VOCAL DISTINCTIVENESS AND RESPONSE TO CONSPECIFIC PLAYBACK IN THE SPOTTED ANTBIRD, A NEOTROPICAL SUBOSCINE

Abstract We studied individual variation in song characteristics of the Spotted Antbird (Hylophylax naevioides), a Neotropical suboscine, and tested for song discrimination using playback of male neighbors and strangers. Discriminant analysis of four frequency and temporal characteristics of the songs of 25 male and five female Spotted Antbirds revealed significant differences among individuals. Each song was assigned correctly to the individual that produced it with over 70% accuracy. However, during field playback, male Spotted Antbirds did not discriminate between neighbor and stranger song. Our results suggest that selection has not favored the evolution of neighbor-stranger discrimination, perhaps because all conspecific intruders pose a threat. The temporal characteristics of Spotted Antbird songs differed significantly between the sexes, but frequency characteristics did not. Females responded significantly less strongly to male playback than males, suggesting that each sex plays a distinct role in territorial defense. Variación Individual del Canto y Respuesta al Playback Coespecífico en Hylophylax naevioides, un Suboscino Neotropical Resumen. Estudiamos la variación individual de las características del canto de Hylophylax naevioides, un suboscino neotropical y evaluamos si esta especie responde de forma diferente al playback de individuos vecinos o desconocidos. Un análisis discriminante de cuatro características temporales y espectrales del canto de 25 machos y cinco hembras de H. naevioides reveló que existían diferencias significativas entre individuos. Cada canto fue asignado correctamente al individuo que lo produjo en más del 70% de los casos. Sin embargo, en un experimento de playback en el campo los machos no distiguieron entre el canto de inidividuos vecinos y desconocidos. Estos resultados sugieren que la selección no ha favorecido la evolución de la discriminación entre vecinos y desconocidos porque todos los intrusos coespecíficos suponen una amenaza. Las características temporales, pero no las espectrales, del canto de los H. naevioides difirieron significativamente entre ambos sexos. Las hembras respondieron significativamente menos que los machos al playback con cantos de machos, lo que sugiere que cada sexo desempeña un papel diferente en la defensa del territorio.

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