Find research datasets worth reusing
Search datasets from major research repositories and use ShareScore to quickly assess how well each record supports discovery, access, and reuse.
38
datasets available to search
ShareScore release 0.9.0
Dataset results
38 results for “mate attraction”
Data from: Effects of past mating behavior versus past ejaculation on male mate choice and male attractiveness
<p>Past reproductive effort allows males to assess their ability to acquire mates, but it also consumes resources that can reduce their future competitive ability. Few studies have examined how a male's reproductive history affects his subsequent mate choice; and, to date, no study has determined the relative contribution of past mating behavior and past ejaculate production because these two forms of investment are naturally highly correlated. Here, we disentangled the relative effects of past mating behavior and past ejaculate production in male mosquitofish (<em>Gambusia holbrooki</em>) by experimentally preventing some males from ejaculating when trying to mate. We assessed the effect of mating behavior on mate choice by comparing males that had previously been with or without access to females and male rivals for 16 weeks; and assessed the effect of ejaculation on mate choice by comparing males that either could or could not ejaculate when they had access to females for 16 weeks. We compared (1) time females spent with each male, (2) total distance males swam, (3) total time males spent inspecting females, (4) proportion of time males spent with the solitary females in separate models, with age (week 8, week 16) and treatment of reproductive history ("naive male", "mating only male" and "mating and ejaculation males") as fixed factors. </p> <p>We showed that reproductive history did not affect male attractiveness, but it did affect male mate choice. Somewhat surprisingly, in two-choice trials males from all three treatments preferred females in the vicinity of a rival over solitary females. This preference was marginally stronger for males engaging in previous mating behavior but was unaffected by past ejaculate production. This is the first study to quantify the relative influence of pre- and post-copulatory reproductive investment on male mate choice.</p>
Figure 3 in Lichens in the nests of European starling Sturnus vulgaris serve a mate attraction rather than insecticidal function
Figure 3. Number of events in which lichens were added to starling nests during the nesting cycle. Before: period before the start of nest building. Beginning: the first day of nest building. Middle: between the second and the last day of the nest building. After: after the starlings had complete nest building.
Figure 2 in Lichens in the nests of European starling Sturnus vulgaris serve a mate attraction rather than insecticidal function
Figure 2. Nest box with the lichen Ramalina celastri that was used by some of the starlings at the beginning of nest building.
Figure 1 in Lichens in the nests of European starling Sturnus vulgaris serve a mate attraction rather than insecticidal function
Figure 1. Spatial location of the nests in the study area. Full circles: nests with lichens, empty triangles: nests without lichens, empty circles: the 25% of nests without lichens that started the egg-laying earlier, full triangles: the 25% of nests with lichens that started the egg-laying earlier.
Supplementary material to "Habitat detection, habitat choice copying, or mating benefits: what drives conspecific attraction in a nomadic songbird?"
<p><strong>Abstract</strong></p> <ol> <li>Conspecific attraction during habitat selection is common among animals, but the ultimate (i.e., fitness-related) reasons for this behavior often remain enigmatic.</li> <li>We aimed to evaluate the following three hypotheses for conspecific attraction during the breeding season in male Wood Warblers (<em>Phylloscopus</em> <em>sibilatrix</em>): the habitat detection hypothesis, the habitat choice copying hypothesis, and the female preference hypothesis. These hypotheses make different predictions with respect to the relative importance of social and non-social information during habitat assessment, and whether benefits accrue as a consequence of aggregation.</li> <li>We tested the above hypotheses using a combination of a two-year playback experiment, spatial statistics and mate choice models.</li> <li>The habitat detection hypothesis was the most likely explanation for conspecific attraction and aggregation in male Wood Warblers, based on the following results: 1) males were attracted to conspecific song playbacks, but fine-scale habitat heterogeneity was the better predictor of spatial patterns in the density of settling males; 2) male pairing success did not increase, but instead slightly decreased, as connectivity with other males (i.e., the number and proximity of neighboring males) increased.</li> <li>Our study highlights how consideration of the process by which animals detect and assess habitat, together with the potential fitness consequences of resulting aggregations, are important for understanding conspecific attraction and spatially clustered distributions.</li> </ol>
Data from: Effects of past mating behavior versus past ejaculation on male mate choice and male attractiveness
Open the record for dataset details and reuse information.
