Singing, allogrooming, and allomarking behaviour during inter- and intra-sexual encounters in the Neotropical short-tailed singing mouse (Scotinomys teguina)

Phelps, Steve; Tang‐Martínez, Zuleyma; Fernández-Vargas, Marcela

doi:10.1163/000579511x584591

Cited by 24 publications

(12 citation statements)

References 53 publications

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“…Females show preferences for male songs with higher note rates [21]. Moreover, the decision to sing is influenced by the presence of females, aggressive experience, reproductive status and perceived predation risk [21][22][23]. Individual differences in song performance, measured by the ability to increase both frequency bandwidth and note rate [24], are weakly correlated with coarse measures of body condition [21].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Adiposity signals predict vocal effort in Alston's singing mice

2018

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Advertisement displays often seem extravagant and expensive, and are thought to depend on the body condition of a signaller. Nevertheless, we know little about how signallers adjust effort based on condition, and few studies find a strong relationship between natural variation in condition and display. To examine the relationship between body condition and signal elaboration more fully, we characterized physiological condition and acoustic displays in a wild rodent with elaborate vocalizations, Alston's singing mouse, We found two major axes of variation in condition-one defined by short-term fluctuations in caloric nutrients, and a second by longer-term variation in adiposity. Among acoustic parameters, song effort was characterized by high rates of display and longer songs. Song effort was highly correlated with measures of adiposity. We found that leptin was a particularly strong predictor of display effort. Leptin is known to influence investment in other costly traits, such as immune function and reproduction. Plasma hormone levels convey somatic state to a variety of tissues, and may govern trait investment across vertebrates. Such measures offer new insights into how animals translate body condition into behavioural and life-history decisions.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Adiposity signals predict vocal effort in Alston's singing mice

2018

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“…This interpretation is consistent with evidence from singing mice suggesting that song effort is highly sensitive to social context and motivation. Male singing mice increase song rate in response to winning fights (George, 2014), encounters with females (Fernández-Vargas et al, 2011; Hooper and Carleton, 1976), and simply hearing another animal vocalize (Hooper and Carleton, 1976; Pasch et al, 2013). Singing mice also exhibit dynamic “turn-taking” counter-singing behavior, rapidly modifying the starts and stops of songs during social interactions (Okobi et al, 2019).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…This suite of acoustic traits characterizes a notable departure from the short and simple ancestral ultrasonic vocalizations typical of most muroid rodents (Miller and Engstrom, 2007, 2012) and makes song detectable over long distances. Indeed, singing mouse song seems designed for that purpose, playing roles in both mate attraction and male-male competition (Fernández-Vargas et al, 2011; Hooper and Carleton, 1976; George, 2014; Pasch et al, 2011a, 2013). Interestingly, aspects of singing effort are predicted by male body condition (Burkhard et al, 2018; Pasch et al, 2011a), providing a putative mechanism for signaling decisions and female preferences.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Genomic heritability of song and condition in wild singing mice

Burkhard

Matz

Phelps

2020

Preprint

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Courtship displays are dramatic examples of complex behaviors that vary within and among species. Evolutionary explanations for this diversity rely upon genetic variation, yet the heritability of complex phenotypes is seldom investigated in the field. Here, we estimate genomic heritability of advertisement song and body condition in a wild population of singing mice. The heritability of song exhibits a systematic pattern, with high heritability for spectral characteristics linked to vocal morphology, intermediate heritability for rhythmic patterns, and lower but significant heritability for measures of motivation, like song length and rate. Physiological measures of condition, like hormonal markers of adiposity, exhibited intermediate heritability. Among singing mice, song rate and body condition have a strong phenotypic correlation; our estimate suggests a comparable genetic correlation that merits further study. Our results illustrate how advances in genomics and quantitative genetics can be integrated in free-living species to address longstanding challenges in behavior and evolution.

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“…In most species that court, displays are also sexually dimorphic. In the case of Alston's singing mouse (Scotinomys teguina), for example, males make long, rapidly modulated trills that serve in male-male competition and female attraction (Campbell et al, 2010;Fernández-Vargas et al, 2011;Pasch, George, Campbell, & Phelps, 2011). Although females sometimes vocalize, they do so much less often than males.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Conservation and dimorphism in androgen receptor distribution in Alston's singing mouse ( Scotinomys teguina )

2021

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Because of their roles in courtship and intrasexual competition, sexual displays are often sexually dimorphic, but we know little about the mechanisms that produce such dimorphism. Among mammals, one example is the vocalization of Alston's singing mouse (Scotinomys teguina), which consists of a series of rapidly repeated, frequency‐modulated notes. The rate and duration of songs is sexually dimorphic and androgen responsive. To understand the neuronal mechanisms underlying this sexual dimorphism, we map the sites of androgen sensitivity throughout the brain, focusing analysis along a pathway that spans from limbic structures to vocal motor regions. We find widespread expression of AR immunoreactivity (AR‐ir) throughout limbic structures important for social behavior and vocalization, including the lateral septum, extended amygdala, preoptic area and hypothalamus. We also find extensive AR staining along previously documented vocal motor pathways, including the periaqueductal gray, parabrachial nucleus, and nucleus ambiguus, the last of which innervates intrinsic laryngeal muscles. Lastly, AR‐ir is also evident in sensory areas such as the medial geniculate, inferior, and superior colliculi. A quantitative analysis revealed that males exhibited more AR‐ir than females, a pattern that was most pronounced in the hypothalamus. Despite the elaboration of vocalization in singing mice, comparison with prior literature suggests that the broad pattern of AR‐ir may be conserved across a wide range of rodents. Together these data identify brain nuclei well positioned to shape the sexually dimorphic vocalization of S. teguina and suggest that such androgen modulation of vocalization is evolutionary conserved among rodents.

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Singing, allogrooming, and allomarking behaviour during inter- and intra-sexual encounters in the Neotropical short-tailed singing mouse (Scotinomys teguina)

Abstract: 3) Corresponding author's current address:

Cited by 24 publications

References 53 publications

Adiposity signals predict vocal effort in Alston's singing mice

Adiposity signals predict vocal effort in Alston's singing mice

Genomic heritability of song and condition in wild singing mice

Conservation and dimorphism in androgen receptor distribution in Alston's singing mouse ( Scotinomys teguina )

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