Behavioural flexibility might help animals cope with costs of genetic variants under selection, promoting genetic adaptation. However, it has proven challenging to experimentally link behavioural flexibility to the predicted compensation of population‐level fitness. We tested this prediction using the field cricket Teleogryllus oceanicus. In Hawaiian populations, a mutation silences males and protects against eavesdropping parasitoids. To examine how the loss of this critical acoustic communication signal impacts offspring production and mate location, we developed a high‐resolution, individual‐based tracking system for low‐light, naturalistic conditions. Offspring production did not differ significantly in replicate silent versus singing populations, and fitness compensation in silent conditions was associated with significantly increased locomotion in both sexes. Our results provide evidence that flexible behaviour can promote genetic adaptation via compensation in reproductive output and suggest that rapid evolution of animal communication systems may be less constrained than previously appreciated.

中文翻译：

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行为可塑性补偿了板球鸣叫的适应性损失

行为灵活性可能有助于动物应对选择下遗传变异的成本，促进遗传适应。然而，事实证明，通过实验将行为灵活性与人口水平适应性的预测补偿联系起来具有挑战性。我们用板球比赛测试了这个预测远洋蛱蝶。在夏威夷种群中，一种突变使雄性保持沉默，并防止寄生蜂窃听。为了研究这种关键的声学通信信号的丢失如何影响后代的产生和交配位置，我们开发了一种高分辨率、基于个体的跟踪系统，用于低光、自然条件。在复制的沉默群体和歌唱群体中，后代的产量没有显着差异，并且沉默条件下的适应性补偿与两性的运动显着增加相关。我们的研究结果提供了证据，表明灵活的行为可以通过生殖输出的补偿来促进遗传适应，并表明动物通讯系统的快速进化可能比以前认为的受到的限制更少。