Receiver sensory systems have long been cited as an important source of variation in mate preferences that could lead to signal diversification and behavioral isolation between lineages, with a general concept that animals prefer the most conspicuous signals. The matched filter hypothesis posits that tuning of the frog peripheral auditory system matches dominant frequencies in advertisement calls used to attract mates. However, little work has characterized species with frequency modulation in their calls. In this study, we extend prior work characterizing the lack of correlated evolution between auditory tuning and spectral properties of male calls in Engystomops (= Physalaemus) frogs. We analyze auditory sensitivity of three cryptic species that differ consistently in female mate preferences for calls of different frequencies. The audiograms of these species differ, but the frequency at which the frog is maximally sensitive is not the most relevant difference in tuning of the auditory periphery. Rather, we identify species differences in overall sensitivity within specific frequency ranges, and we model the effects of these sensitivity differences on neural responses to natural calls. We find a general mismatch between auditory brainstem responses and behavioral preferences of these taxa and rule out the matched filter hypothesis as explaining species differences in male calls and mate preferences in this group.


中文翻译：

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外周听觉系统差异不能解释呼叫偏好的物种差异

接收器感觉系统长期以来一直被认为是配偶偏好变化的重要来源，这可能导致信号多样化和谱系之间的行为隔离，一般概念是动物更喜欢最显眼的信号。匹配滤波器假设假设青蛙外围听觉系统的调整与用于吸引配偶的广告呼叫中的主要频率相匹配。然而，很少有工作在其呼叫中描述具有频率调制的物种。在这项研究中，我们扩展了先前的工作，该工作描述了 Engystomops (= Physalaemus) 青蛙的听觉调谐和雄性叫声的光谱特性之间缺乏相关进化。我们分析了三种神秘物种的听觉敏感性，这些物种在女性伴侣对不同频率呼叫的偏好方面始终存在差异。这些物种的听力图不同，但青蛙最敏感的频率并不是听觉外围调节中最相关的差异。相反，我们确定了特定频率范围内总体敏感性的物种差异，并且我们模拟了这些敏感性差异对自然呼叫的神经反应的影响。我们发现听觉脑干反应和这些分类群的行为偏好之间普遍不匹配，并排除了匹配过滤假设来解释该组中雄性呼叫和配偶偏好的物种差异。我们模拟了这些敏感性差异对自然呼叫的神经反应的影响。我们发现听觉脑干反应和这些分类群的行为偏好之间普遍不匹配，并排除了匹配过滤假设来解释该组中雄性呼叫和配偶偏好的物种差异。我们模拟了这些敏感性差异对自然呼叫的神经反应的影响。我们发现听觉脑干反应和这些分类群的行为偏好之间普遍不匹配，并排除了匹配过滤假设来解释该组中雄性呼叫和配偶偏好的物种差异。