The evolution of birdsong has been studied predominantly in diurnal passerines, leaving nocturnal species underexplored. Owls provide an exceptional model: their cryptic plumage contrasts with conspicuous vocalizations that function in territorial defense, in low-visibility environments. We investigated evolutionary drivers of acoustic diversity in Megascops , the largest New World owl genus, using phylogenetic comparative met...

Numerous studies have examined the adaptive significance of seed color using natural variation within species or cultivars, yet our overall understanding remains limited. In this study, we used evolutionary contrasts between cultivated lines and their de-domesticated counterparts as a useful framework for investigating the adaptive significance of seed color. We hypothesized that the naturally expressed red-pericarp phenotype...

Damselflies (Odonata: Zygoptera) have evolved highly developed visual systems for mate recognition, flight and prey detection. Wing Interference Patterns (WIPs), which are colors generated by thin-film interference in the wing membrane, could function as visual signals and play a role in sexual selection. Because the color of these signals depends on membrane thickness, a potential conflict exists between changes in wing area...

Exaggerated male traits used in intrasexual contests are often condition dependent and, in many taxa, intrasexual dimorphism in these traits arise in association with alternative reproductive tactics. Although it is frequently assumed that trait exaggeration and intrasexual dimorphism evolve in concert, this hypothesis has not yet been tested within a comparative framework. Here, we investigate whether the degree of exaggerati...

Quantity discrimination affects a range of behaviours essential for fitness, including social interactions, navigation, and foraging and is widespread across animal taxa. However, in reptiles, evidence for this ability — particularly for small number contrasts — remains limited and mixed. Early-life conditions, such as hormonal exposure and temperature, can also shape brain development and cognitive performance, potentially af...

The niche concept is a central paradigm in ecology, inspiring several ecological theories such as the acoustic niche hypothesis (ANH), which postulates that acoustic space is partitioned through temporal and spectral adjustments shaped by selection to reduce competition via masking interference among sympatric species. By measuring the acoustic overlap and sound signal discrimination between two closely related and syntopic tr...

Prey animals adjust their vigilance to the level of threat they perceive in their environment. Here, a simple theoretical model studies how the vigilance of an animal may, in turn, influence the behaviour of its predators. By emphasizing the role played by surprise in the hunting success of many predators, the model shows how strongly the chance of being detected can modify the successive phases of a hunting episode. In that r...

Latitudinal clines in adaptive traits are well documented, yet how such patterns translate across longitudinal gradients, where climatic variation is reduced, remains poorly understood. We investigated spatial variation in hydrogen cyanide (HCN) - a well-characterized anti-herbivore defense polymorphism governed by two independently segregating loci ( Ac and Li ), in white clover ( Trifolium repens ) across nine Midwestern U.S...