Data from: Females with attractive mates gain environmental benefits that increase lifetime and multi-generational fitness
Open the record for dataset details and reuse information.
Data from: Hidden leks in a migratory songbird: mating advantages for earlier and more attractive males
In some socially monogamous birds, territories sometimes occur in aggregations. The "hidden lek" hypothesis suggests that territorial aggregations might be explained by males establishing territories near successful males ("hotshot" model), or by females preferring to mate in large clusters ("female preference" model). In both scenarios, clusters would provide more opportunities for finding mates and achieving extra-pair copulations. Our study tests predictions of these two models in the blue-black grassquit (Volatinia jacarina). Males of this species migrate to their breeding grounds, establish territories within clusters and initiate courtship displays. These displays consist of vertical leaps synchronized with vocalizations, or only the latter, without leaps. The "hotshot" model predicts that: 1) earlier-arriving males would establish territories more centrally within clusters; 2) earlier or centrally positioned males would produce more elaborate displays; and 3) these same males would achieve higher success via within and extrapair fertilizations. The "female preference" model predicts that: 4) pairing success and 5) per-capita extrapair fertilizations would increase with cluster size. We found that earlier-arriving males executed higher leaps and longer songs, but there was no relationship between these traits and male position within clusters. We also found earlier-arriving males were more likely to obtain extrapair fertilizations. However, we found little evidence that cluster size related to overall or per-capita breeding success. Considered together, our data provide partial validation of the hotshot model of hidden leks, and expand on prior findings in this species by showing that females benefit by choosing males leaping higher and settling earlier in clusters.
Data from: Synchronized mating signals in a communication network: the challenge of avoiding predators while attracting mates
Conspicuous mating signals attract mates but also expose signalers to predators and parasites. Signal evolution, therefore, is driven by conflicting selective pressures from multiple receivers, both target and nontarget. Synchronization of mating signals, for example, is an evolutionary puzzle given the assumed high cost of reduced female attraction when signals overlap. Synchronization may be beneficial, however, if overlapping signals reduce attraction of nontarget receivers. We investigate how signal synchronization is shaped by the tradeoff between natural and sexual selection in two anuran species: pug-nosed tree frogs (<i>Smilisca sila</i>), in which males produce mating calls in near-perfect synchrony, and túngara frogs (<i>Engystomops pustulosus</i>), in which males alternate their calls. To examine the tradeoff imposed by signal synchronization, we conducted field and laboratory playback experiments on eavesdropping enemies (bats and midges) and target receivers (female frogs). Our results suggest that, while synchronization can be a general strategy for signalers to reduce their exposure to eavesdroppers, relaxed selection by females for unsynchronized calls is key to the evolution and maintenance of signal synchrony. This study highlights the role of relaxed selection in our understanding the origin of mating signals and displays.
Environment and mate attractiveness in a wild insect
Abstract The role of female choice in sexual selection is well established, including the recognition that females choose their mates based on multiple cues. These cues may include intrinsic aspects of a male's phenotype as well as aspects of the environment associated with the male. The role of the spatial location of a potential mate has been well studied in territorial vertebrates. However, despite their role as laboratory models for studies of sexual selection, the potential for insects to choose their mates on the basis of location has scarcely been studied. We studied a natural population of individually tagged crickets (Gryllus campestris) in a meadow in Northern Spain. Adults typically move between burrows every few days, allowing us to examine how pairing success of males can be predicted by the burrow they occupy, independent of their own characteristics. We observed the entirety of ten independent breeding seasons to provide replication and to determine whether the relative importance of these factors is stable across years. We find that both male ID and the ID his burrow affect the likelihood that he is paired with a female, but the burrow has a consistently greater influence. Furthermore, the two factors interact: the relative attractiveness of an individual male depends on which burrow he occupies. Our finding demonstrates a close interaction between naturally and sexually selected traits. It also demonstrates that mate choice studies may benefit from considering not only obvious secondary sexual traits, but also more cryptic traits such as microhabitat choice.
