Increased androgenic sensitivity in the hind limb muscular system marks the evolution of a derived gestural display.

ABSTRACT: Physical gestures are prominent features of many species' multimodal displays, yet how evolution incorporates body and leg movements into animal signaling repertoires is unclear. Androgenic hormones modulate the production of reproductive signals and sexual motor skills in many vertebrates; therefore, one possibility is that selection for physical signals drives the evolution of androgenic sensitivity in select neuromotor pathways. We examined this issue in the Bornean rock frog (Staurois parvus, family: Ranidae). Males court females and compete with rivals by performing both vocalizations and hind limb gestural signals, called "foot flags." Foot flagging is a derived display that emerged in the ranids after vocal signaling. Here, we show that administration of testosterone (T) increases f

SUBMITTER: Mangiamele LA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4878525 | biostudies-literature | 2016 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature