Deep croaks and fighting assessment in toads Bufo bufo

摘要: ANIMALS often settle disputes by means of conventional displays. It has been suggested that this enables the contestants to assess each other's strength without resorting a serious fight1. If is true then we would expect natural selection favour displays which give reliable information about fighting potential; assessment signals are easily mimicked weak individuals will not be evolutionary stable2,3. Often outcome contest depend simply on who larger, and many seem involve body size1,4. In paper show experimentally male toads, Bufo bufo, contests for possession females vocalisations signal size hence ability.