Abstract Vocalizations play a critical role in mate recognition and mate choice in a number of taxa, especially, but not limited to, orthopterans, frogs, and birds. But receivers can only recognize and prefer sounds that they can hear. Thus a fundamental question linking neurobiology and sexual selection asks—what is the threshold for detecting acoustic sexual displays? In this study, we use 3 methods to assess such thresholds in túngara frogs: behavioral responses, auditory brainstem responses, and multiunit electrophysiological recordings from the midbrain. We show that thresholds are lowest for multiunit recordings (ca. 45 dB SPL), and then for behavioral responses (ca. 61 dB SPL), with auditory brainstem responses exhibiting the highest thresholds (ca. 71 dB SPL). We discuss why these estimates differ and why, as with other studies, it is unlikely that they should be the same. Although all of these studies estimate thresholds they are not measuring the same thresholds; behavioral thresholds are based on signal salience whereas the 2 neural assays estimate physiological thresholds. All 3 estimates, however, make it clear that to have an appreciation for detection and salience of acoustic signals we must listen to those signals through the ears of the receivers.

中文翻译：

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青蛙的行为和神经听觉阈值


摘要 发声在许多类群中的配偶识别和配偶选择中起着至关重要的作用，特别是但不限于直翅类、青蛙和鸟类。但接收者只能识别并偏好他们能听到的声音。因此，连接神经生物学和性选择的一个基本问题是：检测声音性表现的阈值是多少？在这项研究中，我们使用 3 种方法来评估 túngara 青蛙的此类阈值：行为反应、听觉脑干反应和中脑的多单元电生理记录。我们发现，多单元录音的阈值最低（约 45 dB SPL），然后是行为反应（约 61 dB SPL），听觉脑干反应的阈值最高（约 71 dB SPL）。我们讨论为什么这些估计值不同，以及为什么与其他研究一样，它们不太可能相同。尽管所有这些研究都估计了阈值，但它们测量的阈值并不相同。行为阈值基于信号显着性，而两种神经分析则估计生理阈值。然而，所有 3 个估计都清楚地表明，为了了解声音信号的检测和显着性，我们必须通过接收器的耳朵聆听这些信号。