People
Laila Yunes-Jiménez, undergraduate thesis
(Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México)
lailongo@hotmail.com
Thesis project: Why females sing more than males: an analysis of female song in the elaborate monomorphic streak-backed oriole (Icterus pustulatus).
Read more: (English version) (Spanish version)
Diego Hernández-Muciño, undergraduate thesis
(Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México)
elphago@gmail.com
Thesis project: Sexual differences in territorial defense in the elaborate monomorphic streak-backed oriole (Icterus pustulatus).
Read more: (English version) (Spanish version)
Jennyfer Femat-Rodriguez, master’s thesis
(Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México)
jenfemat@gmail.com
Master's project: Female territoriality at the nest, nest variation, and conspicuous nests as possible signals of territorial 'claims' in the streak-backed oriole (Icterus pustulatus).
Read more: (English version) (Spanish version)
América P. García-Muñoz, undergraduate thesis
(Universidad Autónoma del Estado de Morelos)
amyb_bsb@hotmail.com
Thesis project: Motmot leaf-display: male and female agonistic signaling with inedible props during territorial defense in the russet-crowned motmot (Momotus mexicanus).
Read more: (English version) (Spanish version)
MEXICAN STUDENT RESEARCHERS
Troy G. Murphy, Assistant Professor, Trinity University
troy.murphy@trinity.edu
Research focus: Evolution of animal communication, with emphasis on the adaptive significance of ‘ornamental-like’ traits in females.
Read more: snapshot of my research program
© 2006 Troy Murphy
TRINITY UNIVERSITY STUDENT RESEARCHERS
Please contact me if you are interested in joining the lab.
Tiffany Pham
is studying what is invisible to us: the ultraviolet reflectance given off by tail feathers of the Turquoise-browed Motmot. She is testing whether males and females signal to each other during mate-assessment in this ‘hidden’ ultraviolet channel. Using a spectrometer that is sensitive from 300-700nm (the full visual range of birds), Tiffany is comparing feather color from over 300 birds to their ‘quality’ (measured by fat content, hematocrit, parasite load), and she is testing whether more colorful birds have greater pairing and reproductive success.
Jordan West
is studying whether female fish (betta fighting fish, swordtails, and others) use coloration to communicate dominance. Jo is investigating whether subtle differences in coloration can act to signal dominance when fish compete for access to resources. She is monitoring agonistic interactions as females compete for access to limited food--and her experiments involve monitoring interactions between naturally colorful and dull females, and between females who have been painted be more colorful (with lipstick!) versus dull females.
