bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Effects of Early Feeding Experience on Long‐term Seed Choice by Canaries (Serinus canaria)
Authors: Doherty Shaun , Cowie Richard J.
Published: May 2010

Early experience has been found to have long‐term effects on behaviour such as social imprinting and song learning. In this paper we investigate whether early experience with particular types of food can lead to long‐term feeding preferences in canaries. For 8 wk following the onset of independent foraging, two groups of naive fledgling canaries were reared on different diets. One group had a choice of four seed types, while individuals in the other group received only one type of seed. After this training period, all the birds were given a mixed seed diet for a further 15 wk, and then their preference for the original seeds was tested. All six birds that had been given four seeds during the training period showed the same preference, namely: hemp > niger > millet > linseed. However, all the birds that had been trained on one seed type only, still preferred the seed on which they had been trained. After a further 23 wk on a mixed‐seed diet, birds from the restricted early diet group showed no further preference for the seed on which they were trained, and their seed choice at this stage was similar to the birds that had received four seeds. We conclude that early experience can affect food choice in canaries for at least 15 wk, but is subordinate to other influences in the longer term.
Parasite Infestation and Parental Care in the Barn SwallowHirundo rusticala Test of the Resource‐provisioning Model of Parasite‐mediated Sexual Selection
Authors: Møller Anders Pape
Published: May 2010

Barn swallows,Hirundo rustica, are commonly infested by the haematophagous tropical fowl miteOmithonyssus bursa(Macronyssidae, Gamasida), which severely reduces various measures of reproductive success among the barn swallow hosts. Food provisioning rate by parent barn swallows, measured in terms of absolute feeding rate by males and females and relative feeding rate by males (percentage of food provided by the male parent), was not significantly related to natural levels of infestation of nests. Experimental manipulation of mite loads in nests during the egg‐laying period of the first clutch, which also affected mite loads of parent barn swallows, significantly affected food‐provisioning rates of single‐brooded, but not of double‐brooded barn swallows. These results suggest that effects of mites on the parenting ability of barn swallow hosts depend on host resistance towards parasites. This is consistent with the resource‐provisioning hypothesis of parasite‐mediated sexual selection, suggesting that females prefer parasite‐free males because they are efficient parents, but also with the hypothesis that females prefer males with traits signalling genetic resistance to parasites.
Time Allocation during the Reproductive Season in Vicuñas
Authors: Vila Bibiana L. , Cassini Marcelo H.
Published: May 2010

Vicuñas (Vicugna vicugna) are wild South American camelids that live in high‐altitude grasslands (Puna). Their social organization is based on family and bachelor groups. The amount of time they allocated to walking, running, lying, grazing and alert behaviour was studied in Abrapampa, northwestern Argentina, during the 1988–1990 reproductive seasons. Females and yearlings spent significantly more time grazing, and less time walking, running and alert than territorial males and bachelors. This result suggests that females maximized the time spent foraging to fulfil the energetic demands of reproduction. The alertness of the territorial males increased and the grazing decreased with the number of females in the families, suggesting that males that incurred a higher cost of lost feeding time through vigilance activities increased their mating success.
Nesting Behaviour of Abert Squirrels (Sciurus aberti)
Authors: Halloran Margaret E. , Bekoff Marc
Published: May 2010

Nesting behaviour of Abert squirrels (Sciurus aberti), including site selection and use, was studied in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains in Boulder County, Colorado. Only females were observed building nests, although both males and females maintained nests once they were built. Communal nesting by Abert squirrels was rare, but the majority of observed nest sharings involved unrelated male and female pairs. A total of 14 variables were used to evaluate the nests (n = 49) inhabited by Abert squirrels from May 1988 to Jun. 1991. All nests were located in Ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa) trees. The majority of nests were constructed of twigs and located in the upper one‐third of the canopy, near the trunk, on the south‐east side of the tree. Trees with nests were predominantly located in closed stands. Nest trees, when compared with unused control trees that were equally accessible to squirrels, were significantly different from control trees in five of nine variables. Nest tree crowns intertwined with a larger number of adjacent tree crowns than did control tree crowns. Nest trees were also significantly taller than control trees, but subdominant to adjacent trees within a stand. Seasonal and diurnal patterns of nest use indicate that Abert squirrels do not choose nest locations on the south‐east sides of trees to facilitate behavioural thermoregulation. Rather, Abert squirrels select nest site locations to (1) maximize accessibility and (2) maximize structural stability which may provide protection from wind and rain.
Domestic Calves (Bos taurus) Recognize their Own Mothers by Auditory Cues
Authors: Barfield Christine H. , Tang‐Martinez Zuleyma , Trainer Jill M.
Published: May 2010

