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John A. Endler Professor of Ecological Genetics, Biological Sciences Department of Ecology, Evolution & Marine Biology University of California - Santa Barbara

Interacting Effects of Ambient Light, Microhabitat Choice, Animal Color Patterns and Vision in Determining the Direction of Sexual Selection

3 November Guest Lecture for Fall 2000 Graduate Seminar:   Behavioral Ecology

ABSTRACT: Animal visual signals depend upon natural light as well as their color pattern (as seen in a field guide). The interaction between the ambient light and their own colors, in conjuction with the vision of the viewers (conspecifics, potential predators, or potential prey) determines the efficiency of the signalling. Because ambient light is spatially variable and color vision varies among species, microhabitat choice during courtship, territoriality, foraging, and predator avoidance can be set to minimize the conflicts between these color pattern functions. The interaction affects the direction of evolution of color pattern components used in sexual selection, and determines whether a species can elaborate or innovate in the evolutionary development of its color patterns.   RELATED READING: Endler, J.A. 1978. A predator's view of animal color patterns. Evolutionary Biology 11:319-364. Endler, J.A. 1990. On the measurement and classification of color in studies of animal colour patterns. Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, London 41:315-352. Endler, J.A. 1993. The color of light in forests and its implications. Ecological Monographs 63:1-27. |ABSTRACT| ADDITIONAL READINGS (NOT REQUIRED FOR CLASS): Endler, J.A. 1984. Progressive background matching in moths, and a quantitative measure of crypsis. Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, London 22:187-231. Endler, J.A. 1991. Variation in the appearance of guppy color patterns to guppies and their predators under different visual conditions. Vision Research 31:587-608. |ABSTRACT| Endler, J.A. 1992. Signals, signal conditions, and the direction of evolution. American Naturalist 139: S125-S153. |ABSTRACT| Endler, J.A. 1993. Some general commments on the evolution and design of animal communication systems. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London, Series B 340:215-225. |ABSTRACT| Endler, J.A., and M. Thery. 1996. Interacting effects of lek placement, display behavior, ambient light and color patterns in three neotropical forest-dwelling birds. American Naturalist 148:421-452. |ABSTRACT| Endler, J.A. 1997. Light, behavior and conservation of forest-dwelling organisms. In: J.R. Clemmons and R. Buchholz (eds.), Behavioral approaches to conservation in the wild (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press), pp. 329-355.   ONLINE RESOURCES: Dr. Endler's departmental page, UC-SB  (research | publications) Dr. Endler's page, Zoology & Tropical Ecology, James Cook University (Australia) Endler's Poecilia Poecilia sp. "Endler's" --    http://www.calweb.com/~griffitt/Endler's_Livebearer.html

OTHER FALL 2000 SPEAKERS:   Patrica Gowaty   .  Chris Boake   .  Teri Markow

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