Knee-clicks and visual traits indicate fighting ability in eland antelopes: multiple messages and back-up signals.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Given the costs of signalling, why do males often advertise their fighting ability to rivals using several signals rather than just one? Multiple signalling theories have developed largely in studies of sexual signals, and less is known about their applicability to intra-sexual communication. We here investigate the evolutionary basis for the intricate agonistic signalling system in eland antelopes, paying particular attention to the evolutionary phenomenon of loud knee-clicking.

Results

A principal components analysis separated seven male traits into three groups. The dominant frequency of the knee-clicking sound honestly indicated body size, a main determinant of fighting ability. In contrast, the dewlap size increased with estimated age rather than body size, s

SUBMITTER: Bro-Jorgensen J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2596769 | biostudies-literature | 2008 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature