The origins of acoustic communication in vertebrates

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Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Developmental Biology

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Paper Summary

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Talkative Night Owls: Sounding Off on the Evolution of Acoustic Communication in Vertebrates

Acoustic communication in terrestrial vertebrates is significantly associated with nocturnal activity, supporting the idea that sound evolved for communication in the dark. Despite its role in speciation in some clades, acoustic communication does not appear to increase overall diversification rates across tetrapods. The trait shows strong phylogenetic conservation, with independent origins in major groups around 100-200 million years ago.

Possible Conflicts of Interest

None identified

Identified Weaknesses

Reliance on reported acoustic data

While the study acknowledges the difficulty of proving the absence of a behavior, the reliance on reported data leaves open the possibility that acoustic communication exists in some species but hasn't been observed or documented yet. This could affect the accuracy of estimations, especially in understudied groups. Additionally, extrapolating from the sampled species to estimate the presence of the trait in all tetrapods introduces a level of uncertainty.

Limitations of phylogenetic methods at deep timescales

The study uses a phylogenetic approach to reconstruct ancestral states and infer diversification rates. However, the accuracy of these reconstructions can be influenced by factors like incomplete taxon sampling, model assumptions, and the inherent limitations of phylogenetic methods when dealing with deep timescales. The study acknowledges these limitations and uses various models and statistical tests to address them, but uncertainties remain.

Lack of functional distinction for acoustic communication

Although acoustic communication is widespread in some groups, the study does not distinguish the potential impact of the trait on diversification based on its function (e.g., mate choice, species recognition). It's plausible that diversification could be more strongly associated with acoustic communication specifically for sexual selection rather than communication in general. The absence of this functional distinction might limit the study's capacity to fully capture the role of acoustic communication in speciation.

Rating Explanation

This study provides valuable insights into the evolution of acoustic communication across a broad phylogenetic scale. The study addresses important evolutionary questions, uses robust phylogenetic methods, and presents compelling evidence for the association between nocturnal activity and the origins of acoustic communication. The study also acknowledges its limitations, which mostly stem from inherent challenges in studying evolutionary history, particularly for behavioral traits and at deep timescales. Overall, the study demonstrates a strong methodological approach and addresses an important evolutionary question about acoustic communication. Despite some uncertainties, the study provides a strong base for future research and adds substantially to our understanding of signal evolution in vertebrates.

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Topic Hierarchy

Domain:

Life Sciences

Field:

Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology

Subfield:

Developmental Biology

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The origins of acoustic communication in vertebrates

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