The goal of this study was to determine if auditory cues are important in maternal recognition by domestic cattle calves, Bos taurus. Cows and their calves were separated and the vocalizations of the mothers were recorded. During experimental playbacks in a test enclosure, each calf (n = 9) was given a choice between a tape‐recorded vocalization of its mother and that of a strange mother. Calves significantly preferred their own mother's vocalization as compared to the vocalization of the unfamiliar mother. Calves spent significantly more time near the speaker that played their own mother's call, and approached significantly closer to their mother's speaker. These results demonstrate that 3–5‐wk‐old calves can recognize their mothers by auditory cues alone. Visual inspection of audiospectrograms of the cows' vocalizations suggests that there are individual differences among cows.
Effect of Mate Removal on Current and Subsequent Parental Care in the Convict Cichlid (Pisces: Cichlidae)
Authors: Lavery Robert J. , Reebs Stéphan G.
Published: May 2010

In most biparental, substrate‐brooding species of cichlid fishes, female and male roles differ. Females are usually more involved in direct care of the young while males spend more time away patrolling the territory. This study tested the flexibility of these sex roles with removal experiments in the convict cichlid, Cichlasoma nigrofasciatum. When males were removed, female fanning activity increased. When females were removed, males spent more time fanning and less time away from the brood. Other behavioural variables (frequency of digging, mouthing, foraging and retrieving) were not affected. Being alone or paired during a first breeding episode did not affect parental behaviour during a subsequent episode in which all fish were paired. Observations were carried out during the day and at night, and nocturnal fanning of fry is reported here for the first time. Female role appears less flexible than male role, as befits the more direct care normally given by females.
Dominance, Age and Aggression among Female Pronghorn, Antilocapra americana (Family: Antilocapridae)
Authors: Fairbanks W. Sue
Published: May 2010

The relationships among dominance, age and aggressive behaviour of marked, female pronghorn (Antilocapra americana; Family Antilocapridae) were studied in north central Colorado. Females formed dominance hierarchies with few circular relationships. Unlike other female ungulates, dominance rank was not correlated with age. Dominance rank was negatively correlated with rate of aggression initiated in summer and winter; however, aggressiveness as an individual trait was not related to dominance. Older females received higher rates of aggression than younger females in summer and winter. During the rut, dominance rank was correlated with rate of aggression received but not with rate of aggression initiated. Patterns of aggression that differ by season within a given hierarchy of dominance relationships suggest a different cause or function of aggressive behaviour in different seasons.
Absence of Prey Chemical Discrimination by Tongue‐flicking in an Ambush‐foraging Lizard Having Actively Foraging Ancestors
Authors: Cooper William E. , van Wyk Johannes H.
Published: May 2010

Lingually mediated detection of prey chemicals is widespread in one major clade of lizards, Scleroglossa, but rare in the other, Iguania. It is absent in all ambush‐foraging families tested and present in all actively foraging families. In Iguania, prey chemical discrimination is known only in the herbivorous Iguanidae; in Scleroglossa, it was heretofore known to be absent only in ambush‐foraging gekkonids. Because ambush foraging precludes lingual sampling of a wide area and tongue‐flicking would disrupt the crypticity ambushers maintain by immobility, we predicted that prey chemical discrimination would be absent in scleroglossans that have secondarily adopted ambush foraging. The Cape girdled lizard, Cordylus cordylus, is member of Cordylidae, a family of ambush foragers considered derived from active foragers in the Autarchoglossa, a group of scleroglossan families having highly developed lingual chemosensory behaviours. As predicted, this species did not discriminate surface chemicals of three prey species from control substances in a series of standardized experiments in which prey chemicals were presented on cotton‐tipped applicators. Thus, even in taxa having highly developed prey chemical discrimination, adoption of ambush foraging may induce loss of prey chemical discrimination, providing further and stronger evidence that prey chemical discrimination is adaptively adjusted to foraging mode.
Seasonal and Diurnal Changes in Aggression and Territory Size in the Black‐headed Gull (Larus ridibundus L.) on Islands in the Middle Reaches of the Vistula River
Authors: Bukacińska Monika , Bukaciński Dariusz
Published: May 2010

Seasonal and diurnal changes in territory size and frequency of aggressive interactions of various intensity were examined in colonies of the black‐headed gull (Larus ridibundus) on river islands and ponds of central Poland. The highest frequency of the total aggression and the largest territories were recorded before the egg‐laying stage, this being related to the establishing of territories, defence of the mate, and defence of nest material. Later in the season both aggression and territory size declined. Unlike the large species of gulls, black‐headed gulls did not increase their aggression and territory size during hatching of the young. High‐intensity aggressive behaviours (choking, attacking and fighting) were not so frequently displayed as low‐intensity aggressive postures (upright, long call, forward) in each phase of the breeding cycle. Presumably this was because the former were more costly in terms of energy. Peak territorial activity occurred in the late afternoon. An increase in the frequency of intense aggressive behaviours (attack, fight) at that time was combined with an increased mobility of birds (departures to and arrivals from foraging sites). A reduced frequency of high‐intensity aggressive displays in the period when the largest number of birds was present in the colony was likely to be adaptive.
Weak Mate Guarding in Tree Swallows: Ecological Constraint or Female Control?
Authors: Chek Andrew A. , Robertson Raleigh J.
Published: May 2010