Simulated data for: The evolution of mating preferences for genetic attractiveness and quality in the presence of sensory bias
<p>This repository contains simulated datasets relating to the publication: </p> <p>Henshaw JM, Fromhage L, Jones AG (2022) The evolution of mating preferences for genetic attractiveness and quality in the presence of sensory bias. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA (doi:10.1073/pnas.2206262119)</p> <p>In this paper, we simulate the evolution of female preferences for multiple male ornament types (e.g., 'Fisherian', 'handicap' and 'indicator' ornaments) that differ in their associations with genes for attractiveness and for general 'quality' (operationalized as the ability to acquire resources). We allowed for ornaments to differ in their saliency to females. We also analyze the causal mechanisms generating sexual selection (e.g., 'good genes' and 'sexy sons') using causal inference. </p> <p>Datasets are organised into ZIP files named after the corresponding figure in the publication. For further information see the publication and the file README.txt in this repository.</p>
Data from: Sexually attractive traits predict predation-threat sensitivity of male alternative mating tactics
<p>Although visual sexual signals, such as ornamental colors and courtship displays, and large body size in males are attractive to females in numerous species, they may also inadvertently attract the attention of eavesdropping predators and thus may be costly in terms of increasing individual risk of mortality to predation. Theoretically, more color-ornamented and larger males should be more predation threat sensitive and suppress their sexual signaling and(or) mating effort relatively more than their less color-ornamented and smaller counterparts when under predation hazard. Here, we experimentally tested this hypothesis by quantifying concurrently the rates of alternative mating tactics (courtship displays, sneak mating attempts) expressed by male Trinidadian guppies (<em>Poecilia reticulata</em>) varying in color ornamentation and body size under a staged immediate threat of predation. Males suppressed their overall mating effort in response to the perceived predation threat, decreasing the frequency of their (presumably more conspicuous) courtship displays significantly more on average than the frequency of their sneak mating behavior. Statistically controlling for body length, more color-ornamented males were more threat-sensitive in their courtship displays, but not sneak mating attempts, under predation hazard than drabber males. Controlling for body coloration, larger males exhibited lower courtship and sneak mating efforts than smaller males in both predation treatments, but body length only influenced threat sensitivity in sneak mating behavior. These results are consistent with both the threat-sensitive hypothesis and asset protection principle and highlight the phenotype-dependency and adaptive plasticity of alternative mating tactics in male guppies under varying predation risk.</p>
Environment and mate attractiveness in a wild insect
Open the record for dataset details and reuse information.
Data from: Temperature coupling of mate attraction signals and female mate preferences in four populations of Enchenopa treehoppers (Hemiptera: Membracidae)
Open the record for dataset details and reuse information.
Data from: Sexually attractive traits predict predation-threat sensitivity of male alternative mating tactics
Open the record for dataset details and reuse information.
Data from: Hidden leks in a migratory songbird: mating advantages for earlier and more attractive males
Open the record for dataset details and reuse information.
Data from: Synchronized mating signals in a communication network: the challenge of avoiding predators while attracting mates
Open the record for dataset details and reuse information.
Simulated data for: The evolution of mating preferences for genetic attractiveness and quality in the presence of sensory bias
Open the record for dataset details and reuse information.
