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Articles 1 - 30 of 34
Full-Text Articles in Entire DC Network
The City Blues Of An Iridescent Canary: Physiological, Behavioral, And Developmental Impacts Of Lead (Pb) On Songbirds Along An Urban-To-Rural Gradient, Michelle Ross
Master of Science in Integrative Biology Theses
Urbanization is rapidly changing the environment and creating new challenges in the lives of animals across the globe. Anthropogenic contaminants found commonly in old construction materials—including heavy metals like lead— persist within the environment for prolonged periods of time and present a widespread problem for all who live near contaminated areas. Despite the phase-out of lead usage, it continues to threaten the health of all organisms but especially those from urban areas where historical lead use was more common. Currently, the sub-lethal effects of lead on wildlife are not well understood, though lead is known to affect physiology and behavior …
The Centennial Of The Pecking Order: Current State And Future Prospects For The Study Of Dominance Hierarchies, Eli D. Strauss, James P. Curley, Daizaburo Shizuka, Elizabeth A. Hobson
The Centennial Of The Pecking Order: Current State And Future Prospects For The Study Of Dominance Hierarchies, Eli D. Strauss, James P. Curley, Daizaburo Shizuka, Elizabeth A. Hobson
School of Biological Sciences: Faculty Publications
A century ago, foundational work by Thorleif Schjelderup-Ebbe described a ‘pecking order’ in chicken societies, where individuals could be ordered according to their ability to exert their influence over their group-mates. Now known as dominance hierarchies, these structures have been shown to influence a plethora of individual characteristics and outcomes, situating dominance research as a pillar of the study of modern social ecology and evolution. Here, we first review some of the major questions that have been answered about dominance hierarchies in the last 100 years.Next,we introduce the contributions to this theme issue and summarize howthey provide ongoing insight in …
Domarchive: A Century Of Published Dominance Data, Eli D. Strauss, Alex R. Decasien, Gabriela Galindo, Elizabeth A. Hobson, Daizaburo Shizuka, James P. Curley
Domarchive: A Century Of Published Dominance Data, Eli D. Strauss, Alex R. Decasien, Gabriela Galindo, Elizabeth A. Hobson, Daizaburo Shizuka, James P. Curley
School of Biological Sciences: Faculty Publications
Dominance behaviours have been collected for many groups of animals since 1922 and serve as a foundation for research on social behaviour and social structure. Despite a wealth of data from the last century of research on dominance hierarchies, these data are only rarely used for comparative insight. Here, we aim to facilitate comparative studies of the structure and function of dominance hierarchies by compiling published dominance interaction datasets from the last 100 years of work. This compiled archive includes 436 datasets from 190 studies of 367 unique groups (mean group size 13.8, s.d. = 13.4) of 135 different species, …
Is The Dewlap An Honest Signal Of Fighting Ability In The Male Green Anole (Anolis Carolinensis)?, Alexia Hughes
Is The Dewlap An Honest Signal Of Fighting Ability In The Male Green Anole (Anolis Carolinensis)?, Alexia Hughes
Graduate Theses
Signals are morphological or behavioral traits that an individual uses to influence the behavior or actions of another. These signals can be used in male-male competition, in which male secondary sexual traits act as a signal of his fighting ability. Animal signals are considered honest when the signal reliably indicates a specific trait or condition of the individual. The genus Anolis, comprised of over 400 species that occupy the tropics and the southeastern United States, utilize aggressive signaling prior to physical combat. Research on several tropical species of anole indicates that the size of their dewlap can act as an …
The Effect Of Color Morph On Behavior Interactions In Red-Backed Salamanders (Plethodon Cinereus), Taylor M. Aliferis
The Effect Of Color Morph On Behavior Interactions In Red-Backed Salamanders (Plethodon Cinereus), Taylor M. Aliferis
Honors Theses
Studies in behavioral ecology provide critical information regarding a species’ territoriality, predator-prey interactions, and reproduction. Red-backed salamanders (Plethodon cinereus) are a polymorphic terrestrial amphibian whose behavioral interactions have long been studied to provide insights on the processes that structure salamander populations, which are often cryptic and difficult to study. However, research regarding the effect of coloration on these interactions is more limited, but potentially extremely important for studies of population dynamics and speciation in terrestrial salamanders. In this study, aggressive and submissive behaviors of adult male red-backed salamanders in five different color morph treatment pairings were observed to …
