acta ethologica最新文献

The social behaviour of rodents has captivated scientists for decades, offering valuable insights into the evolution of mammalian sociality. One of the main critical gaps in understanding rodent sociality is the role of subadult individuals prolonging their stay with parents and younger siblings, particularly in nocturnal and elusive species. Moreover, urban environments are known to elicit changes in the social behaviour of mammals, leading to altered patterns of sociality. Yet, little is known on how rodent societies may change in altered environments. Thus, we aimed at investigating the social behaviour of the crested porcupine Hystrix cristata in central Italy, with a particular focus on group composition and on the prolonged occurrence of subadult individuals within family groups. We also tested the potential effects of natural and urban environments. We combined marking of free-ranging individuals with camera trapping campaigns across three ecologically contrasting areas, and showed a pair-living social system for adult crested porcupines. Most videos captured either single young individuals or pairs of adults. Subadult marked females were observed together with adults during the birth season in the year following their birth, suggesting a potential helping role. Conversely, subadult marked males were rarely observed, presumably dispersing. Groups exceeding two individuals ranged between three and five, and were typically observed following reproductive events, with porcupines commuting in line, parents positioned at head and tail of the row. Urban environments showed a slightly different pattern, with occasional aggregations of subadults. We highlight the importance of understanding subadult behaviour in crested porcupines, as well as of testing the effects of urban ecosystems upon mammalian social systems. These findings contribute to a broader understanding of social behaviour and evolutionary adaptations in rodents and, more in general, of mammals.

The emerging field of macrobehaviour explores behavioural variation across large geographic, taxonomic, and temporal scales, and its ecological and evolutionary consequences. This unifying framework merges macroecology with ethology, both enhancing our understanding of how behaviour mediates ecological dynamics at scales above the population level, and offering an approach that can broaden the impact of ethological research. Here, I urge ethologists to engage with the field, outlining what “macro” means, why we must act now, why we need your expertise, how you can get involved, and how this line of research offers reciprocal benefits to both disciplines. Together, we can amplify the impact of ethological research while accelerating insight that could inform solutions to the global biodiversity crisis.

Depending on its concentration and bioavailability, the pesticide acephate and its by-product methamidophos may cause deleterious effects on the physiology and behaviour of various animals when in contact with water. Studies investigating the negative impacts of acephate in animals have used zebrafish larvae as a model species, but the effect on adult individuals remains unclear. Our main objective was to assess the behavioural changes in adult zebrafish (Danio rerio) exposed to acephate and methamidophos. To this end, 160 individuals of zebrafish were divided into three groups: acephate, methamidophos (exposed) and control groups (non-exposed), where subjects in the treatment groups were exposed to 7 µg/L of acephate and 7 µg/L methamidophos for 28 days. To compare the groups, behavioural assessments were conducted using scan sampling with instantaneous behaviour recordings every 30 s for ten minutes each day. Fish behaviour and fish location in the water column were compared between treatment and controls using Generalized Linear Mixed Models. The results showed an alteration in swimming patterns, an increase in aggression, an increase in abnormal behaviours and other stress-related behaviours, such as gasping for air, provoked by acephate and methamidophos. These behavioural alterations may have serious consequences for wild fish communities, such as an increased risk of predation and may contribute to the extinction of local populations. These findings highlight the usefulness of behaviour in assessing the environmental impact caused by pesticides.

This study documents a rare aggressive interaction between two striped hyenas (Hyaena hyaena) observed in northern Israel. Agonistic behaviors, which include aggression, submission, and threat displays, are essential for managing social hierarchies and mitigating harm in animal societies. Although striped hyenas typically engage in ritualized behaviors to resolve conflicts non-lethally, the observed confrontation involved intense biting, vocalizations, and significant injuries. The fight’s cause remains unclear. This observation, combined with limited prior reports of similar behavior, highlights the need for continued research and citizen science contributions to better understand the complex and variable social dynamics of striped hyenas. Clinical trial number: Not applicable

The present study reports a decrease in activity and sudden immobile state, known as thanatosis, in the New Zealand endemic wrasse, Notolabrus celidotus. We observed tonic immobility immediately after wrasse collection in field studies. Escape is the primary defence of juvenile N. celidotus and our observation suggests that thanatosis can be a secondary strategy when the first has failed. The response occurred after N. celidotus was manipulated by being removed from a fishnet and placed into buckets, allowing for the conclusion that N. celidotus may use thanatosis as a secondary defence strategy following physical restraint events.

