Variation in sexual signals and defensive strategies elicits receiver-dependent shifts in attractiveness.

ABSTRACT: Sexual selection often favors the evolution of conspicuous mating displays. Emitting such overt displays carries the risk of interception by eavesdropping enemies, i.e. predators, parasitoids and parasites that exploit communication systems to find and attack their signaling victims. Yet, many signalers respond to variation in perceived eavesdropper risk, protecting themselves through risk-dependent inducible defenses to mitigate potential costs. Given that signalers are embedded in communication networks in which they interact with other signalers, target receivers and multiple eavesdropping enemies, here we investigated how variation in signaling and defensive strategies impacted by an eavesdropping enemy (frog-biting midges; Diptera: Corethrellidae) affects other receivers in a communic

SUBMITTER: Leavell BC 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12319409 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature