Abstract

Mate choice in frogs depends heavily on acoustic communication, and females in many species possess an inherent preference for longer and/or more complex calls. Recently, it has become clear that conspecific chemical cues can also be useful in attracting potential mates in anuran species. However, how conspecific chemical cues influence mate choice decisions when paired with acoustic signals remains less clear. In the present study, we conducted three experiments to investigate whether and how male odor cues affect female choice decisions in the absence or presence of acoustic signals in serrate-legged small treefrogs (Kurixalus odontotarsus). We found that disturbance odors alone can trigger avoidance behavior of females, suggesting that the odors of disturbed K. odontotarsus can act as an alarm cue for conspecifics. Females also avoided disturbance odors in the presence of advertisement calls, except for calls with five notes. In addition, females preferred calls with two notes to calls with four notes when the latter was paired with disturbance odors. In contrast, female choice decisions were not affected by the odors of undisturbed males, either in the absence or the presence of advertisement calls. Our results indicate that disturbance odors can influence, or even reverse, mate choice by females for acoustic signals.

Significance statement

In addition to acoustic signals, chemical cues can also be used in close-range communication in some anuran species. In the present study, we investigated how female Kurixalus odontotarsus use male chemical cues and/or acoustic signals during the mate choice process. We demonstrate that male disturbance odors can act as an alarm cue to trigger the avoidance behavior of females. Furthermore, this alarm cue can even reverse mate choice by females for acoustic signals. Our study highlights the importance of integrating multisensory signals and cues in mate choice decisions and has important implications for understanding chemical communication in anurans.

中文翻译：

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特定的干扰气味作为警报信号影响树蛙的雌性配偶选择

摘要

青蛙的配偶选择在很大程度上取决于声音交流，许多物种的雌性对更长和/或更复杂的叫声具有固有的偏好。最近，很明显，同种化学线索也可用于吸引无尾类动物的潜在配偶。然而，当与声学信号配对时，同种化学线索如何影响配偶选择决策仍不清楚。在本研究中，我们进行了三个实验来研究在锯齿腿小树蛙 ( Kurixalus odontotarsus )中没有或存在声学信号的情况下，雄性气味线索是否以及如何影响雌性选择决策。我们发现单独的干扰气味可以引发女性的回避行为，这表明受干扰的K的气味。odontotarsus可以作为同种动物的警报信号。除了带有五个音符的电话外，女性还避免在存在广告电话时产生干扰气味。此外，当后者与干扰气味配对时，女性更喜欢带有两个音符的呼叫而不是带有四个音符的呼叫。相比之下，女性的选择决定不受不受干扰的男性气味的影响，无论是在没有广告电话的情况下，还是在存在广告电话的情况下。我们的结果表明，干扰气味可以影响甚至逆转雌性对声音信号的配偶选择。

意义陈述

除了声音信号，化学信号也可用于某些无尾目物种的近距离交流。在本研究中，我们调查了雌性Kurixalus odontotarsus在择偶过程中如何使用雄性化学线索和/或声学信号。我们证明男性的干扰气味可以作为触发女性回避行为的警报信号。此外，这种警报提示甚至可以逆转雌性对声音信号的配偶选择。我们的研究强调了在配偶选择决策中整合多感官信号和线索的重要性，并对理解无尾类动物的化学交流具有重要意义。