i) limb movements must function to protect frogs from parasitism; (ii) this defense tactic must have emerged before the species evolved either its social limb displays or its multimodal communication strategy ( True and Carroll, 2002 ; Borgia and Keagy, 2015 ; Schwark et al, 2022 ). However, Zhao et al do not to provide compelling evidence for either point.…”