Dynamic color communication

Hutton, Pierce; Seymoure, Brett; McGraw, Kevin J.; Ligon, Russell A.; Simpson, Richard K.

doi:10.1016/j.cobeha.2015.08.007

Cited by 56 publications

(51 citation statements)

References 80 publications

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“…Alternatively, males might be under a receiver‐imposed handicap (proposed in Hutton et al . ), where males that contrast better in less optimal light environments (and potentially are singing in territories with more noise–song frequency overlap) are in better condition or more preferred by females. Additionally, the negative relationship between canopy cover and UV coloration makes sense due to the reduction in UV light in the forest understory and corroborates previous work (Endler , Gomez et al .…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 90%

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Multiple signaling in a variable environment: expression of song and color traits as a function of ambient sound and light

Simpson

McGraw

2018

Biotropica

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Many animals communicate using more than one signal, and several hypotheses exist to explain the evolution of multiple signals. However, these hypotheses typically assume static selection pressures, and previous work has not addressed how spatial and temporal environmental variation can shape variation in signaling systems. In particular, environmental variability, such as ambient lighting or noise, may affect efficacy (e.g., detectability/perception by receivers) of signals. To examine how signal expression varies intraspecifically as a function of habitat characteristics, we evaluated relationships between spatial environmental variation and song and plumage color expression in a tropical songbird, the Red‐throated Ant‐tanager (Habia fuscicauda) in Panama. We recorded male ant‐tanager song, plucked feathers to measure coloration, and quantified the acoustic and light environments from each male's territory. In addition, we took several morphological measurements from each male to assess the potential information content of song and plumage color. We found that males with redder and more saturated crown plumage occurred on darker territories, and males that sang shorter and lower frequency songs occurred on noisier territories. We also found that more colorful males tended to sing longer and lower frequency songs. Finally, we found that song and color correlated similarly with male morphology (e.g., tarsus length, body mass). Altogether, these results indicate that spatial variation in the environment is related to male coloration and song, and that males might be optimizing color and song expression for their particular territorial environment.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 90%

“…, Hutton et al . ), and ultimately the costs and benefits of signaling with different traits (Robinson et al . ).…”

mentioning

confidence: 97%

Multiple signaling in a variable environment: expression of song and color traits as a function of ambient sound and light

Simpson

McGraw

2018

Biotropica

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“…Anolis lizards, Fleishman ), all of which may affect how the colour appears in space and time (Hutton et al . ). Thus, to fully understand how colour signals are transmitted, function and evolve, we must holistically study colour ornaments as they are presented and vary in their natural environmental and behavioural contexts.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 97%

It's not just what you have, but how you use it: solar‐positional and behavioural effects on hummingbird colour appearance during courtship

Simpson

McGraw

2018

Ecology Letters

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Animals exhibit a diversity of colours that can play key roles in mating interactions. However, we presently lack an understanding of the relative importance of the environment, behaviour and natural reflective properties of colourful ornaments in shaping an individual's colour appearance during mating displays. We investigated interactions among structurally based plumage, display environments and courtship shuttle displays of male Costa's hummingbirds (Calypte costae) to test how these elements may differentially contribute to colour appearance during shuttles. Male position relative to the sun was the strongest predictor of colour appearance, with shuttle behaviours and feather reflectance playing smaller roles. Furthermore, male solar orientation and shuttling behaviour (e.g. shuttle width) were repeatable among displays, whereas male colour appearance mostly was not. These results emphasise the contributions of behaviour and environment to colour-signalling and suggest that relying on reflectance measurements of colourful ornaments alone provides an incomplete picture of ecologically relevant visual phenotypes of displaying animals.

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“…Digital photography as a method of studying animal coloration provides several advantages but requires careful interpretation (for recent reviews see Hutton et al 2015;Kemp et al 2015;Troscianko and Stevens 2015;Johnsen 2016). The aims of our study (namely, quantifying differences in color brightness) could be achieved using digital photography within the human-visible color range, similar to its use in a variety of other recent studies that quantify basic differences in color (e.g., Sowersby et al 2015;Escudero et al 2016;Keren-Rotem et al 2016).…”

Section: Image Analysismentioning

confidence: 99%

Rapid body color brightening is associated with exposure to a stressor in anAnolislizard

Boyer

Swierk

2017

Can. J. Zool.

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Many species use color change to optimize body coloration to changing environmental conditions, and drivers of rapid color change in natural populations are numerous and poorly understood. We examined factors influencing body coloration in the Water Anole (Anolis aquaticus Taylor, 1956), a lizard possessing color-changing stripes along the length of its body. We quantified the color of three body regions (the eye stripe, lateral stripe, and dorsum) before and after exposure to a mild stressor (handling and restraint). Based on current understanding of the genus Anolis Daudin, 1802, we hypothesized that exposure to a stressor would generate genus-typical skin darkening (i.e., increased melanism). Contrary to expectations, stress consistently brightened body coloration: eye and lateral stripes transitioned from brown to pale blue and green and the dorsum became lighter brown. Sex, size, and body temperature did not correlate with any aspect of body coloration, and a laboratory experiment confirmed that light exposure did not drive brightening. We propose that color change may serve to reduce conspicuousness through disruptive camouflage; lizards tended to display brighter stripes on mottled green-brown substrates. Together, these results improve our understanding of Anolis color change diversity and emphasize the need for a broader interpretation of the mechanism and functions of color change across taxa.Key words: Anolis (Norops) aquaticus, Water Anole, cryptic, metachrosis, physiological color change, stress.Résumé : Si de nombreuses espèces se servent des changements de couleur pour optimiser la coloration de leur corps en réponse à des conditions ambiantes changeantes, les facteurs menant à des changements de couleur rapides dans les populations naturelles sont nombreux et mal compris. Nous avons examiné les facteurs qui influencent la coloration du corps chez l'anolis aquatique (Anolis aquaticus Taylor, 1956), un lézard présentant des bandes de couleur changeante parallèles à la longueur de son corps. Nous avons quantifié la couleur de trois régions du corps (bande oculaire, bande latérale et région dorsale) avant et après une exposition à un facteur de stress léger (manipulation et retenue). À la lumière de la compréhension actuelle du genre Anolis Daudin, 1802, nous avions postulé que l'exposition à un facteur de stress produirait un assombrissement de la peau typique du genre (c.-à -d., mélanisme accru). Contrairement à ces attentes, le stress s'est uniformément traduit par une coloration plus pâle du corps, les bandes oculaires et latérales passant du brun aux bleu et vert pâles et le brun de la région dorsale devenant plus pâle. Le sexe, la taille et la température du corps n'étaient corrélés à aucun aspect de la coloration du corps, et une expérience en laboratoire a confirmé que l'exposition à la lumière ne causait pas de pâlissement. Nous proposons que les changements de couleur pourraient servir à rendre les individus moins faciles à détecter grâce au camouflage disruptif; les lézards avaie...

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Dynamic color communication

Cited by 56 publications

References 80 publications

Multiple signaling in a variable environment: expression of song and color traits as a function of ambient sound and light

Multiple signaling in a variable environment: expression of song and color traits as a function of ambient sound and light

It's not just what you have, but how you use it: solar‐positional and behavioural effects on hummingbird colour appearance during courtship

Rapid body color brightening is associated with exposure to a stressor in anAnolislizard

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