On problem solving and the evolution of cognitive abilities by mate choice: a reply to Camacho-Alpízar et al. (2020)

Animal Behaviour, vol. 165, pp. e5–e7

Abstract

In an earlier study (Chen et al., 2019, Science, 363(6423), 166–167), we showed that budgerigar, Melopsittacus undulatus, females increase their preference for males that were observed solving two extractive foraging problems. Camacho-Alpízar et al. (2020, Animal Behaviour, 165, e1–e3) question whether this outcome shows that females evaluate the cognitive skills of males. Their main argument is that individual differences in problem solving are often due to differences in noncognitive abilities. Here we outline the differences between the use of problem-solving tasks as it is mostly done and how we used it in our study. We argue that our design maximizes the chance that observed differences in male problem solving indicate differences in learning abilities to an observing female. We agree with Camacho-Alpízar et al. that the topic of the evolution of cognitive abilities through sexual selection deserves further study and hope our study (Chen et al., 2019), Camacho-Alpízar et al.’s comment and this reply will stimulate further research.

Authors 4

1. Jiani Chen

   Lanzhou University

   Affiliation as printed

   Institute of Innovation Ecology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China

2. Yuqi Zou

   Chinese Academy of Sciences · Institute of Zoology

   Affiliation as printed

   Key Laboratory of Animal Ecology and Conservation Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China

3. Yue‐Hua Sun

   Chinese Academy of Sciences · Institute of Zoology

   Affiliation as printed

   Key Laboratory of Animal Ecology and Conservation Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China

4. Carel ten Cate corresponding Aachen Institute of Biology Leiden Leiden Institute for Brain and Cognition

   Leiden University

   Affiliation as printed

   Institute of Biology Leiden, Leiden University, Leiden, the Netherlands

   Leiden Institute for Brain and Cognition, Leiden University, Leiden, the Netherlands