We re‐examined tree swallows (Tachycineta bicolor) for the presence of the paternity protection tactic of mate guarding using less conservative criteria for its detection than did an earlier study. Our results are consistent with weak mate guarding, but may also be explained by the copulatory access hypothesis. The latter hypothesis suggests that the spatio‐temporal demands of pair copulation can result in a similar pattern of behaviour to mate guarding. We address two hypotheses advanced previously for the lack of intense mate guarding in this species as compared with other species. These are that female fidelity obviates the need for males to mate guard, and that the risk of nest site usurpation prevents males from guarding. Since tree swallows have one of the highest known rates of extra‐pair paternity, the first hypothesis is discounted. We find the second hypothesis unlikely after an examination of the species' ecology, and suggest an alternative hypothesis to account for the lack of intense guarding. In short, we propose that in species such as tree swallows, in which females appear to have a significant degree of interest in, and control over, extra‐pair fertilizations, frequent copulation may be a more cost‐efficient means of ensuring paternity than is mate guarding.
Social Behaviour of Domestic Cats (Felis lybica f. catus L.): a Study of Dominance in a Group of Female Laboratory Cats
Authors: van den Bos Ruud , Buning Tjard de Cock
Published: May 2010

The behaviour of a group of female domestic cats (n = 10) under laboratory conditions is described. Behavioural observations were made on a total of 20 days during a 3‐month period; only frequencies were recorded. Analysis of the winner/loser matrix revealed a linear rank order. This rank order correlated with several variables. The higher the rank, the more offensive threats a cat emitted overall, and the more defensive threats it received overall; within a pair, the higher‐ranking cat displayed more offensive threats, whereas the lower‐ranking cat displayed more defensive threats. The higher a rank, the more bouts of social licking a cat emitted overall, and the more bouts of social sniffing and social rubbing it received overall; within a pair, the higher‐ranking cat tended to show more social licking, whereas the lower‐ranking cat showed more social sniffing. The higher the rank, the more time a cat tended to spend on the floor, and the less time it spent in a 16‐compartment complex; the further animals were apart in rank, the smaller were the proximity scores between them. Finally, higher‐ranking cats tended to gain weight, whereas lower‐ranking cats tended to lose weight. These data suggest that the concept of dominance may be applied to this group of cats. It is discussed whether the observed rank order is specific for indoor conditions under which the cats were living. The role of social licking is also discussed.
Orientation of Fall‐migrating Butterflies in North Peninsular Florida and Source Areas
Authors: Walker Thomas J. , Littell Ramon C.
Published: May 2010

Phoebis sennae(Pieridae),Agraulis vanillae(Heliconidae) andUrbanus proteus(Hesperiidae) migrate into peninsular Florida each fall from summer breeding areas throughout the south‐eastern United States. Fall flight directions of the three species were studied at 78 sites for clues to their means of orientation and migratory routes. Mean flight directions for a visit to a site were calculated using conventional circular statistics. The distribution of flight directions permitted using linear procedures to combine visit means. The overall mean direction (OMD) of a species at a site was defined as the mean of visit means, weighted by frequency/angular variance, with a lower limit of 0.2 imposed on angular variance. In intensive studies at two sites at Gainesville, Florida, mean flight directions during fall migration were largely independent of time of day and crosswinds. The OMDs of the three species at the two Gainesville sites were similar (142 to 156°) and not significantly different among species at a site or, for the same group of dates, between sites for a species. However, day‐to‐day variation among species and between sites was not concordant. Visits to 65 sites on a grid throughout the southeastern United States and to 11 sites along transects inland from the Gulf and Atlantic coasts yielded 10 cases of aP. sennaeOMD at a grid or transect site differing significantly from its OMD at the main Gainesville site. In each of these, the OMD was more easterly at sites inland from the Gulf coast or more southerly or south‐westerly at sites inland from the Atlantic coast. By unknown means and with large, unexplained day‐to‐day variations in directions,P. sennaeconverge on peninsular Florida from widespread summer breeding grounds. They do this without closely following the Atlantic or Gulf coasts.
Pre‐implantation Pregnancy Disruption in Female Meadow Voles Microtus pennsylvanicus (Rodentia: Muridae): Male Competition or Female Mate Choice?
Authors: Storey Anne E.
Published: May 2010

I investigated alternative hypotheses concerning the functions of pre‐implantation male‐induced pregnancy disruption in meadow voles. Disruptions may be viewed as: 1. Postcopulatory male competition; 2. A mechanism for postcopulatory mate choice by females; and 3. A means of benefitting females by terminating investment in litters that may be harmed by new males. Female voles were paired with a second male 3 d after mating with their first mate. Behavioural interactions between the female and each male were compared for females that disrupted or retained the pregnancy sired by the first male. Whether they were the females' first or second mates, males siring litters showed similar high levels of approach and moderately high aggression, behaviour that differed from the females' other mates. Disrupted females huddled sooner with their second mates than females that retained their original pregnancies, and females tended to approach males that approached them. These results suggest that females influence whether a disruption occurs by the amount of contact they initiate with the second male, and thus pregnancy disruption may facilitate postcopulatory mate choice by females. This pre‐implantation disruption did not enhance female reproductive success: pup survival was the same whether or not a disruption occurred, and males living with pups they had sired (after a disruption) spent as much time with them as males with unrelated pups (females did not disrupt).
Spatial Orientation in Blattella germanica L. Larvae
Authors: Dabouineau Laurent , Rivault Colette
Published: May 2010

