Inferring the origins of state-dependent courtship traits

The American Naturalist
R J Payne, M Pagel

Abstract

We examine a simple model of state-dependent (indicator) traits that focuses on their evolutionary origins as courtship signals. A necessary condition for the initial evolution of signals was found: the marginal female preference for minimal traits must exceed a certain threshold, where that threshold is proportional to the marginal male fitness costs for minimal traits. We interpret a positive threshold as implying a need for preexisting sensory bias in order to overcome the threshold if indicator signals are to start to evolve. We extend the model to allow for the possibility that signal costs and female preferences may vary over evolutionary time. If there is independent information on the way that signaling costs have evolved, then one may use measurements of contemporary female preferences to make inferences concerning the presence of the ancestral threshold. It is the marginal female preferences for minimal male traits that are important, whereas reconstructing ancestral origins from measurement of average size signals is not informative. Our analyses suggest two foci for future studies: measurement of the marginal response of contemporary females to minimal male signals and reconstruction of how signaling costs have chan...Continue Reading

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Citations

Aug 19, 2008·The American Naturalist·Thomas Getty
Oct 15, 2005·The American Naturalist·Rebecca C FullerJoseph Travis
Feb 21, 2009·Evolution; International Journal of Organic Evolution·Rebecca C Fuller
Sep 9, 2006·Ecology Letters·Stephen F ChenowethHanna Kokko
Jun 23, 2007·Journal of Evolutionary Biology·J W Boughman
Nov 9, 2006·Evolution; International Journal of Organic Evolution·Barbara Ballentine
Apr 10, 2003·Evolution; International Journal of Organic Evolution·José Miguel AparicioPedro J Cordero
May 29, 2003·Proceedings. Biological Sciences·Hanna KokkoJosephine Morley
Jun 25, 2002·Proceedings. Biological Sciences·Hanna KokkoAlasdair I Houston
Mar 12, 2002·Proceedings. Biological Sciences·F Helen RoddColette T Baril

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