Categorical perception is common in humans, but it not known whether animals perceive continuous variation their own multidimensional social signals categorically. There are two components to categorical perception: labeling and discrimination. In the first, continuously variable stimuli on each side of a category boundary labeled. second, there strong discrimination between from opposite sides boundary, whereas same discriminated. Here, we show that female túngara frogs respond...

Hormonal pleiotropy-the simultaneous influence of a single hormone on multiple traits-has been hypothesized as an important mechanism underlying personality, and circulating glucocorticoids are central to this idea. A major gap in our understanding is the neural basis for link. Here we examine stability structure behavioral, endocrine neuroendocrine traits population songbirds (Parus major). Upon identifying stable covarying behavioral traits, test hypothesis that risk-averse personalities...

Sexual selection driven by mate choice has generated some of the most astounding diversity in nature, suggesting that population-level preferences should be strong and consistent over many generations. On other hand, mating are among least repeatable components an individual animal's phenotype, consistency low across lifetime. Despite decades intensive study sexual selection, there is almost no information about strength years. In this study, we present results more than 5,000 tests with a...

For aquatic and semi-aquatic vertebrates like amphibians, it is possible to estimate excreted hormone levels using non-invasive methods such as waterborne salivary sampling. These techniques allow monitoring of endocrine activity over varying, repeated simultaneous integration periods while minimizing handling-related stress that can 'contaminate' estimates, including estimates baseline glucocorticoids. Here we have validated the extraction quantification three steroid hormones...

Strengthening EI can help nurses navigate difficult situations.

In many species males vocally advertise for mates in choruses and these serve as acoustic beacons to conspecific females well eavesdropping predators parasites. Chorusing will often cease response disturbances, such the presence of predators. some cases cessation is so rapid over a large area that it seems improbable are all responding directly same local disturbance. Here, we demonstrate experimentally Neotropical túngara frogs, Physalaemus pustulosus, calling by spreads rapidly through...

Mate choice studies most often examine female preferences based on population responses, thus potentially overlooking individual differences in behavior. Moreover, such typically use invariant stimulus conditions to infer preferences. By using responses and static presentations, it is difficult thoroughly understand the complexity of mate process, including variation present between individuals. Here, we investigated phonotactic behavior túngara frogs (Physalaemus pustulosus) response...

Stress physiology is thought to contribute individual differences in behaviour. In part this reflects the fact that canonical personality measures consist of responses challenges, including novel objects and environments. Exposure novelty typically assumed induce a moderate increase glucocorticoids (CORT), although has rarely been tested. We tested assumption using great tits, Parus major, selected for divergent personalities (bold-fast shy-slow explorers), predicting shy birds would exhibit...

The glucocorticoid stress response, regulated by the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, enables individuals to cope with stressors through transcriptional effects in cells expressing appropriate receptors. two receptors that bind glucocorticoids—the mineralocorticoid receptor (MR) and (GR)—are present a variety of vertebrate tissues, but their expression brain is especially important. Neural patterns have potential integrate multiple behavioral physiological traits simultaneously,...

It is well known that animal decision-making can be influenced by environmental variables, such as the risk of predation. During breeding season, nocturnal amphibians encounter a range conditions at aggregations, including variable ambient light conditions. For frogs, illumination expected to minimize conspicuous movement might increase predator detection. Previous work has shown female Physalaemus pustulosus (Cope, 1864) (= Engystomops 1864)) are sensitive variation in levels during mate...

We examined the emergence of a critical component sex, response to sexual signals-phonotaxis-in male and female túngara frogs (Physalaemus pustulosus). determined ontogenetic trajectories phonotactic responses as animals developed from metamorphic froglets reproductive adults. The results demonstrated that species-typical phonotaxis emerges quite early during postmetamorphic development, well before maturity, suggesting developmentally bias in auditory system for signals might be more...

Strong sexual selection by receivers can lead to the evolution of elaborate courtship behaviors in signalers. However process which sample signalers and execute mate choice under complex signaling conditions—and thus realized strength selection—is poorly understood. Moreover, vary condition, further influence sampling strategies. Using wild female frogs we tested two hypotheses at intersection these important problems: that some individual variation is explained (1) reproductive urgency...