Journal
ANIMAL BEHAVIOUR
Volume 78, Issue 4, Pages 809-817Publisher
ACADEMIC PRESS LTD- ELSEVIER SCIENCE LTD
DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2009.07.011
Keywords
cognitive evolution; cognitive performance; female choice; male reproductive success; problem-solving ability; Ptilonorhynchus violaceus; satin bowerbird; sexual selection
Categories
Funding
- National Science Foundation [0518844]
- Australian Bird and Bat Banding Scheme (ABBBS)
- Direct For Biological Sciences
- Division Of Integrative Organismal Sys [0518844] Funding Source: National Science Foundation
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Mate choice and mate attraction are important behaviours influencing the evolution of elaborate traits. It is possible that male general cognitive performance plays an important role in sexual attractiveness, but there has been no direct test of this hypothesis. Satin bowerbirds, Ptilonorhynchus violaceus, are an excellent species for testing this hypothesis because their complex male courtship, including use of decorations of certain colours, suggests a selective advantage to individuals with superior cognitive abilities. We used males' strong aversion to red objects on their bowers to design two unique problem-solving tests. We presented males with these problems to test the hypothesis that males that are better problem-solvers have higher mating success. We confirmed this prediction and demonstrate that neither age nor motivational level significantly influenced problem-solving scores. Our findings suggest that general cognitive performance is related to male mating success. This is the first evidence that individuals with better problem-solving abilities are more sexually attractive. (C) 2009 The Association for the Study of Animal Behaviour. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
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