DISSERTATION RESEARCH: Cooperative Display Behavior in the Lance-Tailed Manakin

本研究探讨了矛尾螳螂(Pipridae；Chiroxiphia lanceolata)合作显示行为的进化。这些小型的新热带鸟类有一个独特的交配系统，需要两只雄鸟在精心制作的求偶歌舞中合作才能吸引配偶。当雌性接受时，从属雄性离开，只有占主导地位的雄性交配。雄性之间没有明显的冲突。这种合作与目前的进化思想相矛盾，目前的进化思想预测个体的行为是为了最大化自己的生殖成功。这项研究将检验一系列假设，这些假设可以解释合作对下属男性的适应性优势。这项研究是第一次对矛尾假人进行彻底的研究。

This research investigates the evolution of cooperative display behavior in lance-tailed manakins (Pipridae; Chiroxiphia lanceolata). These small, neotropical birds have a unique mating system that requires two males to cooperate in an elaborate courtship song and dance in order to attract a mate. When a female is receptive, the subordinate male leaves and only the dominant male copulates. There is no apparent conflict between the males. This sort of cooperation contradicts current evolutionary thought, which predicts that indviduals act to maximize their own reproductive success. This study will test a series of hypotheses that could explain the adaptive advantage of cooperation for subordinate males. This research represents the first thorough study of lance-tailed manakins.