Open AccessCryptic female Strawberry poison frogs experience elevated predation risk when associating with an aposematic partner
Author(s) -
Segami Marzal Julia Carolina,
Rudh Andreas,
Rogell Björn,
Ödeen Anders,
Løvlie Hanne,
Rosher Charlotte,
Qvarnström Anna
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
ecology and evolution
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.17
H-Index - 63
ISSN - 2045-7758
DOI - 10.1002/ece3.2662
Subject(s) - aposematism , crypsis , biology , predation , sexual selection , natural selection , assortative mating , müllerian mimicry , ecology , reproductive isolation , genetic algorithm , species complex , zoology , population , evolutionary biology , mate choice , mating , predator , phylogenetic tree , biochemistry , demography , sociology , gene
Population divergence in sexual signals may lead to speciation through prezygotic isolation. Sexual signals can change solely due to variation in the level of natural selection acting against conspicuousness. However, directional mate choice (i.e., favoring conspicuousness) across different environments may lead to gene flow between populations, thereby delaying or even preventing the evolution of reproductive barriers and speciation. In this study, we test whether natural selection through predation upon mate‐choosing females can favor corresponding changes in mate preferences. Our study system, Oophaga pumilio , is an extremely color polymorphic neotropical frog with two distinctive antipredator strategies: aposematism and crypsis. The conspicuous coloration and calling behavior of aposematic males may attract both cryptic and aposematic females, but predation may select against cryptic females choosing aposematic males. We used an experimental approach where domestic fowl were encouraged to find digitized images of cryptic frogs at different distances from aposematic partners. We found that the estimated survival time of a cryptic frog was reduced when associating with an aposematic partner. Hence, predation may act as a direct selective force on female choice, favoring evolution of color assortative mating that, in turn, may strengthen the divergence in coloration that natural selection has generated.