Testosterone Amplifies The Negative Valence Of An Agonistic Gestural Display By Exploiting Receiver Perceptual Bias, Nigel K. Anderson, Martina Grabner, Lisa A. Mangiamele, Doris Preininger, Matthew J. Fuxjager
Testosterone Amplifies The Negative Valence Of An Agonistic Gestural Display By Exploiting Receiver Perceptual Bias, Nigel K. Anderson, Martina Grabner, Lisa A. Mangiamele, Doris Preininger, Matthew J. Fuxjager
Biological Sciences: Faculty Publications
Many animals communicate by performing elaborate displays that are incredibly extravagant and wildly bizarre. So, how do these displays evolve? One idea is that innate sensory biases arbitrarily favour the emergence of certain display traits over others, leading to the design of an unusual display. Here, we study how physiological factors associated with signal production influence this process, a topic that has received almost no attention. We focus on a tropical frog, whose males compete for access to females by performing an elaborate waving display. Our results show that sex hormones like testosterone regulate specific display gestures that exploit a …
The Role Of Dislodgement In The Territorial Ecology Of The Owl Limpet, Lottia Gigantea, Ryan T. Kabala, Natalie Swinford, Maria J. Mason, William G. Wright
The Role Of Dislodgement In The Territorial Ecology Of The Owl Limpet, Lottia Gigantea, Ryan T. Kabala, Natalie Swinford, Maria J. Mason, William G. Wright
Biology, Chemistry, and Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles and Research
Ascertaining the risks and benefits of different behaviors is a central goal of research on territoriality. Although most territorial behavior is ritualized, with concomitant reduced risks for both residents and intruders, this ritualization is generally found to be underpinned by rare, highly consequential, interactions. The agonistic behavior of the intertidal owl limpet, Lottia gigantea, involves defense of a feeding territory, and includes a relatively explosive thrusting response by territory holders against intruding conspecifics. We here ask whether this thrusting behavior is capable of entirely dislodging intruders from their rocky wave-swept substratum, thereby ridding the resident of future challenges by …
The Impact Of Anthropogenic Noise On Fish Behavior, Communication, And Development, Julie Butler
The Impact Of Anthropogenic Noise On Fish Behavior, Communication, And Development, Julie Butler
LSU Doctoral Dissertations
Noise pollution is pervasive to nearly all aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems and was labeled a pollutant of global concern by the World Health Organization in 2011. In the past few decades, underwater ambient noise levels have risen almost 30 dB SPL re: 1 µPa in the frequency range that most fish produce and detect acoustic stimuli due to rises in shipping, oil exploration, and pile driving. Changes to the natural soundscape can impact almost all aspects of an animal’s life. My dissertation research takes an integrative, whole-animal approach to examining how increased background noise impacts fish behavior, physiology, development, and …
Ritualized Display Of A Leaf: A Putative Agonistic Signal In Both Sexes Of Tropical Bird, L. M. Kiere, Troy G. Murphy, A. Garcia-Muñoz, M. Osorio-Beristain
Ritualized Display Of A Leaf: A Putative Agonistic Signal In Both Sexes Of Tropical Bird, L. M. Kiere, Troy G. Murphy, A. Garcia-Muñoz, M. Osorio-Beristain
Biology Faculty Research
Birds use many different signaling modalities (e.g. vocalizations, displays) to transmit information about their motivation to defend valuable resources. A handful of taxa use "props", inedible objects scavenged from the environment, in signaling. Several species of motmots (Coraciiformes) hold a leaf in their bill in a display that observational evidence suggests is agonistic. We used a simulated intruder experiment to test this display's agonistic signaling function using data from both members of pairs of russet-crowned motmots (Momotus mexicanus). If the display is agonistic, we expected territory-holding pairs to respond more strongly toward taxidermic mounts displaying a leaf. Our results showed …
Aposematic Signal Variation Predicts Male-Male Interactions In A Polymorphic Poison Frog, Laura Crothers, Eben Gering, Molly Cummings
Aposematic Signal Variation Predicts Male-Male Interactions In A Polymorphic Poison Frog, Laura Crothers, Eben Gering, Molly Cummings
Eben Gering
Many species use conspicuous “aposematic” signals to communicate unpalatability/unprofitability to potential predators. Although aposematic traits are generally considered to be classic examples of evolution by natural selection, they can also function in the context of sexual selection, and therefore comprise exceptional systems for understanding how conspicuous signals evolve under multifarious selection. We used males from a highly territorial poison frog species in a dichotomous choice behavioral test to conduct the first examination of how aposematic signal variation influences male–male interactions. Our results reveal two behavioral patterns: (1) male dorsal brightness influences the behaviors of male conspecifics such that males approach …
