1. Signal Design Rules Signal design: features and rules Examples
Species recognition
Courtship
Territory defense
Conflict resolution
Alarm

2. Signal design features
Signal range: context and sender/receiver distance
Locatability: cryptic vs conspicuous
Duty cycle: % on
Identification level: information content -species, sex, individual
Modulation potential: stereotyped vs graded
Form-content linkage: arbitrary or linked due to source or other constraint

3. Mate attraction signal rules

4. Species differences in cricket calls
Species differences are encoded in temporal patterns

5. Species differences in bird song
Species differences are encoded in frequency range, INI, note structure

6. Species differences in firefly flashing signals

7. Species differences in fiddler crab and fence lizard displays

8. Species differences in facial patterns

9. Species differences in moth mate attractant pheromones

10. Convergence in mate attraction signals
Habitat effects
Bird song: whistles in forest, trills in open habitats
Lizard head bobbing: bob shape on ground, interbob interval for arboreal species
Signaling sex and modality
Males use auditory or visual signals
Females use chemical signals

11. Courtship signal design rules

12. Static vs dynamic calling displays
Static components:
Convey information about
species differences.
Females prefer mode.
Dynamic components:
Convey information about
individual differences.
Females prefer extremes.

13. Courtship signal and reproductive strategies
If paternal care is important, courtship is likely to involve nest building or mate feeding
When females are dangerous, courtship signals are often submissive (e.g. spiders)
When male dominance is important, courtship signals are often loud, aggressive, and physical

14. Form-content linkage in courtship

15. Territory defense signal rules

16. Territory marking in European badger

17. Individual differences in territory defense or status signals

18. Threat signal design rules

19. Conflict resolution signals

20. Alarm signal design rules

21. Avian alarm and assembly calls

22. Mammal flee vs alert alarm calls
California
ground
squirrel
Domestic
chicken
Belding’s
ground
squirrel
Forest
guenon
monkey

23. Visual alarm signals

24. Across function comparisons
If design rules are the result of selection and constraints, expect convergence across taxa
More comparative studies are needed to uncover trends in signal form in relation to social function and sender context

25. Chemical signal differences across functions

26. Differences in cricket calls across functions

27. Seasonal patterns in bird coloration differences

28. Squid color signals