一种泡蟾的配偶识别:脑、行为和进化研究(英文)

Mate recognition in túngara frogs:a review of some studies of brain,behavior,and evolution

综述了对泡蟾 (Physalaemuspustulosus)的性通讯所进行的各种研究。本文作者研究了通讯系统的功能重要性、通讯的神经机制以及通讯进化的格局 ,特别研究了雌蛙如何使用简单和复杂的叫声来识别可以交配的物种 ,以及如何识别同种的不同雄性个体。本文确定了复杂叫声的反选择力、一种食蛙蝠———缨唇蝠 (Trachopscirrhosus)以及叫声的能量消耗 ,并阐述了引起雌性反应的重要特征。作者的比较研究表明 ,对复杂叫声的偏好在复杂叫声进化前就有了 ,这支持感官开发假说 (Hypothesisofsensoryexploitation ,雄性特征进化的结果是开发雌性预先存在的对雄性的偏好 )。结合比较研究和人工神经网络的模拟 。

Animal communication systems have been a focus of studies in species recognition, sexual selection, and neuroethology. We and our colleagues have conducted a variety of studies of sexual communication in the túngara frog ( Physalaemus pustulosus ), and we review some of these studies here. Our general approach has been integrative. We investigate the functional significance of the communication system, the neural mechanisms underlying the system, and major patterns of its evolution. Specifically, we have shown how the males’ simple (whine only) and complex (whine plus chucks) calls are used by females to recognize the correct species for mating, and how they lead females to choose among conspecific males. We have identified a major counter selection force on complex calls, predation by the frog eating bat ( Trachops cirrhosus ), as well as energetic costs of calling. We have shown the specific features of the call that are critical to elicit female responses, and have made some progress in identifying neural mechanisms underlying call perception. Our comparative studies have shown that preferences for complex calls existed prior to the evolution of complex calls. This supports the hypothesis of sensory exploitation, which states that males evolve traits to exploit preexisting female preferences. Combining comparative studies with artificial neural network simulations, we also argue that the decoding strategies that females use to recognize whines are influenced by the decoding strategies used by their ancestors. Besides reviewing the details of this communication system, we also emphasize the necessity of incorporating different levels of analysis to obtain a deeper understanding of the mechanisms, function, and evolution of complex phenotypes