Assortative Mating in a Polymorphic Salamander

Acord, Megan A.; Anthony, Carl D.; Hickerson, Cari‐Ann M.

doi:10.1643/ce-13-003

Cited by 24 publications

(33 citation statements)

References 56 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…However, both studies presented evidence that striped males of P. cinereus may be more attractive to female conspecifics. For example, compared to unstriped males, striped males were found paired with significantly larger (and presumably more fecund) females in field samples (Anthony et al, 2008;Acord et al, 2013). Additionally, when presented with males of each phenotype in the laboratory, both striped and unstriped females were found in closer proximity to striped, compared to unstriped, males (Acord et al, 2013).…”

mentioning

confidence: 91%

“…For example, compared to unstriped males, striped males were found paired with significantly larger (and presumably more fecund) females in field samples (Anthony et al, 2008;Acord et al, 2013). Additionally, when presented with males of each phenotype in the laboratory, both striped and unstriped females were found in closer proximity to striped, compared to unstriped, males (Acord et al, 2013). An untested hypothesis of this model is that striped males of P. cinereus are in some way more territorial than are males of the unstriped phenotype.…”

mentioning

confidence: 91%

“…They hypothesized that assortative mating may be a result of high-quality diet cues of striped males attracting highquality females (most of which were striped). Acord et al (2013) reported similar patterns of non-random mating between the two phenotypes, but found no evidence that females were using diet cues to assess mate quality. However, both studies presented evidence that striped males of P. cinereus may be more attractive to female conspecifics.…”

mentioning

confidence: 97%

“…Differences in territorial behavior between the two morphs may result in differences in acquiring mates and ultimately in assortative mating. Interestingly, two studies, on a single polymorphic population in Ohio, have shown that the striped and unstriped phenotypes exhibit weak, but statistically significant, positive assortative mating by color (Anthony et al, 2008;Acord et al, 2013). Anthony et al (2008) presented a model under which positive assortative mating by color in P. cinereus emerges through differential access by females to male territories.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Based on previous research, we predicted that the striped morph would be more likely to exhibit territorial and aggressive behavior. This prediction is based on the diet of the striped morph consisting of more profitable prey than the unstriped morph (Anthony et al, 2008) and the ability of the striped morph to attract larger mates (Anthony et al, 2008;Acord et al, 2013). Both of these factors are directly influenced by the quality of territory an individual salamander holds.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

See 4 more Smart Citations

Territorial Behavior and Ecological Divergence in a Polymorphic Salamander

Reiter

Anthony

Hickerson

2014

Copeia

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

mentioning

confidence: 91%

mentioning

confidence: 91%

mentioning

confidence: 97%

mentioning

confidence: 99%

mentioning

confidence: 99%

See 3 more Smart Citations

Territorial Behavior and Ecological Divergence in a Polymorphic Salamander

Reiter

Anthony

Hickerson

2014

Copeia

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Habitat selection and refuge‐use by a color polymorphic salamander reveal behavioral niche differences

Straub,

Cuomo,

Jimenez

2024

Ecology and Evolution

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Color polymorphic species provide an excellent opportunity to investigate the ecology and evolution of intraspecific niche differences. The red‐backed salamander, Plethodon cinereus, is a fully terrestrial lungless salamander with two common color forms, striped and unstriped. Previous research suggests the morphs may be differentially adapted to surface and subsurface microhabitats, with the unstriped morph being more fossorial. This hypothesis predicts that the unstriped morph should be more sensitive to the risks of surface activity (e.g., thermal stress, dehydration, predation), and therefore be more selective than striped morphs when choosing soil surface microhabitats. To test this hypothesis, we experimentally manipulated leaf litter mass in small forest patches (~0.45 m2). Leaf litter addition reduced soil temperatures, buffered against changes in air temperature, and likely provided physical protection from predators. Over 3 years, we found that unstriped adults responded positively to leaf litter addition, but striped adults did not. In addition, unstriped morphs spent significantly more time in protective refuges (opaque, moistened tubes) than striped morphs in laboratory assays. Taken together, the field and laboratory results support the hypothesis that the unstriped morph is more sensitive to the risks of surface activity, and therefore is more likely to be fossorial. This difference in microhabitat use, combined with spatiotemporal variation in leaf litter accumulation on the forest floor, may play an important role in the maintenance of the polymorphism.

show abstract

Male mate preference as an agent of fecundity selection in a polymorphic salamander

Jaworski

Lattanzio

Hickerson

et al. 2018

Ecology and Evolution

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Color polymorphisms are associated with variation in other traits which may affect individual fitness, and these color‐trait associations are expected to contribute to nonrandom mating in polymorphic species. The red‐backed salamander (Plethodon cinereus) exhibits a polymorphism in dorsal pattern: striped and unstriped, and previous studies have suggested that they may mate nonrandomly. However, the mechanism(s) contributing to this behavior remain unclear. Here we consider the role that male preference may have in driving mating behavior in P. cinereus. We limit our focus to striped individuals because this morph is most likely to be choosy given their dominant, aggressive behavioral profiles relative to unstriped males. Specifically, we evaluated (a) whether striped males preferentially associate with females with respect to her dorsum color, size, and body condition and (b) if so, whether female traits are evaluated via visual or chemical cues. We also considered whether the frequency of another male social behavior, nose taps, was associated with mate preferences. We found that striped male P. cinereus nose tapped more often to preferred females. However, males only assessed potential mates via chemical cues, preferring larger females overall. Reproductive phenology data on a sample of gravid females drawn from the same population indicated that the color morphs do not differ in reproductive traits, but larger females have greater fecundity. Given our findings, we conclude that female P. cinereus are under fecundity selection, mediated by male preference. In this manner, male mating behavior contributes to observations of nonrandom mate associations in this population of P. cinereus.

show abstract

Assortative Mating in a Polymorphic Salamander

Cited by 24 publications

References 56 publications

Territorial Behavior and Ecological Divergence in a Polymorphic Salamander

Territorial Behavior and Ecological Divergence in a Polymorphic Salamander

Habitat selection and refuge‐use by a color polymorphic salamander reveal behavioral niche differences

Male mate preference as an agent of fecundity selection in a polymorphic salamander

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About