Female preference in swordtails Rosenthal, G. G. in review. Using video playback to study sexual communication. Many sexually-selected phenotypes involve some form of visual communication. Video-playback techniques are a powerful new tool for studying visual signalling systems. Individual aspects of complex stimuli can be reliably manipulated, and stimuli can be repeatedly presented without appreciable variation in their properties.
Experimenters can also construct signals which are biologically impossible.
Video-playback studies of sexual selection are reviewed in the context of how the methodology can be used to extend the range of questions addressed by conventional techniques. Four major considerations for future studies are discussed. The problem of pseudoreplication is discussed in the context of video-playback studies. Using synthetic animations may address many of these concerns.