Melanin- versus carotenoid-based sexual signals: is the difference really so black and red?
A large number of coloured sexually selected ornamental traits in the animal kingdom are based on carotenoid and melanin pigments. The biochemical differences between these two classes of pigment, together with their different physiological roles, have led to the general belief that there will be a fundamental difference in the way in which they are […]
Testosterone increases repertoire size in an open-ended learner: An experimental study using adult male European starlings (Sturnus vulgaris)
Song in songbirds is a learned secondary sexual behavior, first acquired during a sensitive phase of juvenile development, which is affected by hormones such as testosterone (T). While the latter has received much attention, the potential involvement of T in the adult repertoire changes observed in a number of species is much less understood. Yet, […]
Signals in family conflicts
Although the role of animal signals in the resolution of family conflicts has been thoroughly studied, it has been typically analysed in isolated two-player interactions. For instance, parents are usually considered as the sole receivers of offspring begging signals or mates the receivers of sexual displays. However, this view does not wholly encompass the dynamic […]