Pub Date : 2022-09-09DOI: 10.1163/1568539x-bja10179
J. Balaban-Feld, S. Vijayan, W. Mitchell, Burt P. Kotler, Shamir Badichi, Z. Abramsky
Prey animals must attempt to optimize foraging success while reducing the probability of being captured. Within social prey groups, intrinsic differences in bold-shy personality among individuals influence their respective risk-taking tendencies. We examined the foraging and refuge use behaviour of mixed groups of goldfish (Carassius auratus) containing half bold individuals and half shy individuals under variable levels of predation risk from a live avian predator (Egretta garzetta). At the group level, the fish groups significantly decreased their foraging time by spending more time under the refuge when the predator spent more time at the focal pool. As expected, the bold fish tended to be the first to leave the refuge, and foraged outside the refuge more often than shy fish under control conditions and at lower risk levels. However, the behavioural differences between bold and shy fish disappeared under higher risk conditions. In terms of mortality, the predator captured significantly more bold fish than shy fish. Our study illustrates how bold individuals in social groups often take greater risks to achieve foraging success, but demonstrates that innate differences in boldness can be diminished in times of elevated predation risk.
{"title":"High risk of predation suppresses behavioural differences among bold and shy social prey individuals","authors":"J. Balaban-Feld, S. Vijayan, W. Mitchell, Burt P. Kotler, Shamir Badichi, Z. Abramsky","doi":"10.1163/1568539x-bja10179","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1163/1568539x-bja10179","url":null,"abstract":"\u0000Prey animals must attempt to optimize foraging success while reducing the probability of being captured. Within social prey groups, intrinsic differences in bold-shy personality among individuals influence their respective risk-taking tendencies. We examined the foraging and refuge use behaviour of mixed groups of goldfish (Carassius auratus) containing half bold individuals and half shy individuals under variable levels of predation risk from a live avian predator (Egretta garzetta). At the group level, the fish groups significantly decreased their foraging time by spending more time under the refuge when the predator spent more time at the focal pool. As expected, the bold fish tended to be the first to leave the refuge, and foraged outside the refuge more often than shy fish under control conditions and at lower risk levels. However, the behavioural differences between bold and shy fish disappeared under higher risk conditions. In terms of mortality, the predator captured significantly more bold fish than shy fish. Our study illustrates how bold individuals in social groups often take greater risks to achieve foraging success, but demonstrates that innate differences in boldness can be diminished in times of elevated predation risk.","PeriodicalId":8822,"journal":{"name":"Behaviour","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.3,"publicationDate":"2022-09-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"44573341","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2022-09-08DOI: 10.1163/1568539x-bja10174
M. Haslam, S. Malaivijitnond, M. Gumert
We report anecdotal evidence for stone-tool-assisted hunting by a non-human primate. Wild Burmese long-tailed macaques (Macaca fascicularis aurea) in Laem Son National Park, Thailand, regularly consume crabs, processing them both with and without stone pounding tools. However, stone-tool-assisted capture of crab prey, prior to the processing for consumption, has yet to be reported. We observed a tool-using episode as part of the hunting process, and provide video evidence confirming Burmese long-tailed macaques as the first known non-human primate to hunt and subdue other animals with the aid of stone tools.
{"title":"Stone-tool-assisted hunting by a wild monkey (Macaca fascicularis aurea)","authors":"M. Haslam, S. Malaivijitnond, M. Gumert","doi":"10.1163/1568539x-bja10174","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1163/1568539x-bja10174","url":null,"abstract":"\u0000We report anecdotal evidence for stone-tool-assisted hunting by a non-human primate. Wild Burmese long-tailed macaques (Macaca fascicularis aurea) in Laem Son National Park, Thailand, regularly consume crabs, processing them both with and without stone pounding tools. However, stone-tool-assisted capture of crab prey, prior to the processing for consumption, has yet to be reported. We observed a tool-using episode as part of the hunting process, and provide video evidence confirming Burmese long-tailed macaques as the first known non-human primate to hunt and subdue other animals with the aid of stone tools.","PeriodicalId":8822,"journal":{"name":"Behaviour","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.3,"publicationDate":"2022-09-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"44146270","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2022-07-05DOI: 10.1163/1568539x-bja10178
Tarryn Schuldiner-Harpaz, M. Coll, E. Wajnberg
Animals of a wide range of taxonomic groups mix various food sources to achieve a nutritionally balanced diet. The strategies they adopt to balance multiple nutrients depend on their availability in the environment. Behavioural and physiological adaptations to forage for nutrient-differing food sources have rarely been investigated in respect to nutrient availability in the environment. We developed a simulation model to explore the strategy consumers should adopt in response to the abundance of two nutritionally complementary food types. Results show that (1) consumers should invest more effort in detecting the scarce resource; (2) there is an optimized negative relationship between effort foragers should allocate to find the two types of food; (3) consumers should exhibit higher selectivity when the proportion of food types in the habitat deviates from their optimal ratio in the diet. These findings have important implications for pest control using predators that benefit from plant-based food supplements.
