This Special Column aims at complementing our knowledge and deepening our understanding of the complex processes involved in learning and neurobiological mechanisms in the context of sexual selection. So far, there are a number of studies dealing with specific aspects in neurobiology OR sexual selection, however, there is no comprehensive account of studies linking neurobiological aspects with mate choice to this date. For instance, various studies investigate sex differences in a wide range of cognitive and behavioral processes in a variety of vertebrate and invertebrate groups. But investigations of sex differences in (social) learning and, for example, memory AND the underlying neurobiological substrates in the context of sexual selection and their importance in mate choice behavior have been largely neglected. Thus, studies combining learning and cognitive abilities with neurobiological substrates in the context of mate choice are still rare. Critical questions that remain to be answered include why and how does learning and cognition influence mate choice? How do environmental conditions affect the evolution of the underlying neurobiological substrates? Which neural circuits are shared or distinct between sexes within species and/or between species of the same and/or different taxonomic groups?

中文翻译：

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(Under)water love – 连接鱼和青蛙的配偶选择和认知

本专栏旨在补充我们的知识并加深我们对性选择背景下学习和神经生物学机制所涉及的复杂过程的理解。到目前为止，有许多研究涉及神经生物学或性选择的特定方面，但是，到目前为止，还没有关于将神经生物学方面与配偶选择联系起来的研究的综合说明。例如，各种研究调查了各种脊椎动物和无脊椎动物群体在广泛的认知和行为过程中的性别差异。但是对（社会）学习中的性别差异以及例如记忆和性选择背景下的潜在神经生物学基础及其在择偶行为中的重要性的调查在很大程度上被忽视了。因此，在配偶选择的背景下，将学习和认知能力与神经生物学基础相结合的研究仍然很少见。仍有待回答的关键问题包括学习和认知为什么以及如何影响配偶选择？环境条件如何影响潜在神经生物学底物的进化？哪些神经回路在物种内和/或相同和/或不同分类群的物种之间共享或不同？仍有待回答的关键问题包括学习和认知为什么以及如何影响配偶选择？环境条件如何影响潜在神经生物学底物的进化？哪些神经回路在物种内和/或相同和/或不同分类群的物种之间共享或不同？仍有待回答的关键问题包括学习和认知为什么以及如何影响配偶选择？环境条件如何影响潜在神经生物学底物的进化？哪些神经回路在物种内和/或相同和/或不同分类群的物种之间共享或不同？