Signal Costs and Constraints

3/22/02


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Table of Contents

Signal Costs and Constraints

Decision threshold

Signal detection theory

ROC curves

Signal detection and mate choice

Implications

Sender Costs

Guppy coloration and predation

Frog mating calls attract bats

Male crickets attract females and parasitic Ormia ochracea flies

Female fly ears are tuned to hear male cricket calls

Female red-winged blackbird calls attract predators and defense

Sage grouse displays are costly

Singing consumes energy

Time lost: lekking antelope males donít feed

Conflict with original function

Constraints

Sender constraints

Body size constrains frequency

Constraints on sender learning: HVC and repertoire size

Receiver costs

Code-breaking rove beetle

Receiver constraints

Visual resolution and body size

Hippocampus size and caching

Memory differs in food storing corvids

Memory differences are task dependent

Hippocampus shows experential changes

Transmission constraints

Tactile communication

Author: Jerry Wilkinson

Email: gw10@umail.umd.edu

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