{"title":"Optimal foraging strategy to balance mixed diet by generalist consumers: a simulation model","authors":"Tarryn Schuldiner-Harpaz, M. Coll, E. Wajnberg","doi":"10.1163/1568539x-bja10178","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1163/1568539x-bja10178","url":null,"abstract":"\u0000 Animals of a wide range of taxonomic groups mix various food sources to achieve a nutritionally balanced diet. The strategies they adopt to balance multiple nutrients depend on their availability in the environment. Behavioural and physiological adaptations to forage for nutrient-differing food sources have rarely been investigated in respect to nutrient availability in the environment. We developed a simulation model to explore the strategy consumers should adopt in response to the abundance of two nutritionally complementary food types. Results show that (1) consumers should invest more effort in detecting the scarce resource; (2) there is an optimized negative relationship between effort foragers should allocate to find the two types of food; (3) consumers should exhibit higher selectivity when the proportion of food types in the habitat deviates from their optimal ratio in the diet. These findings have important implications for pest control using predators that benefit from plant-based food supplements.","PeriodicalId":8822,"journal":{"name":"Behaviour","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.3,"publicationDate":"2022-07-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"42247379","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2022-07-04DOI: 10.1163/1568539x-bja10177
C. Elliser, Ciera Edison, Katrina MacIver, Lauren B. Rust
Stealing of food items from another animal, or kleptoparasitism, has been well studied in bird species. Bald eagles are known kleptoparasites of other birds and occasionally other species, however kleptoparasitic interactions with mammals are relatively uncommon. We describe instances of bald eagles taking, or attempting to take, fish and mammal prey from three species of cetaceans (bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus), harbour porpoises (Phocoena phocoena vomerina) and killer whales (Orcinus orca)) and one species of pinniped (harbour seal (Phoca vitulina richardii)) on the east and west coast of the United States of America. We discuss possible drivers of this emerging behaviour, including bald eagle population increases, reductions in other prey abundance, and changes in prey choice (for harbour porpoises). Further research is needed to determine if this behaviour is opportunistic in nature, or a more common foraging strategy.
{"title":"Kleptoparasitic interactions by bald eagles (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) during marine mammal foraging events","authors":"C. Elliser, Ciera Edison, Katrina MacIver, Lauren B. Rust","doi":"10.1163/1568539x-bja10177","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1163/1568539x-bja10177","url":null,"abstract":"\u0000 Stealing of food items from another animal, or kleptoparasitism, has been well studied in bird species. Bald eagles are known kleptoparasites of other birds and occasionally other species, however kleptoparasitic interactions with mammals are relatively uncommon. We describe instances of bald eagles taking, or attempting to take, fish and mammal prey from three species of cetaceans (bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus), harbour porpoises (Phocoena phocoena vomerina) and killer whales (Orcinus orca)) and one species of pinniped (harbour seal (Phoca vitulina richardii)) on the east and west coast of the United States of America. We discuss possible drivers of this emerging behaviour, including bald eagle population increases, reductions in other prey abundance, and changes in prey choice (for harbour porpoises). Further research is needed to determine if this behaviour is opportunistic in nature, or a more common foraging strategy.","PeriodicalId":8822,"journal":{"name":"Behaviour","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.3,"publicationDate":"2022-07-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"46104849","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2022-06-23DOI: 10.1163/1568539x-bja10175
C. Elliser, David Anderson, Trevor Derie, Katrina MacIver, Laurie Shuster
Harbour seals (Phoca vitulina) commonly form larger congregations at haul out locations during times of rest and pupping season, but are generally thought to be solitary at sea. Occasionally larger clusters of individuals may be observed swimming near haul out sites, forced bottlenecking channels or mouths of rivers with concentrated prey and restricted space. Recently, isolated occurrences of mass gatherings of harbour seals have been observed in the Salish Sea that were distanced from haul out sites (over 1 km away) or forced bottlenecking regions. In April-June (but primarily May) 2019–2021 juvenile and adult harbour seals in Burrows Pass (Anacortes, WA, USA) were observed in large groups () ranging in size from 6–50 individuals () within 1-2 body lengths of each other and periodically diving down seemingly hunting and chasing prey. These groupings primarily occurred during flood and slack high tides. Based on the surface level activity observed, habitat type, the frequency of individuals using the area for foraging year round and the tidal preferences during the occurrences, it is likely these are foraging events. Similar large groups have been documented () in the South Puget Sound and Central Puget Sound, first observed in 2016 and officially documented in February of 2017. These groupings (from 20–30 to 150+) occurred year round and at varied tidal states. While some sightings were obviously foraging behaviour, others appeared to be resting, traveling or socializing. Open water behaviour of harbour seals is not well documented, and a literature review found no other published accounts of large in-water groupings. Investigation of ecological relationships (like prey spawning, prey abundance, or other environmental correlates) and observation of underwater harbour seal behaviour will aid in determining the reason for this seemingly novel behaviour.