Comparison Of Nest Defense Behaviors Of Goshawks (Accipiter Gentilis) From Finland And Montana, Marilyn Wright, Risto Tornberg, Dustin H. Ranglack, Nate Bickford
Comparison Of Nest Defense Behaviors Of Goshawks (Accipiter Gentilis) From Finland And Montana, Marilyn Wright, Risto Tornberg, Dustin H. Ranglack, Nate Bickford
Biology Student Research
As human impacts on wildlife have become a topic of increasing interest, studies have focused on issues such as overexploitation and habitat loss. However, little research has examined potential anthropogenic impacts on animal behavior. Understanding the degree to which human interaction may alter natural animal behavior has become increasingly important in developing effective conservation strategies. We examined two populations of northern goshawks (Accipiter gentilis) in Montana and Finland. Goshawks in Finland were not protected until the late 1980s, and prior to this protection were routinely shot, as it was believed that shooting goshawks would keep grouse populations high. In the …
Competition And Intraguild Predation Between Beetles, Pterostichus Stygicus (Coleoptera: Carabidae) And Centipedes, Scolopocryptops Sexspinosus (Scolopemdromorpha: Scolopocryptopidae), Michele E. Julian, Cari-Ann M. Hickerson, Carl Anthony
Competition And Intraguild Predation Between Beetles, Pterostichus Stygicus (Coleoptera: Carabidae) And Centipedes, Scolopocryptops Sexspinosus (Scolopemdromorpha: Scolopocryptopidae), Michele E. Julian, Cari-Ann M. Hickerson, Carl Anthony
2019 Faculty Bibliography
Studying interactions between distantly related species is necessary to understand the complexity of food webs. Generalist predator interactions, such as intraguild predation (IGP) and competition, can alleviate predation pressure and weaken top–down control that predators have on lower trophic levels. Centipedes (Chilopoda) and carabid beetles (Coleoptera) are common deciduous forest floor generalist predators that may interact by competing for resources beneath rocks and logs on the forest floor, especially during dry periods when prey become confined to such microhabitats. We used laboratory and field studies to determine whether the carabid beetle, Pterostichus stygicus (Say), and the centipede, Scolopocryptops sexspinosus (Say) …
Investigating The Interaction Of Monoamines And Diel Rhythmicity On Anti-Predator Behavior In An Orb-Weaving Spider, Larinioides Cornutus (Araneae: Araneae), Rebecca Wilson
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Circadian rhythms are ubiquitous among organisms, influencing a wide array of physiological processes and behaviors including aggression. While many neurophysiological mechanisms are involved in the regulation of aggressive behaviors, relatively few studies have investigated the underlying components involved in the interplay between circadian rhythms and aggression. Spiders are an ideal model system for studying circadian regulation of aggression as they are ecologically both predators and prey. Recent studies have revealed a nocturnal orb- weaving spider Larinioides cornutus exhibits a diel and circadian rhythm in anti-predator behavior (i.e. boldness) that can be manipulated by administration of octopamine (OA) and serotonin (5- …
Why Do Curly Tail Lizards (Genus Leiocephalus) Curl Their Tails? An Assessment Of Displays Toward Conspecifics And Predators, Bonnie K. Kircher, Michele A. Johnson
Why Do Curly Tail Lizards (Genus Leiocephalus) Curl Their Tails? An Assessment Of Displays Toward Conspecifics And Predators, Bonnie K. Kircher, Michele A. Johnson
Biology Faculty Research
Animal display behaviors are used to convey specific messages to other animals, including potential mates, rivals, and predators. However, because these different types of interactions can be mediated by a single behavioral display, or conversely, multiple signals can be used to convey one specific message, interpretation of any particular behavioral display can be difficult. Leiocephalus lizards (i.e., curly tails) provide an excellent opportunity to study the use of display behaviors across multiple contexts. Previous research has demonstrated that the use of tail curling in these lizards is associated with predation risk, but less is known regarding the use of this …
Data From: Seasonal Variation In The Utility Of A Status Signaling System: Plumage Ornament Predicts Foraging Success Only During Periods Of High Competition, Philip Queller, Troy G. Murphy
Data From: Seasonal Variation In The Utility Of A Status Signaling System: Plumage Ornament Predicts Foraging Success Only During Periods Of High Competition, Philip Queller, Troy G. Murphy
Biology Faculty Research
No abstract provided.