The aim of these experiments was to investigate the type of cues used in homing processes by young Blattella germanica L. larvae. Several types of stimuli were tested: path integration with kinesthetic cues and visual orientation with landmark cues. Tests measured the escape direction of larvae from the food box after disturbance. Either type of cue alone, path integration or visual landmarks, was sufficient to allow larvae to orient towards their shelters, but they oriented more precisély when both types of cue were used. When several landmark cues (proximal and distal) were present, their relative angular position seemed important in the orientation process. Macroscopic shapes in the environment appeared to be used as a global image, memorized to reach the shelter.
Social Behaviour on the Wing in the False Vampire, Megaderma lyra
Authors: Leippert Dieter
Published: May 2010

Social interaction occurs in bats. In a group of 10 Megaderma lyra (seven female and two male adults, as well as one female juvenile) held in captivity, two stereotyped flying behaviour patterns —the ‘grumbling flight’ and the ‘song flight’ — were observed and studied. The ‘grumbling flight’ is a social interaction in flight between at least two Megaderma lyra in which ‘grumble sequences’ are emitted. This behaviour is triggered by stress or arising aggression, and presumably attempts to avoid agonistic interactions with dangerous physical contact. The song flight was exclusively displayed by the dominant male bat and only directed at the non‐lactating female members of the group, with a preference to alien females. This behaviour is composed of three behavioural stages, each accompanied by a specific ‘song strophe’. The song flight presumably aims at bonding the females to the male. During the grumbling flight and the song flight, M. lyra emits communication sounds in the ultrasonic range. The sounds consist of simple elements (FMdown, FMup, CF), and are similar to types of sounds emitted for echolocation by various bat species.
Shoal Choice in the Banded Killifish (Fundulus diaphanus, Teleostei, Cyprinodontidae): Effects of Predation Risk, Fish Size, Species Composition and Size of Shoals
Authors: Krause Jens , Godin Jean‐Guy J.
Published: May 2010

Banded killifish (Fundulus diaphanus) were presented individually with a choice of shoaling with either of two stimulus shoals which differed in shoal size, species composition, and fish body size, before and after a simulated avian predator attack. When threatened, test fish preferred to shoal with the larger of two conspecific shoals, but only if members of both stimulus shoals were of the same size class as the test fish. Otherwise, they preferred to shoal with similarly sized fish irrespective of shoal size; threat of predation increased the magnitude of this preference. Furthermore, test fish preferred a shoal of similarly sized shiners (Notemigonus crysoleucas) over larger killifish, when shoal sizes were identical. This indicates that body size plays a key role in shoal choice, overriding the effects of shoal size and species preference. Notwithstanding the above, shoal choice was affected by predator threat only when differences between shoal size or body size of stimulus fish were large.
Mimicking a Honeybee Queen?Vespa affinis indosinensis Pérez 1910 Hunts Drones of Apis cerana F. 1793
Authors: Koeniger Nikolaus , Koeniger Gudrun , Mardan Makhdzir
Published: May 2010

Hornets (Vespa affinis) flying in a drone congregation area attracted drones of Apis cerana. The drones followed the hornet and were ‘manoeuvred’ towards a leaf or a tree. The hornet then rushed at one of the drones. Many attempts by the hornet to catch a drone were unsuccessful and all drones fled. After failing, the hornet returned to centre of the drone congregation area and repeated the behaviour. Only after successfully seizing of a drone did the hornet leave the drone congregation area carrying its prey. In a two‐choice test in the centre of the drone congregation area, free‐flying A. cerana drones preferred a hornet model to a live A. cerana queen. V. affinis apparently ‘exploits’ the intraspecific communication between queen and drones of A. cerana. Hunting of drones in the drone congregation area by V. affinis may be an example of predatory mimicry.
The Role of Midventral Gland Secretion in Individual Discrimination by Djungarian Hamster (Phodopus camphelli Thomas, 1905) Females
Authors: Vasilieva Nina Yu. , Sokolov Vladimir E.
Published: May 2010

Two experiments were conducted to investigate discrimination of individual male Djungarian hamsters by conspecific females. In the first experiment, it was shown that females reacted differently to two anaesthetized males ‐ their mate and an unfamiliar male ‐ by showing more aggressive behaviour toward the unfamiliar male. In the second experiment, females were more aggressive toward an unfamiliar, awake male than a familiar partner. Furthermore, aggression toward the mate was increased by scenting him with midventral gland secretion from an unfamiliar male. Aggression toward an unfamiliar male was reduced by scenting him with the mate's ventral gland secretion. Thus, the midventral gland scent is an important signal for individual recognition in Djungarian hamsters.
A Linear Dominance Hierarchy in Female Nubian Ibex
Authors: Greenberg‐Cohen Dalia , Alkon Philip U. , Yom‐Tov Yoram
Published: May 2010