{"title":"Open water grouping behaviour in harbour seals (Phoca vitulina richardii) of the Salish Sea","authors":"C. Elliser, David Anderson, Trevor Derie, Katrina MacIver, Laurie Shuster","doi":"10.1163/1568539x-bja10175","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1163/1568539x-bja10175","url":null,"abstract":"\u0000Harbour seals (Phoca vitulina) commonly form larger congregations at haul out locations during times of rest and pupping season, but are generally thought to be solitary at sea. Occasionally larger clusters of individuals may be observed swimming near haul out sites, forced bottlenecking channels or mouths of rivers with concentrated prey and restricted space. Recently, isolated occurrences of mass gatherings of harbour seals have been observed in the Salish Sea that were distanced from haul out sites (over 1 km away) or forced bottlenecking regions. In April-June (but primarily May) 2019–2021 juvenile and adult harbour seals in Burrows Pass (Anacortes, WA, USA) were observed in large groups () ranging in size from 6–50 individuals () within 1-2 body lengths of each other and periodically diving down seemingly hunting and chasing prey. These groupings primarily occurred during flood and slack high tides. Based on the surface level activity observed, habitat type, the frequency of individuals using the area for foraging year round and the tidal preferences during the occurrences, it is likely these are foraging events. Similar large groups have been documented () in the South Puget Sound and Central Puget Sound, first observed in 2016 and officially documented in February of 2017. These groupings (from 20–30 to 150+) occurred year round and at varied tidal states. While some sightings were obviously foraging behaviour, others appeared to be resting, traveling or socializing. Open water behaviour of harbour seals is not well documented, and a literature review found no other published accounts of large in-water groupings. Investigation of ecological relationships (like prey spawning, prey abundance, or other environmental correlates) and observation of underwater harbour seal behaviour will aid in determining the reason for this seemingly novel behaviour.","PeriodicalId":8822,"journal":{"name":"Behaviour","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.3,"publicationDate":"2022-06-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"48047985","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2022-06-15DOI: 10.1163/1568539x-bja10172
Severine B. S. W. Hex, Margaret Mwangi, Rosemary Warungu, D. Rubenstein
Male infanticide has been reported in a wide range of taxa as a strategy for redirecting maternal investment and increasing a male’s chance of siring future offspring. Plains zebras (Equus quagga) possess many of the social organization and life history traits found to favour infanticide. However, most documented cases are from captive animals, while it has not been detected in studies of free-ranging populations. Here, we report an apparent infanticide attempt in which the historical associations of all participants were known. In addition, we report the first instance of non-kin female–female cooperative defence against male aggression in this species. We discuss why this behaviour may not have been observed by other longitudinal studies. We then explore how intraspecific and inter-individual variation may factor into its relative rarity, how the reproductive biology of plains zebras relates to this behaviour, and how female–female cooperation between non-kin can operate as an effective counterstrategy.
