Larger Females are Choosier in the Gray Treefrog (Hyla versicolor)

Michael C. Kuczynski; Thomas Getty; Eben Gering

doi:10.1016/j.beproc.2016.11.019

Larger Females are Choosier in the Gray Treefrog (Hyla versicolor)

Michael C. Kuczynski
, Thomas Getty
, Eben Gering

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

Individual variation in female mate choice has important implications for sexual trait evolution and the maintenance of phenotypic diversity. In this study we examined several potential drivers of individual variation in female choosiness for the well-studied, energetically expensive courtship signal of male gray treefrogs, Hyla versicolor . Specifically, we investigated the relationship between female choosiness and other female traits (female body size, physical condition, and age) using a costly choice playback experiment where females traveled different simulated distances to reach attractive mates. We found that larger females maintained their preferences for attractive male calls over greater simulated distances (i.e. were choosier) than smaller females. We discuss possible explanations for why larger females may be choosier and suggest several potential avenues of future research.

Original language	American English
Pages (from-to)	29-35
Number of pages	7
Journal	Behavioural Processes
Volume	135
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.beproc.2016.11.019
State	Published - Feb 1 2017
Externally published	Yes

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© 2016 Elsevier B.V.

Funding

We would like to thank Levi Storks for assistance in collecting mated pairs. Special thanks to Dr. Diana Bello-DeOcampo and the MSU histopathology lab for assistance with skeletochronology. We also thank two anonymous reviewers and our handling editor for valuable criticism that has greatly improved this manuscript. Handling of animals was approved by the Michigan DNRE (scientific collector’s permit) and Michigan State University Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (05/13-107-00). This work was funded by a, G.H. Lauff research award, Kellogg Biological Station Summer Fellowship award, and an MSU EEBB summer fellowship .

Funders
Midwestern State University

ASJC Scopus Subject Areas

Animal Science and Zoology
Behavioral Neuroscience

Keywords

Choosiness
Female choice
Individual variation
Mate preference
Sexual selection

Disciplines

Biology
Life Sciences

Access to Document

10.1016/j.beproc.2016.11.019

Cite this

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title = "Larger Females are Choosier in the Gray Treefrog (Hyla versicolor)",

abstract = " Individual variation in female mate choice has important implications for sexual trait evolution and the maintenance of phenotypic diversity. In this study we examined several potential drivers of individual variation in female choosiness for the well-studied, energetically expensive courtship signal of male gray treefrogs, Hyla versicolor . Specifically, we investigated the relationship between female choosiness and other female traits (female body size, physical condition, and age) using a costly choice playback experiment where females traveled different simulated distances to reach attractive mates. We found that larger females maintained their preferences for attractive male calls over greater simulated distances (i.e. were choosier) than smaller females. We discuss possible explanations for why larger females may be choosier and suggest several potential avenues of future research.",

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Larger Females are Choosier in the Gray Treefrog (Hyla versicolor)

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Funding

ASJC Scopus Subject Areas

Keywords

Disciplines

Access to Document

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