A Common Endocrine Signature Marks the Convergent Evolution of an Elaborate Dance Display in Frogs

Anderson, Nigel K.; Schuppe, Eric R.; Gururaja, KV; Mangiamele, Lisa A.; Martinez, Juan Carlos Cusi; Priti, Hebbar; May, Rudolf von; Preininger, Doris; Fuxjager, Matthew J.

doi:10.1086/716213

Cited by 15 publications

(7 citation statements)

References 138 publications

(163 reference statements)

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…Perhaps, the most straightforward way this phenomenon could occur in the PAG or its inputs is through the reconfiguration of ER or AR expression levels and patterns. Similarly, the levels of enzymes that produce these bioactive steroids may change in the PAG ( Anderson et al, 2021b ; Canoine et al, 2007 ; Fuxjager et al, 2015a ; Johnson et al, 2018 ; Rosvall et al, 2012 ; Schuppe and Fuxjager, 2019 ). Our knowledge of how this might occur in the PAG, however, remains largely a mystery.…”

Section: Pag Evolution and Its Role In Facilitating Behavioral Variationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Proposing a neural framework for the evolution of elaborate courtship displays

Schwark

Fuxjager

Schmidt

2022

eLife

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

In many vertebrates, courtship occurs through the performance of elaborate behavioral displays that are as spectacular as they are complex. The question of how sexual selection acts upon these animals’ neuromuscular systems to transform a repertoire of pre-existing movements into such remarkable (if not unusual) display routines has received relatively little research attention. This is a surprising gap in knowledge, given that unraveling this extraordinary process is central to understanding the evolution of behavioral diversity and its neural control. In many vertebrates, courtship displays often push the limits of neuromuscular performance, and often in a ritualized manner. These displays can range from songs that require rapid switching between two independently controlled ‘voice boxes’ to precisely choreographed acrobatics. Here, we propose a framework for thinking about how the brain might not only control these displays, but also shape their evolution. Our framework focuses specifically on a major midbrain area, which we view as a likely important node in the orchestration of the complex neural control of behavior used in the courtship process. This area is the periaqueductal grey (PAG), as studies suggest that it is both necessary and sufficient for the production of many instinctive survival behaviors, including courtship vocalizations. Thus, we speculate about why the PAG, as well as its key inputs, might serve as targets of sexual selection for display behavior. In doing so, we attempt to combine core ideas about the neural control of behavior with principles of display evolution. Our intent is to spur research in this area and bring together neurobiologists and behavioral ecologists to more fully understand the role that the brain might play in behavioral innovation and diversification.

show abstract

Section: Pag Evolution and Its Role In Facilitating Behavioral Variationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Proposing a neural framework for the evolution of elaborate courtship displays

Schwark

Fuxjager

Schmidt

2022

eLife

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Compared with frogs that cannot foot flag, S. parvus and other foot-flagging species have much higher androgen receptor (AR) expression in their hind limb muscles ( Mangiamele et al . 2016 ; Anderson et al . 2021 ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Genome assembly of the foot-flagging frog, Staurois parvus: a resource for understanding mechanisms of behavior

Holtz,

Racicot,

Preininger

et al. 2023

G3: Genes, Genomes, Genetics

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Elaborate and skilled movements of the body have been selected in a variety of species as courtship and rivalry signals. One roadblock in studying these behaviors has been a lack of resources for understanding how they evolved at the genetic level. The Bornean rock frog (Staurois parvus) is an ideal species in which to address this issue. Males wave their hindlimbs in a “foot-flagging” display when competing for mates. The evolution of foot flagging in S. parvus and other species is accompanied by increases in the expression of the androgen receptor gene within its neuromuscular system, but it remains unclear what genetic or transcriptional changes are associated with this behavioral phenotype. We have now assembled the genome of S. parvus, resulting in 3.98 Gbp of 22,402 contigs with a N50 of 611,229 bp. The genome will be a resource for finding genes related to the physiology underlying foot flagging and to adaptations of the neuromuscular system. As a first application of the genome, we also began work in comparative genomics and differential gene expression analysis. We show that the androgen receptor is diverged from other anuran species, and we identify unique expression patterns of genes in the spinal cord and leg muscle that are important for axial patterning, cell specification and morphology, or muscle contraction. This genome will continue to be an important tool for future -omics studies to understand the evolution of elaborate signaling behaviors in this and potentially related species.

show abstract

“…For example, similarly evolved behavioral traits might rely on various mechanisms, such as muscles or hormones (Anderson et al . 2021). Convergence should therefore be analyzed at multiple levels (e.g.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Behavioral differences between pit‐building antlions and wormlions suggest limits to convergent evolution

Miler

Scharf

2022

Integr. Zool.

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Antlions and wormlions are distantly related insect taxa, both digging pits in loose soil and ambushing arthropod prey. Their hunting method, which is rare in the animal kingdom, is a clear example of convergent evolution. There is little research directly comparing the 2 pit-building taxa. Using the same experimental platform to investigate how they respond to biotic and abiotic environmental factors enables an examination of their convergence and its limits. We investigated the response of antlions and wormlions to 3 factors common in their daily life: disturbance to the pits, prey arrival, and conspecific competitors. Although both increased the pit size following disturbance, wormlions increased it faster than antlions. Antlions responded to prey faster than wormlions, but wormlions improved their response time over days. The most diverging response was toward conspecifics. Whereas antlions relocated their pits fast in response to increasing conspecific density, wormlions never relocated. We suggest explanations for the behavioral differences between the taxa. Our results imply that despite the similar hunting method of the 2 taxa they may differ greatly in their behavior, which in turn might have consequences for their habitat use and population dynamics.

show abstract

A Common Endocrine Signature Marks the Convergent Evolution of an Elaborate Dance Display in Frogs

Cited by 15 publications

References 138 publications

Proposing a neural framework for the evolution of elaborate courtship displays

Proposing a neural framework for the evolution of elaborate courtship displays

Genome assembly of the foot-flagging frog, Staurois parvus: a resource for understanding mechanisms of behavior

Behavioral differences between pit‐building antlions and wormlions suggest limits to convergent evolution

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About