{"title":"An observation of attempted infanticide and female–female cooperation in wild plains zebras (Equus quagga)","authors":"Severine B. S. W. Hex, Margaret Mwangi, Rosemary Warungu, D. Rubenstein","doi":"10.1163/1568539x-bja10172","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1163/1568539x-bja10172","url":null,"abstract":"\u0000 Male infanticide has been reported in a wide range of taxa as a strategy for redirecting maternal investment and increasing a male’s chance of siring future offspring. Plains zebras (Equus quagga) possess many of the social organization and life history traits found to favour infanticide. However, most documented cases are from captive animals, while it has not been detected in studies of free-ranging populations. Here, we report an apparent infanticide attempt in which the historical associations of all participants were known. In addition, we report the first instance of non-kin female–female cooperative defence against male aggression in this species. We discuss why this behaviour may not have been observed by other longitudinal studies. We then explore how intraspecific and inter-individual variation may factor into its relative rarity, how the reproductive biology of plains zebras relates to this behaviour, and how female–female cooperation between non-kin can operate as an effective counterstrategy.","PeriodicalId":8822,"journal":{"name":"Behaviour","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.3,"publicationDate":"2022-06-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"45910404","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2022-06-15DOI: 10.1163/1568539x-bja10173
Neslihan Wittek, Fatma Oeksuez, O. Güntürkün, Patrick Anselme
The opportunity and the information available to secure food resources drives foraging behaviour. We tested how inconsistent hole-food pairings and coverings could alter foraging performance, even when food availability is held constant. In our first experiment, we exposed pigeons (Columba livia) to a board in which each of the 60 covered holes contained one food item and to another board in which only one third of the 180 covered holes randomly contained one food item. In a second experiment, only the 60-hole board was used and the holes were not covered. The pigeons increased their body weight, gave fewer pecks per hole, revisited holes less often, and inspected fewer adjacent holes with 180 rather than 60 covered holes while eating similar amounts. However, their pecks were disproportionately higher near the edges of the board with 60 covered holes. This behaviour was not evident in the second experiment, when the food items were visible and individuals could know where food was available. Thus, the information about food location may drive foraging behaviour more directly than the information about food availability.
{"title":"More opportunities to peck for identical food availability increases foraging efficiency in pigeons","authors":"Neslihan Wittek, Fatma Oeksuez, O. Güntürkün, Patrick Anselme","doi":"10.1163/1568539x-bja10173","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1163/1568539x-bja10173","url":null,"abstract":"\u0000 The opportunity and the information available to secure food resources drives foraging behaviour. We tested how inconsistent hole-food pairings and coverings could alter foraging performance, even when food availability is held constant. In our first experiment, we exposed pigeons (Columba livia) to a board in which each of the 60 covered holes contained one food item and to another board in which only one third of the 180 covered holes randomly contained one food item. In a second experiment, only the 60-hole board was used and the holes were not covered. The pigeons increased their body weight, gave fewer pecks per hole, revisited holes less often, and inspected fewer adjacent holes with 180 rather than 60 covered holes while eating similar amounts. However, their pecks were disproportionately higher near the edges of the board with 60 covered holes. This behaviour was not evident in the second experiment, when the food items were visible and individuals could know where food was available. Thus, the information about food location may drive foraging behaviour more directly than the information about food availability.","PeriodicalId":8822,"journal":{"name":"Behaviour","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.3,"publicationDate":"2022-06-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"47181185","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2022-06-08DOI: 10.1163/1568539x-bja10171
A. C. Velasco, E. S. Ferrer, J. Sanz
Breeding performance and survival are mechanisms through which animal personality affects fitness. Exploration behaviour (EB) is an easily obtainable personality trait that correlates to multiple life-history traits, thus it has been widely used in animal personality studies. Through in situ Novel Environment exploration tests, we assessed the exploration behaviour of blue tits (Cyanistes caeruleus) during two breeding seasons. A principal component analysis revealed two behavioural axes regarding the exploration behaviour: slow-fast and timid-daring. We found that male blue tits are significantly slower explorers than female blue tits, suggesting that evolutionary processes act unequally across sexes in our study area. To investigate these processes, we assessed the relationship between exploration behaviour and two fitness aspects: reproduction and survival. Slower-exploring males bred in nests with significantly shorter incubation periods, and timid males had higher local return ratios. Interactions between male and female EB revealed that disassortative pairs were more successful breeders than assortative ones. Further research should explore potential evolutionary implications of intersexual EB differences.
