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

Authors

• Michael C. Kuczynski, Michigan State University
• Thomas Getty, Michigan State University
• Eben Gering, Michigan State UniversityFollow

ORCID

0000-0002-1270-6727

Document Type

Article

Publication Title

Behavioural Processes

ISSN

0376-6357

Publication Date

2-2017

Keywords

Female choice, Choosiness, Mate preference, Sexual selection, Individual variation

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.

DOI

10.1016/j.beproc.2016.11.019

Volume

135

First Page

29

Last Page

35

Comments

©2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

NSUWorks Citation

Kuczynski, Michael C.; Thomas Getty; and Eben Gering. 2017. "Larger Females are Choosier in the Gray Treefrog (Hyla versicolor)." Behavioural Processes 135, (): 29-35. doi:10.1016/j.beproc.2016.11.019.