We monitored agonistic interactions amongst a group of individually marked, free‐ranging female Nubian ibex (Capra ibex nubiana) in the Negev Desert highlands of southern Israel. Seven agonistic behaviours were defined, and the frequency and outcomes of dyadic interactions were analysed to estimate social structure and to compare rank with age and morphological variables. Most agonistic behaviours took place during the early morning and late afternoon when the animals were actively moving and feeding. The outcomes of agonistic bouts revealed a significant linear dominance hierarchy among a core group of 13 adult females, and among an expanded group that included ≤ additional females that had temporary affiliations with the core group. Dominance relationships remained stable for at least 1 yr. Social rank correlated positively with an index of absolute aggression, and with age, horn size, and other morphological traits. There was no clear relationship between rank and type of agonistic interaction.
Ethological Study of Yawning in Primates. I. Quantitative Analysis and Study of Causation in Two Species of Old World Monkeys (Cercocebus albigena and Macaca fascicularis)
Authors: Deputte Bertrand L.
Published: May 2010

Yawning is a common, species‐typical behaviour in vertebrates, generally associated with transitions from sleep to wakefulness. In primates, yawning occurs within a group in a variety of social contexts, suggesting that it has a communicative role, a hypothesis examined in this study. Yawning has rarely been studied. Quantitative studies have been concerned only with age, sex and social‐status differences in yawning frequency.

The causation and function of yawning were examined in a quantitative, 796‐h ethological analysis of observations of two groups of Cercocebus albigena and one group of Macaca fascicularis. In both species, yawns occurred in two main contexts: during transitions from rest to activity (the ‘rest yawn’) and following social interactions (the ‘emotion yawn’). The rest yawn represents 90 % of yawns and is common to every age‐sex group. By contrast, the emotion yawn (10 %) is more frequent in adult males. Regardless of context, yawning was more frequent in males than females. Within males yawning frequency increased with age. Thus, sex hormones may modulate the physiological processes involved. Yawns were usually performed by individuals in seated, lying or standing positions. Yawns were frequently followed by short periods of rest, so that, when triggered by a social interaction, they occurred at its end. The morphology of the yawning act did not vary in regard to context age and/or sex of the yawner.
Species Recognition in Anolis grahami (Sauria, Iguanidae): Evidence from Responses to Video Playbacks of Conspecific and Heterospecific Displays
Authors: Macedonia Joseph M. , Stamps Judy A.
Published: May 2010

The visual displays of male anoles (Anolis sp.) are usually viewed as characters that facilitate species recognition. This presumption stems largely from the extensive variation in the head bobbing movements and dewlap colouration in males of this genus. However, few experimental data exist that illuminate the importance of these visual signals for species recognition. We presented adult male Anolis grahami with colour‐videotaped sequences of displays from conspecifics and from three heterospecific species of anoles. The congenerics (A. carolinensis, A. conspersus, and A. sagrei) were chosen on the basis of their phylogenetic and geographical relationships with A. grahami. Stimulus males were filmed at a constant distance and orientation from the video camera, and edited sequences of their displays were presented at a standard distance from subjects. Video playbacks allowed us to equalize the quantity of display performed by each stimulus species, and to eliminate stimulus/subject interactions as well as inter‐trial variation in stimulus behaviour. Results revealed that the subjects responded more strongly to conspecific than to heterospecific displays on all behavioural variables examined, but there was no indication of discrimination among the displays of the three congeneric species.
Species Recognition in Heterospecific Groups of Ants: Relative Contribution of Allospecific Workers and Queen
Authors: Errard Christine , Vienne Catherine
Published: May 2010

The aim of this paper is to test the relative contribution of allospecific workers and the queen on species recognition in ants by means of both behavioural and chemical analyses. Workers of two ant species, Manica rubida (Myrmicinae) and Formica selysi (Formicinae), were reared in homospecific groups (without queen) or in artificial heterospecific groups (mixed worker groups and mixed queen/worker groups), created 5 h after emergence. In mixed worker groups, individuals of both species recognize conspecific and allospecific workers even if unfamiliar. When reared with an allospecific queen, individuals retained their ability for conspecific recognition, but it appeared that F. selysi individuals performed better than M. rubida in recognizing unfamiliar conspecifics reared in control groups. However, this rearing scheme did not permit the tolerance of unfamiliar allospecifics. The chemical results indicate that when individuals are reared in mixed worker groups they acquire larger amounts of allospecific cuticular hydrocarbons than when reared in mixed queen/worker groups. While the former recognize unfamiliar allospecific workers, the latter did not recognize unfamiliar allospecific workers in spite of the acquisition of small amounts of allospecific cues. In addition, reared with allospecific workers, queens acquire allospecific hydrocarbons, but less amounts than workers. These experiments therefore show that the individuals recognize the allospecific cues borne on each individual's body surface.
Diurnal Patterns of Behaviour and Group Membership of Humpback Whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) Wintering in Hawaiian Waters
Authors: Helweg David A. , Herman Louis M.
Published: May 2010

