DOI: 10.5061/dryad.v43b8
title: Data from: Interspecific dominance via vocal interactions mediates altitudinal zonation in Neotropical singing mice

description: Interspecific aggression between ecologically similar species may
 influence geographic limits by mediating competitive exclusion at the
 range edge. Advertisement signals that mediate competitive interactions
 within species may also provide social information that contributes to
 behavioral dominance and spatial segregation among species. We studied the
 mechanisms underlying altitudinal range limits in Neotropical singing mice
 (Scotinomys), a genus of muroid rodent in which males vocalize to repel
 rivals and attract mates. We first delineated replacement zones and
 described temperature regimes on three mountains in Costa Rica and Panama
 where Chiriquí singing mice (S. xerampelinus) abruptly replace Alston’s
 singing mice (S. teguina). Next, we conducted interspecific behavioral
 trials and reciprocal removal experiments to examine if interspecific
 aggression mediated species replacement. Finally, we performed reciprocal
 playback experiments to investigate whether response to song matched
 competitive interactions. Behavioral trials and removal experiments
 suggest that S. xerampelinus is behaviorally dominant and excludes S.
 teguina from higher, cooler altitudes. Playback experiments indicate that
 subordinate S. teguina is silenced and repelled by heterospecific song,
 whereas S. xerampelinus responded to heterospecifics with approach and
 song rates comparable to responses to conspecifics. Thus, interspecific
 communication reflects underlying dominance and suggests that acoustic
 signaling contributes to altitudinal zonation of ecologically similar
 congeners. Our findings implicate the use of social information in
 structuring spatial distributions of animal communities across landscapes
 and provide insight into how large-scale patterns are generated by
 individual interactions.
description: Hourly temperatures from
 replacement site at Volcan Baru, Panama8°47'42.21"N
 82°29'54.12"W, 2150 mBaru_Sympatry.csvHourly temperatures from replacement site at Cerro de la Muerte, Costa Rica9°33'19.87"N 83°40'4.36"W, 2610 mCerrodeLaMuerte_Sympatry.csvHourly temperatures from high altitude site at Volcan Irazu, Costa Rica9°58'32.11"N 83°51'9.32"W, 3398 mIrazu_High.csvHourly temperatures from replacement site at Volcan Irazu, Costa Rica9°57'41.07"N 83°50'44.21"W, 2950 mIrazu_Sympatry.csvHourly temperatures from low altitude site at Volcan Irazu, Costa Rica10° 6'20.37"N 83°58'31.83"W, 1100 mIrazu_Low.csvInterspecific aggression trialsInterspecificAggressionTrials.csvHourly temperatures on plots of reciprocal removal experiment at Volcan Irazu, Costa RicaPlot ID: 1 thru 6, Species: T= S. teguina, X= S. xerampelinus, Treatment: C= Control, R = RemovalPlotTemperatures_Irazu.csvReciprocal removal experiment at Volcan Irazu, Costa RicaReciprocalRemoval.csvNumbers removed and colonized during reciprocal removal experiment at Volcan Irazu, Costa RicaNumber of S. teguina and S. xerampelinus that were removed and/or colonized plots during reciprocal removal experimentRemoval Colonization.csvField reciprocal playback experimentSpecies: T= S. teguina, X= S. xerampelinus, Order: W= white noise (control), H= heterospecific, C= conspecific, Response = # of songsFieldreciprocalplayback.csvLaboratory playback experimentSpecies: T= S.teguina, X= S. xerampelinusLabPlayback.csvVideo of S.teguina countersong to conspecificVideoS.teguinacountersong.mp4Scotinomys teguina songDownsampled to 96 kHz from 192 kHz and filtered to remove background noiseScotinomys teguina 96 kHz filtered.wavScotinomys xerampelinus songDownsampled to 96 kHz from 192 kHz and filtered to remove background noiseScotinomys xerampelinus 96kHz filtered.wav