Data and scripts from: Variation in carotenoid-containing retinal oil droplets correlates with variation in perception of carotenoid coloration

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  • In the context of mate choice, males may vary continuously in their expression of assessment signals, typically reflecting information about variation in mate quality. Similarly, females may exhibit variation in mate preference, which could be due to differences in how individual females perceive signals. The extent to which perception varies across individuals, however, and whether differences in sensory physiology underlie perceptual differences is poorly understood. Carotenoid pigments create the orange-red coloration of many assessment signals, and they also play a role in color discrimination in many vertebrates via their presence in retinal oil droplets. Here, we link variation in oil droplet carotenoid concentration with the ability of female zebra finches (Taeniopygia guttata) to discriminate an orange-red color continuum that parallels variation in male beak color, a mate assessment signal. We have shown previously that zebra finch females perceive this color range categorically, meaning they label color stimuli from this continuum as belonging to two categories and exhibit better discrimination between colors from different categories as compared to equally different colors from within a category. We quantified behavioral color discrimination and R-type (red) cone oil droplet spectral absorption, a proxy for carotenoid concentration. Oil droplet absorption was strongly predictive of variation in behavioral color discrimination ability. In particular, higher carotenoid concentration in oil droplets correlated with increased discrimination of colors from different sides of the previously identified category boundary. These data show that differences in the sensory periphery can correlate with individual variation in perception of a signal-relevant color range. ... [Read More]

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  • Caves, E., Schweikert, L. E., Green, P. A., Zipple, M. N., Taboada, C., Peters, S., Nowicki, S., & Johnsen, S. (2020). Data and scripts from: Variation in carotenoid-containing retinal oil droplets correlates with variation in perception of carotenoid coloration. Duke Research Data Repository. https://doi.org/10.7924/r4jw8dj9h
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  • 10.7924/r4jw8dj9h
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  • ark:/87924/r4jw8dj9h
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  • Caves, E.M., Schweikert, L.E., Green, P.A. et al. Variation in carotenoid-containing retinal oil droplets correlates with variation in perception of carotenoid coloration. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 74, 93 (2020).  https://doi.org/10.1007/s00265-020-02874-5
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  • Duke University Office of the Provost
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  • Data and scripts from: Variation in carotenoid-containing retinal oil droplets correlates with variation in perception of carotenoid coloration
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Thumbnail Title Date Uploaded Visibility Actions
file details CavesEtAl_README.txt 2020-06-12 Public Download
file details lambda_mid_rep.csv 2020-06-12 Public Download
file details lambda_mid_rep_R.R 2020-06-12 Public Download
file details lambda2.csv 2020-06-12 Public Download
file details ManipAnalysis.R 2020-06-12 Public Download
file details MSP_Analysis_Code_Supplement.Rmd 2020-06-12 Public Download
file details Sample_oil droplet transmission file_supplement.txt 2020-06-12 Public Download
file details upload_file.csv 2020-06-12 Public Download

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