The Evolution of Horn-Like Organs

Geist, Valerius

doi:10.1163/156853966x00155

Cited by 395 publications

(271 citation statements)

References 2 publications

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“…Interestingly, the shorter tail streamers of female barn swallows are thought to represent the naturally selected optimum to aid in aerodynamic lift (Hedenström and Møller 1999). As another example, many male African antelope have long horns that function during intersexual competition for access to mates, and females gain no sexually selected benefits from the expression of smaller 'male-like' horns (Geist 1966). However, female antelope use their smaller horns to drive away predators from their offspring (Packer 1983).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Racketed tail of the male and female turquoise-browed motmot: male but not female tail length correlates with pairing success, performance, and reproductive success

Murphy

2006

Behav Ecol Sociobiol

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Racketed tail of the male and female turquoise-browed motmot: male but not female tail length correlates with pairing success, performance, and reproductive success

Murphy

2006

Behav Ecol Sociobiol

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“…Specifically, differences either in the way males fight or in where they fight may favor corresponding changes in weapon shape (16). This hypothesis has been explored most thoroughly for the horns and antlers of ungulates (17)(18)(19)(20). For example, males in species with short, smooth horns tend to be stabbers; males with robust, curved horns typically ram opponents; and males with long, reaching horns wrestle or fence (18,19).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Structural adaptations to diverse fighting styles in sexually selected weapons

McCullough

Tobalske

Emlen

2014

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

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The shapes of sexually selected weapons differ widely among species, but the drivers of this diversity remain poorly understood. Existing explanations suggest weapon shapes reflect structural adaptations to different fighting styles, yet explicit tests of this hypothesis are lacking. We constructed finite element models of the horns of different rhinoceros beetle species to test whether functional specializations for increased performance under speciesspecific fighting styles could have contributed to the diversification of weapon form. We find that horns are both stronger and stiffer in response to species-typical fighting loads and that they perform more poorly under atypical fighting loads, which suggests weapons are structurally adapted to meet the functional demands of fighting. Our research establishes a critical link between weapon form and function, revealing one way male-male competition can drive the diversification of animal weapons.Dynastinae | sexual selection | functional morphology | finite element analysis

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“…Extant B. tragocamelus and T. quadricornis are Miocene relicts and most related to early bovids (Pilgrim 1939;Pitra et al 1997;Prothero and Schoch 2002), with horn morphology representing the primitive condition (straight and circular in cross section -Geist 1966;Janis 1982;Lundrigan 1996). Extant Boselaphus and Tetracerus and related fossil forms share the same primitive horn-core ontogeny (Solounias 1990).…”

Section: Fossil Recordmentioning

confidence: 99%