Integration of methods to study mate choice behavior in treefrogs

Abstract

My research incorporates results from a variety of methods to understand behavior. In my dissertation, I examined female behavior to novel, complex calls. In the gray treefrog species complex, Hyla versicolor and H. chrysoscelis, males only produce simple calls but females respond favorably to artificial, complex calls. Potential rules that constrain the attractiveness of these novel calls may be explained by temporally selective neurons that count pulses. I describe how the response properties of neurons may contribute to the behavioral selectivity of these treefrogs, as well as examine species differences in behavior. I further explored behavioral differentiation by using genetic methods to determine genetic differentiation within the species H. chrysoscelis. Behavioral differences have been reported between different populations of this species. Using microsatellite loci, I found evidence for three distinct linages: eastern, western, and Ozark. Overall, my results provide insights on mate choice behavior and how results using different methodologies, such as neurophysiology and genetics, contribute to a thorough understanding of behavior.