We examined the behaviour of humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) in Hawaiian waters in relation to time of day using visual observations from shore platforms and acoustic observations using hydrophones. As humpbacks are not observed to feed in Hawaiian waters, we assumed that the data were free from the influence of diel cycles of prey availability. The majority of mothers with calves were likely to be escorted by one or more male consorts only after 0700 h. The percentage of pods with three or more adults increased across the day and the rates of male‐male agonistic behaviour typical of multiple‐adult pods also increased. Noon observations were characterized by high rates of behaviour such as breaching that may serve as visual and/or acoustic signals. No diel variation in the number of singers was observed, suggesting that the number of singers was independent of the late afternoon peak in male‐male competition within surface‐active groups. The results suggest that the whales were resting in the dawn hours, behaviour related to mating begins shortly after sunrise, and that male‐male competition peaked in the afternoon.
Influence of Mate‐guarding Duration on Male Reproductive Success: An Experiment with Irradiated Water Strider (Gerris lacustris) Males
Authors: Jabłonski Piotr , Kaczanowski Szymon
Published: May 2010

This study explores the importance that guarding duration has on the reproductive success of a male competing with other males for females. In the experiments, single irradiated males were tested in groups of four fertile males and five females, or single fertile males were tested in groups of four irradiated males and five females. Percentages of non‐developing and developing eggs, respectively, laid by the females over 2 days was used to determine the relative reproductive success of the focal male. The males were tested in three situations: 1. Guarding duration interrupted by experimenter; 2. Guarding of natural duration; 3. Prolonged guarding (male glued to the female after copulation). The reproductive success of irradiated focal males increased as the guarding duration increased. No such analysis could be done for fertile focal males because they differed among treatments in both guarding duration (manipulated) and interval between consecutive matings. In treatments with prolonged guarding, male reproductive success tended to be higher, but not significantly so. Prolonged guarding decreased variability in reproductive success of fertile focal males. The results showed that guarding is a paternity assurance strategy and suggested that there is a conflict between sexes over guarding duration.
Situational Specificity in Alpine‐marmot Alarm Communication
Authors: Blumstein Daniel T. , Arnold Walter
Published: May 2010

We studied the degree to which alpine marmot(Marmota marmotaL.) alarm calls function as communication about specific external stimuli. Alpine marmots emit variable alarm calls when they encounter humans, dogs, and several species of aerial predators. The first part of the study involved observations and manipulations designed to document contextual variation in alarm calls. Alarm calls varied along several acoustic parameters, but only along one that we examined, the number of notes per call, was significantly correlated with the type of external stimulus. Marmots were more likely to emit single‐note alarm calls as their first or only call in response to an aerial stimulus, and multiple‐note alarm calls when first calling to a terrestrial stimulus. This relationship was not without exceptions; there was considerable variation in the number of notes they emitted to both aerial and terrestrial stimuli, and a single stimulus type — humans — elicited a wide range of acoustic responses. The second part of the study involved playing back three types of alarm calls to marmots and observing their responses. Marmots did not have overtly different responses to the three types of played‐back alarm calls. Our results are consistent with the hypotheses that: 1. Alarm calls do not refer to specific external stimuli; 2. Alarm calls function to communicate the degree of risk a caller experiences; and 3. Alarm calls require additional contextual cues to be properly interpreted by conspecifics.
The Weaning Process of Free‐ranging Domestic Pigs: Within‐ and Between‐litter Variations
Authors: Jensen Per
Published: May 2010

To determine variations within and between litters in the weaning process and behavioural development, the behaviour of four focal piglets from each of nine litters was recorded at the ages of 4, 6, 8 and 10 wk in a 12.5‐ha semi‐natural environment. The piglets were weighed at birth, at 7–11 d and at 7 wk. Activities and nearest‐neighbour distances were recorded instantaneously and social interactions continuously during 4 times 11 min/piglet at all ages. Within‐litter comparisons were obtained by transforming raw data to standard scores within litters. There were significant age effects on all behavioural variables except aggression, which, however, was very rare. There were also significant effects of sow and boar on several behavioural variables, as well as interactions between sow/boar and age, indicating a possible genetic influence on the behavioural development. Within‐litter variations did not relate to sex or weight. Within litters, some individuals tended to be more associated with their families and to rely more on milk for nutrients whereas others tended to affiliate with other families and spend more time feeding on solids. The latter group could be conceived of as piglets starting the weaning process earlier.
Scent‐deposition Behaviour in Alpine Marmots (Marmota marmota L.): its Role in Territorial Defence and Social Communication
Authors: Boero Daniela Lenti
Published: May 2010

Scent‐deposition was investigated in Marmota marmota L. at Gran Paradiso National Park. 448 h of focal and scan sampling were performed on 22 marmots in four subsequent years. Results show that: (1) 97.4 % of the scent‐deposition is done within 25 m of the edge of the territories or of the main burrows (X2 = 100.4, df 9, p < 0.001); (2) being a reproducing adult is the most prominent factor in scent‐deposition (X2 = 32.4, df = 18, p < 0.002). The role of factors affecting scent‐deposition in territorial defence and social communication is discussed.
Role of Nest‐paper Hydrocarbons in Nestmate Recognition of Dolichovespula maculata (L.) Workers (Hymenoptera: Vespidae)
Authors: Butts Douglas P. , Espelie Karl E.
Published: May 2010

