Relative brain size is predicted by the intensity of intrasexual competition in frogs

Competition over mates is a powerful force shaping trait evolution. For instance, better cognitive abilities may be beneficial in male−male competition and thus be selected for by intrasexual selection. Alternatively, investment in physical attributes favoring male performance in competition for mates may lower the resources available for brain development, and more intense male mate competition would coincide with smaller brains. To date, only indirect evidence for such relationships exists and most studies are heavily biased towards primates and other homoeothermic vertebrates. We tested the association between male brain size (relative to body size) and male−male competition across N=30 species of Chinese anurans. Three indicators of the intensity of male mate competition—operational sex ratio (OSR), spawning-site density and male forelimb muscle mass—were positively associated with relative brain size, whereas the absolute spawning-group size was not. The relationship with the OSR ...