Song mimicry and species associations of west African indigobirds Vidua with Quail‐finch Ortygospiza atricollis, Goldbreast Amandava subflava and Brown Twinspot Clytospiza monteiri
TL;DR: The field observations support the hypothesis of evolutionary associations of the brood parasite and foster species by colonization with switching from one foster to another rather than by cospeciation.
Abstract: The brood-parasitic indigobirds Vidua spp. mimic the songs of their foster species, which for many species of indigobirds are Lagonosticta firefinches. We report additional associations of indigobirds with estrildid finches in west Africa. Quail-finch Indigobirds Vidua nigeriae in northern Cameroon mimic the songs of Quail-finch Ortygospiza atricollis. Gold-breast Indigobirds Vidua raricola in Cameroon and Sierra Leone mimic the songs of Gold-breast Amandava subflava. Both indigobirds are distinct in male breeding plumage from other indigobirds. Also, a population of blue indigobirds Vidua sp. in Cameroon mimics the songs of Brown Twinspot Clytospiza monteiri. They are similar in colour and size to blue indigobirds associated with Dark Firefinch L. rubricata and Black-bellied Firefinch L. rara. Mouth patterns of fledged young Quail-finch Indigobirds and Goldbreast Indigobirds resemble those of their song-model and presumed foster species, but the mouth pattern of a fledged young associated with the Brown Twinspot mimic was not distinct from the mouth of young Black-bellied Firefinch. The field observations show associations of certain species of indigobirds with finches other than the firefinches. The results are consistent with mitochondrial DNA estimates of greater genetic similarity among indigobirds than among their foster species. The field observations support the hypothesis of evolutionary associations of the brood parasite and foster species by colonization with switching from one foster to another rather than by cospeciation.
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260 citations
TL;DR: It is shown that all indigobird species are similar genetically, but are significantly differentiated in both mitochondrial haplotype and nuclear allele frequencies, which support a model of recent sympatric speciation.
Abstract: A growing body of empirical and theoretical work supports the plausibility of sympatric speciation1,2,3, but there remain few examples in which all the essential components of the process are well understood. The African indigobirds Vidua spp. are host-specific brood parasites. Indigobird nestlings are reared along with host young, and mimic the mouth markings of their respective hosts4,5,6. As adults, male indigobirds mimic host song4,5,6,7, whereas females use these songs to choose both their mates and the nests they parasitize8. These behavioural mechanisms promote the cohesion of indigobird populations associated with a given host species, and provide a mechanism for reproductive isolation after a new host is colonized. Here we show that all indigobird species are similar genetically, but are significantly differentiated in both mitochondrial haplotype and nuclear allele frequencies. These data support a model of recent sympatric speciation. In contrast to the cuckoo Cuculus canorus, in which only female lineages are faithful to specific hosts9,10, host switches have led to speciation in indigobirds because both males and females imprint on their hosts8,11.
234 citations
TL;DR: The results support the predictions of a model of imprinting-like behaviour development in which young indigobirds focus their attention on their foster parents, rather than a models of innate bias for songs and nests of their normal host species, or a null model of nonspecific brood parasitism and differential survival.
Abstract: Brood-parasitic village indigobirds, Vidua chalybeata, were bred in captivity and foster-reared by their normal host species, the red-billed firefinch, Lagonosticta senegala, or by an experimental foster species, the Bengalese finch, Lonchura striata. Captive-reared female indigobirds were tested as adults for mate choice and for host choice. In tests of mate choice, female indigobirds responded preferentially towards mimicry songs of male indigobirds that were similar to those of the females’ own foster parents. Females reared by Bengalese finches responded to male songs that mimicked Bengalese finch song rather than to male songs that mimicked their normal host species, the firefinch. In tests of host choice, females reared by Bengalese finches laid in the nests of Bengalese finches, and females reared by firefinches laid in the nests of firefinches. Wild-caught females showed the same behaviours as captive-bred females reared by firefinches. A female indigobird’s social companions (firefinch or Bengalese) following her independence of her foster parents had no effect on her sexual response to male mimicry song or her choice of a host species in brood parasitism. The results support the predictions of a model of imprinting-like behaviour development in which young indigobirds focus their attention on their foster parents, rather than a model of innate bias for songs and nests of their normal host species, or a null model of nonspecific brood parasitism and differential survival. The results provide experimental support for the recent origin of brood parasite–host associations and the significance of imprinting in speciation in these brood parasites. 2000 The Association for the Study of Animal Behaviour
175 citations
Cites background from "Song mimicry and species associatio..."
...Molecular and morphological evidence suggest that different species of indigobirds have colonized their host species well after the host species had diverged, rather than having cospeciated along with them (Payne & Payne 1994; Klein & Payne 1998)....
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...Most of these finches are hosts of other kinds of Vidua, mainly other indigobird species (Nicolai 1969, 1989; Payne et al. 1993; Payne & Payne 1994, 1995)....
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01 Jan 2002
TL;DR: It is suggested that costly and cost-free signalling models face difficulties in accounting for observed begging behaviour, and that these difficulties may best be tackled by developing more realistic models that incorporate more of the complexities of parent-offspring interaction revealed by empirical studies of begging.
Abstract: Parental feeding of young is often accompanied by striking begging displays on the part of offspring. These displays are now widely thought to function as signals of need; in other words, they serve to elicit additional resources from parents by advertising the benefits that offspring thereby stand to gain. Sib-sib and parent-offspring conflicts over resource allocation, however, favour misrepresentation of need. Consequently, signalling models have focused on signal cost as a means to maintain the reliability of offspring displays. Recently, however, the possibility of alternative, cheaper signalling equilibria has emerged. We review costly and cost-free signalling models, and suggest that both face difficulties in accounting for observed begging behaviour. We conclude with the suggestion that these difficulties may best be tackled by developing more realistic models that incorporate more of the complexities of parent-offspring interaction revealed by empirical studies of begging.
170 citations
TL;DR: Roles of frequency-dependent selection (FDS) in coadaptation and coevolutionary change are outlined and it is found rock-paper-scissors dynamics are common in nature.
Abstract: We outline roles of frequency-dependent selection (FDS) in coadaptation and coevolutionary change. Coadaptation and coevolution occur because correlational selection (CS) and correlated evolution couple many traits. CS arises from causal interactions between traits expressed in two or more interactors, which invariably involve different traits (signalers-receivers). Thus, the causes of CS are due to FDS acting on trait interactions. Negative FDS, a rare advantage, is often coupled to positive FDS generating complex dynamics and FD cycles. Neural mechanisms of learning and perception create analogous routes by which traits are reinforced in cognitive and perceptual systems of interactors, substituting for positive FDS. FDS across all levels of biological organization is thus best understood as proximate causes that link interactors and shape genetic correlations within and among interactors on long timescales, or cognitive trait correlations within interactors on short timescales. We find rock-paper-scissors dynamics are common in nature.
150 citations
Cites background from "Song mimicry and species associatio..."
...Indigo birds, Vidua chalybeata, learn songs of host species, and as adults, males attract females with songs of foster parents (Payne & Payne 1994)....
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References
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Book•
01 Jan 1984
255 citations
Book•
01 Jan 1982
186 citations
"Song mimicry and species associatio..." refers background in this paper
...” (Goodwin 1982) and a “rapid rattling rambling”, illustrated in audiospectragram and labelled by Maclean (1985) as klik klak kloik klik kluk klek....
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...Goodwin (1982) noted the male in breeding season has a “long series of remarkably loud and strident chirps....
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164 citations