The role of nest‐paper hydrocarbons in nestmate recognition was examined in the social wasp Dolichovespula maculata. Pupae were excised from nine colonies of D. maculata and placed in separate gel capsules in the laboratory. When workers emerged, they were isolated in the absence of other wasps in one of four conditions: 1. With an untreated fragment of their natal nest; 2. With a fragment of their nest that had been extracted with hexane to remove surface hydrocarbons; 3. With a fragment of their nest that had been extracted with hexane, and had then had the extract containing the surface hydrocarbons reapplied; or 4. In the absence of any nest fragment. After 4 d, the newly emerged workers were tested for nestmate recognition with an experienced nestmate and an experienced non‐nestmate in blind triplet tests. Prior exposure to nest‐paper hydrocarbons had no significant effect upon the ability of newly emerged or experienced wasps to recognize their nestmates. Moreover, nestmate recognition did not occur in any treatment group.
Influences on Vigilance in Nine‐banded Armadillos
Authors: McDonough Colleen M. , Loughry W. J.
Published: May 2010

Functional aspects of vigilance in nine‐banded armadillos (Edentata: Dasypus novemcinctus) were investigated. Data on solitary individuals revealed few age or sex differences in time spent vigilant. However, vigilance increased in most social contexts and was highest during intraspecific agonistic encounters. These results suggest social functions for armadillo vigilance. Armadillos with higher vigilance levels had longer flight distances, suggesting that vigilance may also have antipredator benefits. Further examination of flight distances revealed that they varied with age, weather conditions, and time of year (breeding versus non‐breeding season), and were negatively correlated with body size. In total, the results indicate the complexity of vigilance in a solitary species and suggest that armadillo vigilance is multifunctional.
Seasonal Changes in Scents and Responses to them in Meadow Voles: Evidence for the Co‐evolution of Signals and Response Mechanisms
Authors: Ferkin Michael H. , Sorokin Evan S. , Johnston Robert E.
Published: May 2010

Relatively little is known about the mechanisms of communication during the non‐breeding season in species that are seasonal breeders. Previous work with meadow voles, Microtus pennsylvanicus, housed under long photoperiods, has shown that they prefer the odors of opposite‐sex conspecifics. In this paper, we investigated the effects of short photoperiod on preferences for sex‐specific odors and the production of such odors. Short‐photoperiod females preferred anogenital and fecal scents of other short‐photoperiod females over those of males, but did not show sexual preferences for three other scents. Short‐photoperiod males did not exhibit sexual preferences for any of the odors. Furthermore, scents from short‐photoperiod voles did not elicit sex‐specific preferences in long‐photoperiod voles, and scents from long‐photoperiod voles did not elicit preferences from short‐photoperiod voles. These and previous results indicate that both the odors and responses to odors change seasonally and that long‐photoperiod voles respond selectively to scents from long‐photoperiod voles and short‐photoperiod voles respond selectively to scents from short‐photoperiod voles. Taken together, these results suggest the co‐evolution of seasonal changes in scents and in perceptual or other response mechanisms.
Extra‐pair Copulations in a Monogamous Gibbon (Hylobates lar)
Authors: Reichard Ulrich
Published: May 2010

This study, conducted in a rainforest in Thailand, presents the first evidence for extra‐pair copulations in white‐handed gibbons ‐ Asian apes that live in monogamous groups. The ratio of in‐pair copulations versus extra‐pair copulations as observed among three free‐ranging, well‐habituated groups was 88 versus 12 % and involved one adult paired female and three adult paired males. Extra‐pair copulations may be explained as an effort to breed with a partner of superior quality to the current mate and/or may be part of a strategy to forestall infanticide.
Male‐male Competition and Female Mate Choice through Courtship Display in the Territorial Damselfish Stegastes nigricans
Authors: Karino Kenji
Published: May 2010

Both sexes of the herbivorous damselfish Stegastes nigricans maintain individual feeding territories. These territories are distributed contiguously, forming distinct colonies. Females visit male territories to spawn, and eggs are guarded by males until hatching. Male‐male competition and female mate choice were studied in two colonies of different size compositions. Only larger individuals bred in both colonies. Some males in the large colony, that were larger than the breeding males in the small colony, did not succeed in reproducing probably because of severe attacks by the larger males while courting. However, females did not choose large size among breeding males. The most important male characteristic in female choice was the frequency of courtship displays in both colonies. Females in the large colony chose males mainly on the basis of the frequency of displays conducted in the females' territories, whereas females in the small colony chose males on the basis of the frequency of displays conducted in the males' territories. This difference may be a result of the difference in colony size. The distances between females' and males' territories were much greater in the large colony, and, because females cannot see courtship displays conducted in distant male territories, males in the large colony may have had to visit female territories frequently in order to conduct courtship near the females.
Quantitative Comparison of Whistle Repertoires from Captive Adult Bottlenose Dolphins (Delphinidae, Tursiops truncatus): a Re‐evaluation of the Signature Whistle Hypothesis
Authors: McCowan Brenda , Reiss Diana
Published: May 2010

