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To link to full-text access for this article, visit this link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.anbehav.2005.12.003 Byline: Terry J. Ord, Emilia P. Martins Abstract: Within species, natural and sexual selection work together to shape the design of animal communicative systems, and sometimes act differentially on alternate components to produce a single elaborate phenotype that works well in several contexts. Here, we show a similar pattern at the interspecific level, and describe how an intricate selective regime can shape diversification of a complex behaviour across species. Using four phylogenetic comparative methods, alternative phylogenetic hypotheses, and a data set compiled from over 50 different sources representing 53 taxa, we test the relative importance of different ecological variables on the evolution of anole visual displays. Our study makes use of the inherent complexity of these signals and the availability of published descriptions in the form of display-action-patterns. Results indicate that different selective forces are linked to change in different display components. Whereas evolutionary changes in display duration appear to be linked to sexual size dimorphism, measures of display complexity (number and uniformity of display components) were more tightly associated with the need to facilitate species recognition and the type of light environment in which the display is typically performed. We also found some evidence that ecomorph distinctions, a major force in morphological evolution of anoles, have had an impact on the evolution of display structure. We use our findings to highlight areas for future research and discuss the similarities and differences between display evolution in anoles and in other lizard genera. Author Affiliation: Department of Biology and Center for the Integrative Study of Animal Behavior, Indiana University, U.S.A. Article History: Received 20 May 2005; Revised 2 October 2005; Accepted 7 December 2005 Article Note: (miscellaneous) MS. number: A10165

To link to full-text access for this article, visit this link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.anbehav.2004.08.020 Byline: Terry J. Ord, Emilia P. Martins, Sidharth Thakur, Ketan K. Mane, Katy Borner Abstract: We applied modern bioinformatic tools to titles and keywords of animal behaviour publications contained in an electronic library database to examine trends in animal behaviour research. We provide the first quantitative overview of animal behaviour research covering 42a836 documents published in the last three decades, across 25 journals. Our study confirms several patterns noted by previous reviews, and offers several novel insights into the history of our field. Profound historical distinctions between early ethology and comparative psychology have been recently bridged by shared interest in communication and social behaviour, and research from physiology and applied areas. Although we reiterate the rise of sexual selection and mating behaviour as prominent areas of research, we also show that interest in mechanism and development has proven particularly resilient over the years. Currently, researchers at hundreds of institutions worldwide are studying animal behaviour. Domesticated animals, foraging/dispersal and learning/memory are topics that appear most frequently in publications from regions that have little history of animal behaviour research, suggesting that these subjects are central to the early development of the discipline. Overall, the study of animal behaviour is healthy, growing, and becoming progressively more integrative over time. Author Affiliation: (*) Department of Biology and Centre for the Integrative Study of Animal Behavior, Indiana University, U.S.A. (a ) Computer Science Department, Indiana University, U.S.A. (a ) School of Library and Information Science, Indiana University, U.S.A. Article History: Received 8 March 2004; Revised 5 April 2004; Accepted 31 August 2004 Article Note: (miscellaneous) MS. number: A9835R

Modern bioinformatic tools are applied to titles and keywords of animal behavior publications contained in an electronic library database to examine trends in animal behavior research. The study of animal behavior is healthy, growing, and becoming progressively more integrative over time.

Push up displays in three populations of sagebrush lizards, Sceloropus graciosus, were monitored to determine variation in the display behavior in different populations. Differences in display body postures, the number of legs extended to display the up-and-down motion and the number of headbobs differ in the three populations under investigation. Further, each population has at least one unique behavior. The push-up display appears to be undergoing a rapid change in structure and function.

Ancestral measures of headbob displays in iguanas are estimated based on the signature headbob displays of seven species of wild and captive Cyclura iguanas. Results suggest an evolutionary limit on headbob displays and that the predicted ancestral states can withstand violations of evolutionary assumptions. The standard errors in these ancestral phenotypes are difficult to assess without information on the forces that drive evolution. The implications of behavioral evolution on wildlife conservation are discussed.

The behavioral context of the push-up display of Sceloporus graciosus is analyzed. Both male and female lizards exhibit push-up displays that are categorized into 'assertion' and 'challenge' displays. Challenge displays are of greater intensity and is used to express territoriality. In this kind of push-ups, the blue belly and gular patches are exposed. Lastly, assertion displays are spontaneous, more variable and of lesser intensity in bodily movements. This push-up is for relaying information about the displaying lizard's identity.

Repeatable differences among individuals or among groups of individuals within a population may be used to describe the existence of alternative 'strategies' or social roles in behaviour and constitute the raw material on which phenotypic selection can act. Communicative displays that show consistent differences among individuals or between the sexes may also be used as mechanisms for individual or sexual recognition. In this study, individual and sex differences in several aspects of the plush-up display were examined in a field study of Sceloporus graciousus. Previous studies have looked primarily at specifics of the head-bob pattern of adult male lizards in captivity. This study investigated several other measures of the push-up display, including display frequency, display perch height and number of legs flexed in displays as well as the head-bob pattern. It also examined the behaviour of both adult male and female lizards in the field. Repeatable individual differences occurred in all of the variables examined. These differences may be indicative of differneces in home-range quality, motivational state, or may be used for individual recognition. Differences between the sexes occurred in display frequency, number of head-bobs per display and display duration, but not in display perch height, nor in number of legs flexed per display. Sex differences in the head-bob pattern suggest that the push-up displays of males and females may be qualitatively different, and possibly used for different purposes.