Wagner WE, Reiser MG
School of Biological Sciences, University of Nebraska
Anim Behav. 2000 Jun;59(6):1219-1226. doi: 10.1006/anbe.1999.1428.
Male field crickets produce calling songs, courtship songs, tactile signals and chemical signals. Although calling songs are known to play an important role in female mate choice, the importance of the other signals in mate choice is poorly understood. In the variable field cricket, Gryllus lineaticeps, females select mates, in part, based on variation in male calling song. Females prefer higher chirp rates, a trait which is partially dependent on male nutrient intake, and females prefer longer chirp durations, a trait which appears to be independent of male nutrient intake. We tested whether females also have preferences based on variation in male courtship song, and whether the structure of male courtship song varies with nutrient intake. First, we reexamined female preference for calling song chirp rate. Then, we examined: (1) female preference based on courtship song chirp rate; (2) the relative importance of calling song and courtship song chirp rate; (3) the nutrition dependence of courtship song chirp rate; and (4) the correlation between calling song and courtship song chirp rate. As reported previously, females preferred higher calling song chirp rates, and in addition, preferred higher courtship song chirp rates. Females were more likely to switch from a speaker broadcasting more attractive calling song to a speaker broadcasting less attractive calling song when the attractive calling song was associated with an unattractive courtship song than when it was associated with an attractive courtship song. Preferences based on courtship song may thus cause females to alter the choices that they made based on calling song. Males that received greater nutrients did not produce higher courtship song chirp rates. There was no correlation between calling song and courtship song chirp rate. As a result, the two traits may provide information to females about different aspects of male quality. Copyright 2000 The Association for the Study of Animal Behaviour.
雄性田蟋蟀会发出求偶鸣叫、求偶歌声、触觉信号和化学信号。虽然已知求偶鸣叫在雌性择偶中起着重要作用，但其他信号在择偶中的重要性却鲜为人知。在变色田蟋蟀（Gryllus lineaticeps）中，雌性选择配偶部分基于雄性求偶鸣叫的差异。雌性更喜欢较高的啁啾率，这一特征部分取决于雄性的营养摄入，并且雌性更喜欢较长的啁啾持续时间，这一特征似乎与雄性营养摄入无关。我们测试了雌性是否也基于雄性求偶歌声的差异有偏好，以及雄性求偶歌声的结构是否随营养摄入而变化。首先，我们重新审视了雌性对求偶鸣叫啁啾率的偏好。然后，我们研究了：（1）基于求偶歌声啁啾率的雌性偏好；（2）求偶鸣叫和求偶歌声啁啾率的相对重要性；（3）求偶歌声啁啾率对营养的依赖性；以及（4）求偶鸣叫和求偶歌声啁啾率之间的相关性。如先前报道的那样，雌性更喜欢较高的求偶鸣叫啁啾率，此外，还更喜欢较高的求偶歌声啁啾率。当有吸引力的求偶鸣叫与无吸引力的求偶歌声相关联时，与当它与有吸引力的求偶歌声相关联时相比，雌性更有可能从播放更有吸引力求偶鸣叫的扬声器切换到播放吸引力较小求偶鸣叫的扬声器。因此，基于求偶歌声的偏好可能会导致雌性改变基于求偶鸣叫所做出的选择。获得更多营养的雄性并没有发出更高的求偶歌声啁啾率。求偶鸣叫和求偶歌声啁啾率之间没有相关性。结果，这两个特征可能会向雌性提供有关雄性品质不同方面的信息。版权所有2000动物行为研究协会。