The prevailing view among researchers of dolphin communication is that bottlenose dolphins possess an individualized whistle contour; known as the ‘signature whistle’, it accounts for 74–95 % of a dolphin's whistle repertoire and functions to signal the individual identity of the whistler. This study used a new quantitative technique, termed the contour similarity technique (CS technique), and reports on the quantitative comparison of whistles from the individuals of three different social groups of bottlenose dolphins in socially interactive contexts. Results suggest that captive adult dolphins share several different whistle types including one predominant whistle type shared by all individuals across three different social groups. These analyses suggest a different interpretation of the dolphin whistle repertoire than has previously been proposed by proponents of the signature whistle hypothesis. In addition, results from our study support the results of early studies, published before the advent of the signature whistle hypothesis, in which investigators reported a large whistle repertoire within socially interactive captive and free‐ranging groups and a predominant whistle type similar to that found in our study. Our results, combined with the results from earlier studies of dolphin vocal behaviour, suggest that the signature whistle hypothesis is incomplete and that dolphin whistle repertoires need to be analysed with respect to behavioural context and social relationships. In addition, these results suggest that contour discrimination and other acoustic features of whistles need to be tested in perception and categorization experiments.
Tent Construction by the Short‐nosed Fruit Bat Cynopterus sphinx (Chiroptera: Pteropodidae) in Southern India
Authors: Balasingh J. , Koilraj John , Kunz Thomas H.
Published: May 2010

The short‐nosed fruit bat Cynopterus sphinx (Chiroptera: Pteropodidae) constructs shelters by severing stems of the curtain creeper, Vernonia scandens, and stems and leaves of the mast tree, Polyalthia longifolia, creating partially enclosed cavities (stem tents) in which to roost. Our observations indicate that the construction and maintenance of stem tents are primarily, if not exclusively, the behaviour of single males. A stem tent is formed in V. scandens when a single male C. sphinx severs up to 300 small‐ to medium‐sized stems creating a partially flattened, bell‐shaped cavity, and in P. longifolia when a male severs a few medium‐ to small‐sized branches and many leaf petioles, creating an entry/exit portal and space in which to roost. A tent constructed in V. scandens is completed in approximately 30 d, whereas one in P. longifolia is completed in about 50 d. Stem‐tent construction takes place mostly at night, but some stem chewing occurs in late afternoon. At night a stem tent is occupied by a single male, whereas females are usually absent. During the day the number of bats occupying completed tents is highly variable, ranging from two to 19 females (and their pups) and a single adult male. Tent construction is annually bimodal, which corresponds to a biannual breeding season. A dominant male sometimes deposits saliva on branches inside his tent cavity and actively defends this space from intrusions by other males. Both behaviours suggest forms of scent marking and territorial display. Our observations indicate that dominant males construct tents, recruit females and then defend the tents (and their female occupants) for the purpose of gaining reproductive access. The variance in harem group size indicates that some tent‐making males are more successful than others in recruiting females.
Female Choice Predicts the Best Father in a Biparental Fish, the Midas Cichlid (Cichlasoma citrinellum)
Authors: Rogers William
Published: May 2010

The Midas cichlid is a monogamous, biparental species. It breeds in a highly competitive system where pairs have a low probability of raising fry to independence. Both parents must cooperate to retain the territory and protect the fry from predation. Previous experiments showed that females prefer large, aggressive and sexually experienced males as mates but males do not display any consistent preferences. Here I present the results of two experiments designed to see whether qualities preferred by females correlate with increased success in retaining territories and in providing parental care. Pairs with either large or aggressive males had an advantage in appropriating and holding a breeding territory; reproductive experience conferred no advantage in usurping a territory. Aggressive and reproductively experienced males had an advantage in defending the brood from predators of fry, but size had no effect. Thus, the qualities preferred by females confer advantages both in holding territories and in protecting fry. In contrast, males need not be selective because females, once in possession of a brood, defend it equally well regardless of size, aggressiveness, or reproductive experience. The system is one of mutually enforced monogamy based on female choice; females drive the system because they provide more investment than do males (combining gametes and time) and because this investment is a reliable resource to the male.
Spatial Memory of Homing Pigeons, Columba livia, Tested in an Outdoor Aviary
Authors: Balda Russel P. , Wiltschko Wolfgang
Published: May 2010

Five homing pigeons were trained to dig up hidden seeds buried in one of eight sand‐filled cups in an octagonal aviary. All birds located the correct cup with an accuracy well above chance, irrespective of whether the retention time was between 15 min and 2 1/2 h, or whether it was between 1 d and 4 d. Even after 10 mo, the birds remembered the correct cup with great accuracy. This indicates well‐developed spatial memory capacities of long duration. The method used in this study, based on training pigeons to dig for hidden seeds in combination with an arbitrary standard task, seems highly suitable to test pigeons for their spatial abilities.