Sexual selection in animals: pigment-based signaling and eco-evolutionary trade-offs
April 27, 2026
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| Article Title: | Sexual selection in animals: pigment-based signaling and eco-evolutionary trade-offs |
| Authors: | Petrescu-Mag I.V. |
| Affiliation: | Department of Environmental Engineering and Protection, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine Cluj-Napoca, 400372 Cluj-Napoca, Romania Bioflux SRL, 400488 Cluj-Napoca, Romania Doctoral School of Engineering Science, University of Oradea, 410087 Oradea, Romania WABBA International Bodybuilding and Fitness LTD, E11 1HT London, United Kingdom |
| Abstract: | Sexual selection is a fundamental evolutionary process shaping phenotypic diversity, reproductive strategies, and ecological interactions across vertebrates. This review synthesizes contemporary perspectives on the definition, mechanisms, and evolutionary consequences of sexual selection, with particular emphasis on pigment-based signaling systems. We examine how carotenoid- and pteridine-derived coloration functions as condition-dependent sexual signals, linking ornament expression to physiological processes such as oxidative balance, metabolism, and immune function. Empirical evidence demonstrates that red carotenoid-based traits often reliably indicate individual quality, reproductive performance, and fertilization success, although their honesty is mediated by complex trade-offs and biochemical constraints. In parallel, pteridine pigments and mixed pigment systems reveal alternative or complementary signaling pathways, often shaped by ecological conditions and sensory biases. The review further explores the concept of sensory traps and sensory drive, highlighting how pre-existing perceptual biases influence the evolution of sexual signals. A central focus is placed on the coevolution of mate choice and predation pressure, where sexually selected traits are simultaneously shaped by attractiveness and survival costs, generating dynamic eco-evolutionary feedbacks. At broader scales, sexual selection contributes to phenotypic diversification but plays a nuanced role in speciation. Overall, this synthesis underscores the importance of integrating physiology, ecology, and evolutionary theory to understand the multifaceted roles of sexual selection in vertebrate evolution. |
| Keywords: | sexual selection, vertebrates, carotenoids, pteridines, sexual signaling, mate choice, sensory bias, sensory traps, predation, eco-evolutionary dynamics, ornamentation, physiological condition. |
| *Correspondence: | Ioan Valentin Petrescu-Mag, Department of Environmental Engineering and Protection, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine Cluj-Napoca, 3-5 Calea Mănăștur street, 400372 Cluj-Napoca, Romania, Tel. +40-744470794, Fax. +40-264593792, email: ioan.mag@usamvcluj.ro |
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