Data from: Handicap principle implies emergence of dimorphic ornaments
Data files
Nov 04, 2016 version files 748.62 KB
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ALL-ORNAMENT-DATA.csv
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animalData_matfiles.zip
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bimodalTestSimulations.m
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findGaussianMix.m
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plotHistograms.m
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SCDT_032514_antler_clean.m
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simulatedData_gammaThreeHalves.zip
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simulatedData_variousGammaN1000.zip
Abstract
Species spanning the animal kingdom have evolved extravagant and costly ornaments to attract mating partners. Zahavi's handicap principle offers an elegant explanation for this: ornaments signal individual quality, and must be costly to ensure honest signalling, making mate selection more efficient. Here, we incorporate the assumptions of the handicap principle into a mathematical model and show that they are sufficient to explain the heretofore puzzling observation of bimodally distributed ornament sizes in a variety of species.