Inhibitory interactions between multimodal behavioural responses may influence the evolution of complex signals

Thompson, Julie T.; Bissell, Ahrash N.; Martins, Emı́lia P.

doi:10.1016/j.anbehav.2007.12.015

Cited by 38 publications

(27 citation statements)

References 64 publications

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“…The results of multiple studies also demonstrate the importance of male chemical signals for intraspecific communication in lizards [27]–[29]. In many lizard species, males exude femoral pore secretions.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 81%

Preference for Male Traits Differ in Two Female Morphs of the Tree Lizard, Urosaurus ornatus

2014

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Non-random female mating preferences may contribute to the maintenance of phenotypic variation in color polymorphic species. However, the effect of female preference depends on the types of male traits used as signals by receptive females. If preference signals derive from discrete male traits (i.e., morph-specific), female preferences may rapidly fix to a morph. However, female preference signals may also include condition-dependent male traits. In this scenario, female preference may differ depending on the social context (i.e., male morph availability). Male tree lizards (Urosaurus ornatus) exhibit a dewlap color polymorphism that covaries with mating behavior. Blue morph males are aggressive and defend territories, yellow males are less aggressive and defend smaller territories, and orange males are typically nomadic. Female U. ornatus are also polymorphic in dewlap color, but the covariation between dewlap color and female behavior is unknown. We performed an experiment to determine how female mate choice depends on the visual and chemical signals produced by males. We also tested whether female morphs differ in their preferences for these signals. Female preferences involved both male dewlap color and size of the ventral color patch. However, the female morphs responded to these signals differently and depended on the choice between the types of male morphs. Our experiment revealed that females may be capable of distinguishing among the male morphs using chemical signals alone. Yellow females exhibit preferences based on both chemical and visual signals, which may be a strategy to avoid ultra-dominant males. In contrast, orange females may prefer dominant males. We conclude that female U. ornatus morphs differ in mating behavior. Our findings also provide evidence for a chemical polymorphism among male lizards in femoral pore secretions.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 81%

Preference for Male Traits Differ in Two Female Morphs of the Tree Lizard, Urosaurus ornatus

2014

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“…Finally, compound signals may not induce a change of behavior on their own, but only when combined with other signals [Rowe, 1999;Rowe & Guilford, 1996]. Surprisingly this theoretical framework has received little interest from primatologists despite its potential value for achieving a better understanding of the communicative function of animal signals [but see Acquistapace et al, 2002;Crook et al, 2004;de Luna et al, 2010;Hazlett & McLay, 2005;Jones & van Cantfort, 2007;Partan, 2002;Thompson et al, 2008;Uetz & Roberts, 2002]. This lack of interest from primatologists is even more surprising given that Human communication is highly multimodal: language is often accompanied by nonverbal cues: gestures enhance communication [Wu & Coulson, 2007] and accompany speech even in the absence of learning [Iverson & Goldin-Meadow, 1998].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 97%

Multicomponent and Multimodal Lipsmacking in Crested Macaques (Macaca nigra)

Micheletta

Engelhardt

Matthews

et al. 2012

American J Primatol

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Primates' communicative signals are often dynamic and composed of multiple components, sometimes belonging to different sensory modalities. Such multicomponent signals are of crucial importance in the study of communication: the addition of extra features to a signal has the potential to modulate or change the meaning and message of the specific signal. Traditionally, however, components of compound signals are studied in isolation from each other, or communicative displays are studied as static and invariant wholes. Both approaches may not allow us to assess the full function of the signals. In crested macaques (Macaca nigra), the lipsmack (a display mainly used in affiliative interactions) can be produced alone or combined with other visual and acoustic communicative features. We investigated whether the composition of the lipsmack influenced the outcome of social interaction while controlling for relationship quality. Our results show that lipsmacks composed of both visual and vocal components (i.e. multimodal signals) increased the probability of affiliative contact, and therefore have enhanced signal value. The total number of visual components involved in the display had no effect but some visual components seemed more influential than others. By analyzing lipsmacking behavior as a composite, dynamic display, we were able to reveal a level of complexity that is not apparent when looking at each component separately. The results highlight the importance of a more integrative, multimodal approach to the study of primate communication.

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“…This move has taken place in part in response to an increasing awareness that much animal communication is in fact multimodal in nature (Partan and Marler 1999, 2005) and has taken place mainly in well-studied animal taxa within behavioral ecology, such as frogs (Taylor et al 2007, 2008, 2011), insects (Rowe and Guilford 1999; 2001), spiders (Hebets and Uetz 1999; Uetz and Roberts 2002; Uetz et al 2009), lizards (Thompson et al 2008), and birds (Partan et al 2005; Smith and Evans 2008; Uy et al 2009). In contrast, despite some studies of multimodal signaling in primates (Partan 2002), most research on free-ranging primates has lagged behind in its incorporation of multisensory signal elements.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Signaling in multiple modalities in male rhesus macaques: sex skin coloration and barks in relation to androgen levels, social status, and mating behavior

Higham

Pfefferle

Heistermann

et al. 2013

Behav Ecol Sociobiol

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The past decade has seen an increasing shift in animal communication towards more studies that incorporate aspects of signaling in multiple modalities. Although nonhuman primates are an excellent group for studying the extent to which different aspects of condition may be signaled in different modalities, and how such information may be integrated during mate choice, very few studies of primate species have incorporated such analyses. Here, we present data from free-ranging male rhesus macaques on sex skin coloration (modeled to receiver perception), bark vocal signals, androgen levels, morphometric variables, dominance status, and female mate choice. We show that, consistent with data on females, most intra- and interindividual variation in sex skin appearance occurs in luminance rather than color. Sex skin luminance was significantly correlated across different skin regions. Sex skin luminance did not correlate with the majority of bark parameters, suggesting the potential for the two signals to convey different information. Sex skin appearance was not related to androgen levels although we found some evidence for links between androgen levels and bark parameters, several of which were also related to morphometric variables. We found no evidence that either signal was related to male dominance rank or used in female mate choice, though more direct measures of female proceptive behavior are needed. Overall, the function of male sex skin coloration in this species remains unclear. Our study is among the first nonhuman primate studies to incorporate measurements of multiple signals in multiple modalities, and we encourage other authors to incorporate such analyses into their work.

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Inhibitory interactions between multimodal behavioural responses may influence the evolution of complex signals

Cited by 38 publications

References 64 publications

Preference for Male Traits Differ in Two Female Morphs of the Tree Lizard, Urosaurus ornatus

Preference for Male Traits Differ in Two Female Morphs of the Tree Lizard, Urosaurus ornatus

Multicomponent and Multimodal Lipsmacking in Crested Macaques (Macaca nigra)

Signaling in multiple modalities in male rhesus macaques: sex skin coloration and barks in relation to androgen levels, social status, and mating behavior

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