{"title":"Intersexual differences in the exploratory behaviour of blue tits (Cyanistes caeruleus)","authors":"A. C. Velasco, E. S. Ferrer, J. Sanz","doi":"10.1163/1568539x-bja10171","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1163/1568539x-bja10171","url":null,"abstract":"\u0000Breeding performance and survival are mechanisms through which animal personality affects fitness. Exploration behaviour (EB) is an easily obtainable personality trait that correlates to multiple life-history traits, thus it has been widely used in animal personality studies. Through in situ Novel Environment exploration tests, we assessed the exploration behaviour of blue tits (Cyanistes caeruleus) during two breeding seasons. A principal component analysis revealed two behavioural axes regarding the exploration behaviour: slow-fast and timid-daring. We found that male blue tits are significantly slower explorers than female blue tits, suggesting that evolutionary processes act unequally across sexes in our study area. To investigate these processes, we assessed the relationship between exploration behaviour and two fitness aspects: reproduction and survival. Slower-exploring males bred in nests with significantly shorter incubation periods, and timid males had higher local return ratios. Interactions between male and female EB revealed that disassortative pairs were more successful breeders than assortative ones. Further research should explore potential evolutionary implications of intersexual EB differences.","PeriodicalId":8822,"journal":{"name":"Behaviour","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.3,"publicationDate":"2022-06-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"44917143","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2022-05-31DOI: 10.1163/1568539x-bja10170
Anja Repnik, Janko Skok
Male infanticide is a widespread phenomenon in mammals and is usually directed against non-filial infants. In cervids, reports on male infanticide remain very rare. This article reports a case of male filicide (filial infanticide) in farmed European fallow deer (Dama dama). The conflict between the buck and his male offspring took place at the feeding station during the rut and was recorded on camera. Several times (about 7) a fawn entered the feeding station but was repeatedly chased away by the buck. On the last occasion, the buck struck/stabbed the fawn with his antlers. Post-mortem examination revealed penetrating abdominal trauma with gastrointestinal perforation. This is the first record of male infanticide in fallow deer, although it differs from other cases in cervids where the attacks were clearly intentional. Therefore, we cannot provide a firm explanation, although it was likely a non-adaptive/pathological behaviour under the specific (unnatural) circumstances.
{"title":"A case of male filicide in farmed European fallow deer (Dama dama)","authors":"Anja Repnik, Janko Skok","doi":"10.1163/1568539x-bja10170","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1163/1568539x-bja10170","url":null,"abstract":"\u0000Male infanticide is a widespread phenomenon in mammals and is usually directed against non-filial infants. In cervids, reports on male infanticide remain very rare. This article reports a case of male filicide (filial infanticide) in farmed European fallow deer (Dama dama). The conflict between the buck and his male offspring took place at the feeding station during the rut and was recorded on camera. Several times (about 7) a fawn entered the feeding station but was repeatedly chased away by the buck. On the last occasion, the buck struck/stabbed the fawn with his antlers. Post-mortem examination revealed penetrating abdominal trauma with gastrointestinal perforation. This is the first record of male infanticide in fallow deer, although it differs from other cases in cervids where the attacks were clearly intentional. Therefore, we cannot provide a firm explanation, although it was likely a non-adaptive/pathological behaviour under the specific (unnatural) circumstances.","PeriodicalId":8822,"journal":{"name":"Behaviour","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.3,"publicationDate":"2022-05-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"64591578","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2022-05-17DOI: 10.1163/1568539x-bja10169
C. Dittrich, Melanie Tietje, Mark‐Oliver Rödel
In explosive breeding frogs, high intrasexual competition between males leads to a sexual coercion ruled mating system, where males presumably evolved preferences for specific female traits. We tested these preferences in the European Common Frog by excluding intrasexual competition. We hypothesized that all males show preferences towards larger female body size, due to higher fecundity. Our results did not show any preference considering female body size, neither in the attempt to amplex a female nor during the formation of pairs. Additionally, we witnessed a high failure rate of male mating attempts, which hints at high mating costs and offers an explanation for the lack of preferences in males. Nonetheless, we observed a non-random mating pattern in successfully formed pairs, where in the absence of size dimorphism females were on average larger than males. This indicates a different mechanism for selection which is independent from male mating preference or scramble competition.
{"title":"Larger is not better: no mate preference by European common frog (Rana temporaria) males","authors":"C. Dittrich, Melanie Tietje, Mark‐Oliver Rödel","doi":"10.1163/1568539x-bja10169","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1163/1568539x-bja10169","url":null,"abstract":"\u0000In explosive breeding frogs, high intrasexual competition between males leads to a sexual coercion ruled mating system, where males presumably evolved preferences for specific female traits. We tested these preferences in the European Common Frog by excluding intrasexual competition. We hypothesized that all males show preferences towards larger female body size, due to higher fecundity. Our results did not show any preference considering female body size, neither in the attempt to amplex a female nor during the formation of pairs. Additionally, we witnessed a high failure rate of male mating attempts, which hints at high mating costs and offers an explanation for the lack of preferences in males. Nonetheless, we observed a non-random mating pattern in successfully formed pairs, where in the absence of size dimorphism females were on average larger than males. This indicates a different mechanism for selection which is independent from male mating preference or scramble competition.","PeriodicalId":8822,"journal":{"name":"Behaviour","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.3,"publicationDate":"2022-05-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"46909818","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
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