Leave me alone: solitary females attract more mates in a nocturnal insect
Spatial distributions of sexual competitors and potential mating partners have a large impact on sexual selection and mating systems. Typically, such effects are investigated with regard to male aggregations. However, females may also need to compete for mating opportunities. Here, we investigated consequences of clustering and rival attractiveness on female mate attraction success under field conditions in a nocturnal beetle, the common glow-worm, <i>Lampyrus noctiluca</i>. We placed dummy females of two glow intensity (attractiveness) levels either alone or in clusters of varying attractiveness compositions. We found that by displaying alone rather than in a cluster, females have a higher probability of mating and greater potential to exercise mate choice. Within clusters, females of both attractiveness levels had the highest probability of mating when having neighbours of only the less attractive type. These results show that both the presence and attractiveness of rivals can strongly influence females' mate attraction. The findings also suggest that the distribution of wild females matches better with female than male benefits. Hence, the results highlight the important links between spatial distribution of females, male mate searching and sexual selection.
Integrative taxonomic analysis to reveal the species status of Bombus flavidus, combining COI and nuclear sequencing, wing morphometrics and secretions used for mate attraction as well as patterns of color polymorphism
<p>Bumble bees, due to their morphological monotony and color diversity, have presented difficulties with species delimitation. Recent bumble bee declines have made it ever more imperative to resolve the status of species to address conservation concerns. Some of the taxa found to be most threatened are the often-rare socially parasitic bumble bees, which have additional trophic requirements. Among the socially parasitic bumble bees,<i> Bombus flavidus</i> Eversmann has contentious species status. While multiple separate species allied with <i>Bombus flavidus</i> have been suggested, until recently, recognition of two species, a Nearctic <i>Bombus fernaldae</i> (Franklin) and Palearctic <i>B. flavidus,</i> was favoured. Limited genetic data, however, suggested that even these could be a single widespread species, <i>B. flavidus</i>. We addressed the species status of this lineage using an integrative taxonomic approach, combining <i>COI</i> and nuclear sequencing, wing morphometrics and secretions used for mate attraction. We also explore patterns of color polymorphism that have previously confounded taxonomy in this lineage. Our results support the conspecific status of <i>Bombus fernaldae</i> and <i>Bombus flavidus,</i> however, sampling specimens from across the range of these two taxa revealed a distinct population within this broader species confined to eastern North America. This makes the distribution of the social parasite <i>B. flavidus</i> the broadest of any bumble bee, broader than the known distribution of any non-parasitic bumble bee species. Analysis of color phenotypes revealed that color polymorphisms are retained across the range of the species, but may be influenced by local mimicry complexes. Following these results, <i>Bombus flavidus</i> Eversmann, 1852<i> </i>is synonymized with <i>Bombus fernaldae </i>(Franklin, 1911) <b>syn. nov.</b> and a subspecific status, <i>Bombus flavidus </i><i>appalachiensis</i> <b>ssp. nov.</b>, is assigned to the distinct lineage ranging from the Appalachians to the eastern boreal regions of the United States and far southeastern Canada.</p>
ScienceDex guides
Understand access before you commit
These curated guides explain access requirements, typical timelines, costs, and reuse considerations for widely used research datasets.
Allen Brain Atlas
Allen Brain Atlas is an Allen Institute collection of brain map atlases, datasets, APIs, and analysis tools covering mouse, human, and non-human primate brain resources.
Annotated Behaviour and Observability Dataset (ABODe)
ABODe is a University of Edinburgh DataShare dataset for behavior classification in group-housed mice using home-cage video, identities, bounding boxes, ground-plate positions, and annotator labels.
DANDI Archive for NWB datasets
DANDI is a BRAIN Initiative archive for publishing and sharing neurophysiology data, including electrophysiology, optophysiology, and behavioral data packaged as NWB and related standards.
International Brain Laboratory public data
The International Brain Laboratory public data releases expose standardized mouse decision-making experiments, including Neuropixels recordings, widefield calcium imaging, behavior, and session metadata accessed through the ONE API.
OpenNeuro
OpenNeuro is a free, open platform for sharing neuroimaging datasets, with public search, dataset pages, and download paths for web, S3, DataLad, and the OpenNeuro CLI.