During predator–prey coexistence, prey species have developed anti-predator behavior to reduce predation risk. In terrestrial ecosystems, humans are the major predators of wild cervids (Cervidae, Cetartiodactyla, Mammalia) in regions where large carnivores have gone extinct due to anthropogenic persecution. Typical anti-predator behavior exhibited by wild cervids includes increasing nocturnality and vigilance. We investigated diel activity and vigilance in sika deer (Cervus nippon) in nonhunting areas using camera-trapping techniques, to determine whether human visitation (i.e., nonlethal effects) increases their nocturnality and vigilance. We established two study sites––inside (low risk) and outside (high risk) of a wildlife reserve at University of Tokyo Chichibu Forest, Saitama, Japan. We hypothesized that in sika deer, nocturnality and vigilance would increase at high-risk site (outside of the reserve), due to the high rate of human visitation. However, vigilance level and diel activity between the two study sites were not different. In female deer, vigilance increased in winter regardless of the site studied. Our findings suggest that hunting activities (e.g., drive hunting with dogs) outside of the studied areas triggered anti-predator behaviors, such as increased vigilance, in sika deer, although our studied sites were not designated as hunting area. Further studies need to elucidate what types of human activities and intensity levels trigger anti-predator behaviors by wild ungulates.

The embracing behavior of Japanese macaques (Macaca fuscata) is a limited number of non-technological and non-subsistence behavior with cultural variations. Existing data were obtained from only two populations. This study first reports the behavior of a provisioned Japanese macaque group on Shodoshima Island, Kagawa Prefecture. Embracing behavior of three adult males and 14 adult females were recorded using focal animal sampling over three months. Behaviors immediately before and after embracing were analyzed. A total of 39 embracing behaviors were observed. Only five females exhibited embracing and there was no evidence of social transmission of this behavior, indicating that embracing is not ingrained as a “culture” in this population. Four of the five females were young adults, suggesting that females, specifically young individuals, were more prone to the behavior. Behaviors immediately before and after embracing tended to be grooming or huddling, suggesting that embracing reduces the tension triggered by physical contact and spatial proximity. This study contributes to the knowledge of cultural variations in non-technological or non-subsistence behaviors.

Understanding the morphotypical masculinization gradient and its impact on social behavior in a natural animal model is essential for unraveling sexual differentiation dynamics and their ecological implications. In this study, we examined the presence of a morphotypical masculinization gradient in female wild cavies (Cavia aperea) and its association with social behavior. Experimental colonies in four enclosures with different initial population densities were established. Between October 2017 and June 2018, we collected two datasets. The first dataset included body mass and anogenital distance (AGD) from 48 females, collected every 15–30 days. Simultaneously, focal behavioral observations were carried out during the intervals between recaptures. The behavioral dataset encompassed 65 marked cavies (males and females); 50 in high-density and 15 low-density conditions. Behavioral data were utilized to construct a focal association index matrix. Social centrality by spatial proximity measures were calculated using eigenvector analysis. Using the AGDI as a proxy for masculinization, we categorized females into three groups based on their AGDI values: low, middle, and high. The AGDI demonstrated high repeatability, underscoring its stability as a metric. Morphotype analysis revealed distinct distributions of AGDI values across varying initial density conditions. No significant associations were found between AGDI values and social centrality. These findings enhance our understanding of social dynamics in C. aperea and emphasize the significance of accounting for morphotypical variability in ecological research.

The common cuckoo Cuculus canorus is an obligate brood parasite of many Eurasian bird species that exploit the parental care of their hosts. Although only females lay eggs in nests of passerine hosts, male and female cuckoos should cooperate to have a success in nest parasitism. Many bird species mobbing cuckoos as an element of deterrence of cuckoos from the breeding territory of the host. However, mobbing behaviour is costly, although only cuckoo females pose a threat to the dangers of the host. Because only the presence of a female cuckoo is dangerous, due to laying eggs in the nests of hosts, birds should mainly attack cuckoo females. Therefore, we tested for differences in anti-parasite response using field experiments with female and male cuckoo dummies, in 92 breeding sites with prime habitats in Poland. tested for differences in cuckoo responses in anti-parasite response using field experiments and cuckoo dummies (male and female) placed at 92 breeding sites with prime habitats in Poland. The host species that behaved most aggressively towards cuckoos was the barn swallow Hirundo rustica, while the most aggressive behaviour recorded in the non-host group was the great tit Parus major. Generally, host species reacted to cuckoo female dummies with a significantly higher probability than cuckoo males dummies. We conclude that differences in reaction by hosts and non-hosts may have arisen from selection for recognition of danger (parasite female) by reduction of reproductive success.

Bats are prey for several vertebrate and invertebrate predators including spiders. We report the first case of a subadult female mastiff bat (Molossus molossus, Molossidae) trapped in a communal spider web of Parawixia bistriata (Araneidae, Araneae) with photographs and videotapes. This event occurred in the garden of a house next to a wetland in the east of Santa Fe province, Argentina (Paraná flooded savanna ecoregion). The day after the event, the bat was found dead entangled in the spider web. However, it remained in the spider web for three days until falling due to the effects of a strong storm. During this time in the spider web, the bat was daily visited during twilight by one to four spiders at a time. Over three days, the spiders strengthened the web around the bat and bit it with their chelicerae, which could indicate that they engaged in cooperative feeding on the trapped mammal.