Warning Signal Brightness Variation: Sexual Selection May Work under the Radar of Natural Selection in Populations of a Polytypic Poison Frog

Though theory predicts consistency of warning signals in aposematic species to facilitate predator learning, variation in these signals often occurs in nature. The strawberry poison frogDendrobates pumiliois an exceptionally polytypic (populations are phenotypically distinct) aposematic frog exhibit...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:The American naturalist 2013-05, Vol.181 (5), p.E116-E124
Main Authors: Crothers, Laura R., Cummings, Molly E.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Animal cognition
Animal Communication
Animal populations
Animals
Anura - genetics
Anura - physiology
Biological Evolution
Birds
Color
Colors
Crabs
Cues
E-Note
Female
Frogs
Genetic variation
Male
Male animals
Mating Preference, Animal
Phenotype
Predation
Predators
Predatory Behavior
Reflectance
Selection, Genetic
Sex Characteristics
Sexual selection
Signal detection
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Summary:Though theory predicts consistency of warning signals in aposematic species to facilitate predator learning, variation in these signals often occurs in nature. The strawberry poison frogDendrobates pumiliois an exceptionally polytypic (populations are phenotypically distinct) aposematic frog exhibiting variation in warning color and brightness. In the Solarte population, males and females both respond differentially to male brightness variation. Here, we demonstrate through spectrophotometry and visual modeling that aposematic brightness variation within this population is likely visible to two putative predators (crabs, snakes) and conspecifics but not to the presumed major predator (birds). This study thus suggests that signal brightness withinD. pumiliopopulations can be shaped by sexual selection, with limited opportunity for natural selection to influence this trait due to predator sensory constraints. Because signal brightness changes can ultimately lead to changes in hue, our findings at the within-population level can provide insights into understanding this polytypism at across-population scales.
ISSN:0003-0147
1537-5323
DOI:10.1086/670010