Evolution of complex sexual signals shared between males and females of songbirds

2019 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 16H06177
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (A)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Research Field: Evolutionary biology
• Research Institution: Hokkaido University
• Principal Investigator: Soma Masayo 北海道大学, 理学研究院, 准教授 (00578875)
• Project Period (FY): 2016-04-01 – 2020-03-31
• Keywords: 鳴禽類 / 性淘汰 / 求愛 / 進化 / 歌

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Estrildid finches are known for great interspecific diversity in the degree of elaboration in courtship dance, song and plumage coloration and also for the considerable sex differences in these traits within species. The present series of studies examined the function and evolution of such diverse sexual signals. Ethological studies revealed that song and dance have different functions even when they are expressed simultaneously. Song serves as a condition dependent signal giving a clue for mate choice, while dance plays an important role in pair bonding. Phylogenetic comparative studies also showed that song and dance evolved independently. However, plumage pattern conspicuousness and courtship dance complexity are correlated among species, meaning that static and dynamic aspects of visual sexual signals are interlinked with each other.

Free Research Field

動物行動

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

鳥類の複雑な求愛コミュニケーションの進化は，生物の多様性を理解する上でも，人をはじめとする動物のコミュニケーション行動を考える上でも，重要な題材である．本研究の主たる研究成果のひとつは，一夫一妻制で長くつがいの絆をはぐくみ協力して繁殖するような生態をもつ動物において，雌雄の相互的コミュニケーションは非常に重要であることを明らかにした点である．このことは，従来の性淘汰研究の枠組みでは見過ごされがちだった，雌雄に共有される性的シグナルの進化の理解に大きく寄与している．