Ontogenetic trajectories of body coloration reveal its function as a multicomponent nonsenescent signal

Bonnaffé, Willem; Martín, Melissa; Mugabo, Marianne; Meylan, Sandrine; Galliard, Jean‐François Le

doi:10.1002/ece3.4369

Cited by 6 publications

(8 citation statements)

References 36 publications

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“…Third, ontogenetic processes could also explain this relationship, which could be tested in longitudinal studies following the same males as they age. For example, Bonnaffé et al (2018) showed that, in male common lizards Zootoca vivipara, UV chroma increased with age, likely due to ontogenetic processes.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The relative importance of body size and UV coloration in influencing male-male competition in a lacertid lizard

Names¹,

Martín²,

Badiane³

et al. 2019

Behav Ecol Sociobiol

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Communication via color signals is common in natural systems. Ultraviolet (UV)-blue patches located on the outer-ventral scales of some Lacertid lizards are thought to be involved in male-male competition. However, the mechanisms that maintain their honesty remain unknown. Here, we use the common wall lizard Podarcis muralis to test whether the lateral UV-blue spots are conventional signals, the honesty of which is guaranteed by receiver-dependent costs, and discuss their potential role as an amplifier of body size. We first described the morphology and reflectance properties of lateral UV-blue spots in common wall lizards and investigated how they influence malemale competition. Spot size and number, UV chroma, and conspicuousness (calculated using vision models) were significantly greater in adult males relative to adult females and adult males relative to juveniles. Total spot area (and not spot number) of adult males was positively correlated with body size. We conducted staged competition encounters between focal males and smaller or larger rivals with control or manipulated spots. Spots were enlarged in small rivals and reduced in large rivals to disrupt the phenotypic correlation between spot area and body size. Aggressiveness and dominance were positively influenced by body size in control encounters. Spot manipulations resulted in greater submission and less aggressiveness in focal males. These results contradict the predictions associated with conventional signals and amplifiers, but suggest that spots contributed to opponent evaluation during shortdistance encounters between competing males.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The relative importance of body size and UV coloration in influencing male-male competition in a lacertid lizard

Names¹,

Martín²,

Badiane³

et al. 2019

Behav Ecol Sociobiol

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“…Male common lizards display UV-reflecting signals on 107 their throat (Martin et al, 2013) that play a role during male-male competition (Martin et al, 108 2016) and female mate choice (Badiane et al, 2020). In addition, UV chroma on male throat 109 increases with age and body size (Bonnaffé et al, 2018). Altogether, these results strongly 110 suggest that male UV-reflecting throats might signal male quality in Z. vivipara.…”

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confidence: 84%

The role of social costs as a mechanism enforcing the honesty of ultraviolet-reflecting signals in a lizard

Kawamoto

Galliard

Badiane

2021

Biological Journal of the Linnean Society

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According to animal signalling theory, social costs incurred by aggressive conspecifics are one mechanism maintaining signal honesty. Although our understanding of signal evolution has much improved for pigment-based colours, the mechanisms maintaining the honesty of structural colour signals, such as ultraviolet (UV), remain elusive. Here, we used the common lizard (Zootoca vivipara) to test whether the honesty of UV-reflecting signals displayed on male throats is under social control. To do so, we staged agonistic interactions between non-manipulated focal males and opponents of either larger or smaller body size. We manipulated the UV component of the male throat colour patch to create small cheaters with UV-enhanced throats, large cheaters with UV-reduced throats, and their respective controls. In support of a conventional signal hypothesis, focal males were aggressive towards large cheaters and became submissive when these large cheaters retaliated, and were less submissive against small cheaters. However, that focal males were not more aggressive towards small cheaters contradicts our initial predictions. We confirm that male UV reflectance and bite force were good predictors of contest outcomes in control conditions. Overall, we provide partial evidence suggesting that social costs enforce UV signal honesty in common lizards.

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“…However, while UV features have been shown to correlated with bite force in wall lizards (Pérez i de Lanuza et al, 2014), it does not seem to be the case in Z. vivipara. Instead, UV features appear to correlate with male body size and sprint speed (Bonnaffé et al, 2018;unpublished results). Although we used a randomized experimental design, this result, along with the absence of effects of UV reflectance on female flips, could also be explained by the use of other signals modalities or cues by females, such as chemical signals.…”

Section: Pre-copulatory and Copulatory Behaviormentioning

confidence: 98%

“…In addition, the ventral coloration shows a secondary reflectance peak in the UV range, which is especially pronounced on males' throat (Martin et al, 2013). UV chroma of the throat and belly coloration increases with age and size in males (Bonnaffé et al, 2018).…”

Section: Study Speciesmentioning

confidence: 98%

“…Common lizards occupy overlapping home ranges (Massot et al, 1992) and have a promiscuous mating system characterized by multiple mating in both sexes (Laloi et al, 2004). Male common lizards exhibit a whitish coloration on their throat that strongly Female mate choice for UV reflectance 5 reflects UV light (Martin et al, 2013;Bonnaffé et al, 2018). Mating is under partial male control in common lizards (Fitze et al, 2005;, but females can also select males by resisting mating and by sperm selection with multiple mating (Laloi et al, 2004(Laloi et al, , 2011Fitze et al, 2005;Fitze, Cote, & Clobert, 2010).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Male ultraviolet reflectance and female mating history influence female mate choice and male mating success in a polyandrous lizard

Badiane

Martín

Meylan

et al. 2020

Biological Journal of the Linnean Society

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Pre-copulatory female mate choice based on male ultraviolet (UV) coloration has been demonstrated in several vertebrate species; however, post-copulatory mechanisms have been largely overlooked. Here, we investigated female mate preference based on male UV coloration in the common lizard Zootoca vivipara, in which males display conspicuous UV coloration on their throat. During two successive years, we staged sequential mating trials between females and four different males with UV-reduced or control belly and throat coloration. We recorded pre-copulatory female behaviour, copulation behaviour and assigned paternity to all offspring. Females were more aggressive towards UV-reduced males and, during the second year, UV-reduced males had a lower probability of siring at least one egg (fertilization success) during the last mating trials. However, in the second year, copulation was shorter with control males. Altogether, our results suggest that females exert subtle pre-copulatory mate preference based on male UV ornaments and, conditional on the study year and female mating history, some degree of post-copulatory preference for UV-control males leading to differential male fertilization success. This study suggests that UV-based female mate choice may be more widespread than previously thought in vertebrates, and emphasizes the importance of using a study design well adapted to the species reproductive behaviour.

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Ontogenetic trajectories of body coloration reveal its function as a multicomponent nonsenescent signal

Cited by 6 publications

References 36 publications

The relative importance of body size and UV coloration in influencing male-male competition in a lacertid lizard

The relative importance of body size and UV coloration in influencing male-male competition in a lacertid lizard

The role of social costs as a mechanism enforcing the honesty of ultraviolet-reflecting signals in a lizard

Male ultraviolet reflectance and female mating history influence female mate choice and male mating success in a polyandrous lizard

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