Signal variation and call preferences for whine frequency in the túngara frog, Physalaemus pustulosus |
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Authors: | J Bosch A S Rand M J Ryan |
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Institution: | (1) Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales, CSIC, José Gutierrez Abascal, 2, 28006 Madrid, Spain e-mail: bosch@mncn.csic.es Tel.: +34-914111328, Fax: +34 915645078, ES;(2) Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Apdo. 2072, Balboa, Panama, PA;(3) Section of Integrative Biology C0930, University of Texas, Austin, TX 78712, USA, US |
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Abstract: | Properties of sexual signals can differ in the amount of within-male variability. In several species of anurans, females exert
stabilizing or weakly directional preferences on less variable call properties, and highly directional preferences on more
variable ones. Preferences of female túngara frogs, Physalaemus pustulosus, were examined for two call characteristics: a less variable spectral character, dominant frequency of the whine, and a more
variable temporal character, inter-call interval. Eight phonotaxis experiments using synthetic calls were conducted with gravid
females. Stimuli presented for both characters were based on the mean and standard deviation (SD) of those characters in the
study population. For each character, we used four intervals of variation (1, 2, 3, and 4 SD) between stimuli in four different
experiments. As has been found in some other anuran species, preference was stronger for the more variable temporal character,
increasing in proportion to the difference between stimuli. Preference for the less variable spectral character was not significant
until the difference between stimuli was substantial. The strength of female preference, estimated as latency to choose, the
number of speakers visited, and the number of females showing phonotaxis, increased in proportion to the increase in the difference
between stimuli. All these measures of strength of preference were greater in response to the more variable temporal character
compared to responses to the less variable spectral character.
Received: 20 September 2000 / Accepted: 7 October 2000 |
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Keywords: | Signal variation Call preferences Túngara frog |
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