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- Title
Social modulation of spatial dynamics in treefrog choruses.
- Authors
Leverett, Mary Chang; McLister, James D.; Desaivre, Stève S.; Conway, Shane; Boyd, Sunny K.
- Abstract
In anuran amphibians, as well as many other animals, it is common for males to form breeding aggregations where they advertise to females of the same species. For female gray treefrogs (Hyla versicolor), the characteristics of male calls are integral to their preferences while the distance to the males represents a key feature of the required investment. Therefore, the spatial arrangement of males and the quality of their advertisement calls can influence sexual selection processes. We recorded the calls of male gray treefrogs, as well as the spatial position of individuals in the chorus, for aggregations in northern Michigan over three breeding seasons. Males were not randomly distributed across the chorus but showed both clustered patterns and dispersed patterns, depending on the scale of analysis. On active chorus nights, we identified clusters of males and individual males closest to the centers of those clusters ("medoids") using a novel analytical approach. Medoids displayed some call characteristics that are preferred by females significantly more often than the other members of their clusters and thus may represent "hotshot" males. Non-medoid males in the clusters displayed less preferred call features. Irrespective of overall cluster membership, the size of the chorus (number of males calling per night) and nearest neighbor distances were also correlated with specific call features. We suggest that the smaller clusters within choruses that we identified may represent the spatial scale over which female gray treefrogs sample and choose male mates. Significance statement: Aggregations of animals for the sole purpose of mating are common and conspicuous occurrences. However, such aggregations provide both costs and benefits to participants. For males, the quality of their displays and spatial location in the aggregation can determine whether they mate at all. Females also face constraints as their preferred mates may represent costly choices. Using an objective point pattern analysis technique, we demonstrated that the male advertisement choruses of the gray treefrog can be subdivided into smaller local groups that contain higher quality males at the center. These local groups display some features of classic "hotshot" style leks and may represent the units females consider for choice of male mates.
- Subjects
MICHIGAN; SPATIAL arrangement; SEXUAL selection; HYLIDAE; COST effectiveness
- Publication
Behavioral Ecology & Sociobiology, 2022, Vol 76, Issue 4, p1
- ISSN
0340-5443
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1007/s00265-022-03163-z