RESUMEN
Animal displays are often perceived by intended and unintended receivers in more than one sensory system. In addition, cues that are an incidental consequence of signal production can also be perceived by different receivers, even when the receivers use different sensory systems to perceive them. Here we show that the vocal responses of male túngara frogs (Physalaemus pustulosus) increase twofold when call-induced water ripples are added to the acoustic component of a rival's call. Hunting bats (Trachops cirrhosus) can echolocate this signal by-product and prefer to attack model frogs when ripples are added to the acoustic component of the call. This study illustrates how the perception of a signal by-product by intended and unintended receivers through different sensory systems generates both costs and benefits for the signaler.
Asunto(s)
Anuros/fisiología , Percepción Auditiva , Quirópteros/fisiología , Cortejo , Ecolocación , Preferencia en el Apareamiento Animal , Vibración , Vocalización Animal , Animales , Femenino , Masculino , Sonido , AguaRESUMEN
Animals' sound-producing organs often act as an integrated whole--particular vocal structure are not directly associated with the creation of discrete syllables. But here we show that the 'chuck' of the 'whine-chuck' mating call of the túngara frog, Physalaemus pustulosus, is caused by a fibrous mass attached to the vocal folds; the chuck is eliminated by removal of this structure, although the frog still tries to produce the sound. Sexual selection affects the acoustic complexity of the frog's call, so evolution may have shaped this unusual vocalization, which is akin to the two-voiced song of songbirds.
Asunto(s)
Ranidae/fisiología , Vocalización Animal/fisiología , Animales , Femenino , Masculino , Ranidae/anatomía & histología , Conducta Sexual Animal/fisiología , Pliegues Vocales/anatomía & histología , Pliegues Vocales/fisiologíaRESUMEN
Anuran communication has been a useful model for understanding behavioral and neural aspects of species recognition. By extending this paradigm to intraspecific mate choice, and by supplementing it with studies of phylogenetics, some new advances have been made in understanding sexual selection.