The environment can impose constraints on signal transmission properties such that signals should evolve in predictable directions (Sensory Drive Hypothesis). However, behavioral and ecological factors can limit investment in more than one sensory modality leading to a trade-off in use of different signals (Transfer Hypothesis). In birds, there is mixed evidence for both sensory drive and transfer hypothesis. Few studies have tested sensory drive while also evaluating the transfer hypothesis, limiting understanding of the relative roles of these processes in signal evolution. Here, we assessed both hypotheses using acoustic and visual signals in male and female antwrens (Thamnophilidae), a species-rich group that inhabits diverse environments and exhibits behaviors, such as mixed-species flocking, that could limit investment in different signal modalities. We uncovered significant effects of habitat (sensory drive) and mixed-species flocking behavior on both sensory modalities, and we revealed evolutionary trade-offs between song and plumage complexity, consistent with the transfer hypothesis. We also showed sex- and trait-specific responses in visual signals that suggest both natural and social selection play an important role in the evolution of sexual dimorphism. Altogether, these results support the idea that environmental (sensory drive) and behavioral pressures (social selection) shape signal evolution in antwrens.

The data cointained here is as follows:

1. formicivorini_UCEs_SAAC.tre:  UCEs and exon based tree representing 35 species and 53 of 74 subspecies currently recognized in the Formicivorini tribe. Raw UCEs and exon data used to build the phylogeny were originally published by Harvey et al. (2020) and are available at NCBI BioProject PRJNA655842.

2. Tableselection_vocaldata_formicivorini.zip: selection tables of all vocal data obtained using Raven Pro v1.5.

3. Results_song_formicivorini_ok.csv: Raw vocal data obtained from the selection tables organized by taxon, individual and sex.

4. Form_plum_total.csv: Raw plumage data obtained from standardized photos of 606 museum specimens obtained using the Image calibration and analysis toolbox plugin in the ImageJ.

5. Form_vocal_mean_f.csv: Mean of female vocal traits used in the correlation analysis and in the models of character evolution.

6. Form_vocal_mean_f_ok.csv: The Form_vocal_mean_f.csv file with a correction of a vocal variable name. (See notes)

7. Form_vocal_mean_m.csv: Mean of male vocal traits used in the correlation analysis and in the models of character evolution.

8. Form_vocal_mean_m_ok.csv: The Form_vocal_mean_m.csv file with a correction of a vocal variable name. (See notes)

9. Form_plum_mean.2.0_f.csv: Mean of female plumage traits used in the correlation analysis and in the models of character evolution.

10. Form_plum_mean.2.0_m.csv: Mean of male plumage traits used in the correlation analysis and in the models of character evolution.

11. Form_vocal_mean_ut_9traits.csv: Mean of male and female vocal traits used in the vocal sexual dimorphism calculation.

12. Form_plum_mean_ut_9traits.csv: Mean of male and female plumage traits used in the plumage sexual dimorphism calculation.

13. Form_total_female.csv: Log transformed plumage and vocal data in females with ecological and behavior data used in the PGLS analysis.

14. Form_total_female_ok.csv: The Form_total_female.csv file with a correction of a vocal variable name. (See notes)

15. Form_total_male.csv: Log transformed plumage and vocal data in males with ecological and behavior data used in the PGLS analysis.

16. Form_total_male_ok.csv: The Form_total_male.csv file with a correction of a vocal variable name. (See notes)

17. Form_SD_eco_9traits.csv: Plumage and vocal sexual dimorphism data with ecological and behavior data used in the PGLS analysis.

18. Form_total.csv: Plumage and vocal sexual dimorphism, log transformed plumage and vocal data in males and females with ecological and behavior data used in the Phylogenetic Path analysis.

19. Form_total_ok.csv: The Form_total.csv file with a correction of a variable name (See notes).

20. Form_voc_corrplot.R: Script of correlation analysis with vocal data.

21. Form_voc_fitcont.R: Script of models of character evolution with vocal data.

22. Form_plum_corrplot.R: Script of correlation analysis with plumage data.

23. Form_plum_fitcont.R: Script of models of character evolution with plumage data.

24. Form_vocal_ED_sexual_dimorfism_9traits.R: Script of vocal sexual dimorphism calculation.

25. Form_plum_ED_sexual_dimorfism_9traits.R: Script of plumage sexual dimorphism calculation.

26. Form_SD_fitcont.R: Script of models of character evolution with vocal and plumage sexual dimorphism data.

27. Form_pgls_female_dredge_additive.R: Script of PGLS analysis with female data testing additive effects of ecological and behavioral traits.

28. Form_pgls_female_dredge_interactive.R: Script of PGLS analysis with female data testing interactive effects of ecological and behavioral traits.

29. Form_pgls_male_dredge_additive.R: Script of PGLS analysis with male data testing additive effects of ecological and behavioral traits.

30. Form_pgls_male_dredge_interactive.R: Script of PGLS analysis with male data testing interactive effects of ecological and behavioral traits.

31. Form_pgls_SD_dredge_additive.R: Script of PGLS analysis with sexual dimorphism data testing additive effects of ecological and behavioral traits.

32. Form_pgls_SD_dredge_interactive.R: Script of PGLS analysis with sexual dimorphism data testing interactive effects of ecological and behavioral traits.

33. form_total_phylopath.R: Script of Phylogenetic path analysis.

Readme_Beco-VisualAndAcousticTrade-offsInAntwrens-2021-Evolution.txt: Readme file containing explanation of all variables present in the dataset of each .csv file.

The following files have a correction in the name of one vocal variable: Form_vocal_mean_f_ok.csv; Form_vocal_mean_m_ok.csv; Form_total_female_ok.csv; Form_total_male_ok.csv; Form_total_ok.csv. Frequency slope variable was changed to Loudsong modulation rate, a term that better represents the obtained vocal measure.