The Receiver

The receiver in communication

I've divided this topic into three parts:

The physical aspects of sensory reception. These include signal transduction and non-linear responses of sensory organs to stimuli.
Separating the signal from surrounding noise. Signal filtering can be peripheral, at the sensory organ, or central, in the brain of the animal. By eliminating irrelevant signals, the animal can better receive and interpret signals of importance.
Co-evolution of the sender's and receiver's characteristics to enhance communication. In most communicatory contexts, selection should favor evolutionary change in the sender and the receiver so that clear messages can be transmitted. (Of course, clarity does not necessarily mean honest; there is still plenty of room for the evolution of dishonest signalsl.)