The Effects Of Arginine Vasopressin On Maternal Behavior And Aggression In Peromyscus Californicus Mothers, Nathaniel Ng
The Effects Of Arginine Vasopressin On Maternal Behavior And Aggression In Peromyscus Californicus Mothers, Nathaniel Ng
Honors Projects
Research studies since the 1950s have shown that a chemical within the brain called arginine vasopressin (AVP) is associated with the modulation of many different social behaviors in mammals. Some of these behaviors are related to parenting, such as parental care initiation, aggression, social recognition, depression and anxiety. Understanding the physiology behind AVP regulation could allow for the creation of new therapies for treating human social disorders, such as using an AVP receptor antagonist to attenuate anxiety. This project examines how neural injections of AVP and an AVP receptor antagonist affect both maternal care and aggression in female Peromyscus californicus …
Octopamine Levels Relate To Male Mating Tactic Expression In The Wolf Spider Rabidosa Punctulata, Eileen A. Hebets, Matthew Hansen, Thomas C. Jones, Dustin J. Wilgers
Octopamine Levels Relate To Male Mating Tactic Expression In The Wolf Spider Rabidosa Punctulata, Eileen A. Hebets, Matthew Hansen, Thomas C. Jones, Dustin J. Wilgers
Eileen Hebets Publications
In the wolf spider Rabidosa punctulata, upon encountering a female, males use one of two distinct strategies: (1) they court the female in an attempt to elicit a mating, or (2) they engage in a direct-mount tactic that involves extensive grappling with the female until a mating is achieved. The latter tactic appears more sexually aggressive, and both tactics come with the risk of being cannibalized. We explored the physiological mechanisms underlying this behavioral variation by assessing the relationship between circulating levels of the biogenic amine octopamine (OA), a neuromodulator suggested to play a role in “fight or flight” responses …
Foraging Ecology Of Shorebirds At A Stopover Site: Niche Dynamics, Aggression And Resource Use In Delaware Bay, Ivana Novcic
Foraging Ecology Of Shorebirds At A Stopover Site: Niche Dynamics, Aggression And Resource Use In Delaware Bay, Ivana Novcic
Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects
Classical ecological theory predicts that generally similar species ought to partition resources in order to minimize competition amongst themselves. This basic idea becomes complex when one is dealing with species that migrate over thousands of miles and forage in a broad diversity of habitats and geographical locations. I studied a suite of migratory sandpipers, and asked whether they partitioned niches at a major migratory stopover in Delaware Bay. During migration, shorebirds form large, usually mixed-species flocks, which forage on marshes, mudflats, beaches or similar two-dimensional habitats where all individuals are distributed on the same horizontal plane. These habitats are often …
Estrogen Receptors In The Medial Amygdala Inhibit The Expression Of Male Prosocial Behavior, Bruce S. Cushing, Adam Perry, Sergei Musatov, Sonoko Ogawa
Estrogen Receptors In The Medial Amygdala Inhibit The Expression Of Male Prosocial Behavior, Bruce S. Cushing, Adam Perry, Sergei Musatov, Sonoko Ogawa
Bruce S. Cushing
Studies using estrogen receptor alpha(ER) knock-out mice indicate that ER alpha masculinizes male behavior. Recent studies of ER alpha and male prosocial behavior have shown an inverse relationship between ER alpha expression in regions of the brain that regulate social behavior, including the medial amygdala (MeA), and the expression of male prosocial behavior. These studies have lead to the hypothesis that low levels of ER alpha are necessary to "permit" the expression of high levels of male prosocial behavior. To test this, viral vectors were used to enhance ER alpha in male prairie voles (Microtus ochrogaster), which display high levels …
Life In Groups: The Roles Of Oxytocin In Mammalian Sociality, Allison M.J. Anacker, Annaliese K. Beery
Life In Groups: The Roles Of Oxytocin In Mammalian Sociality, Allison M.J. Anacker, Annaliese K. Beery
Psychology: Faculty Publications
In recent decades, scientific understanding of the many roles of oxytocin (OT) in social behavior has advanced tremendously. The focus of this research has been on maternal attachments and reproductive pair-bonds, and much less is known about the substrates of sociality outside of reproductive contexts. It is now apparent that OT influences many aspects of social behavior including recognition, trust, empathy, and other components of the behavioral repertoire of social species. This review provides a comparative perspective on the contributions of OT to life in mammalian social groups. We provide background on the functions of OT in maternal attachments and …
Interrelationships Between Testosterone, Aggression, And Parental Care Of A Temperate-Zone, Resident Songbird, The Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis Cardinalis), Margaret Susan Devries
Interrelationships Between Testosterone, Aggression, And Parental Care Of A Temperate-Zone, Resident Songbird, The Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis Cardinalis), Margaret Susan Devries
Dissertations
Interrelationships among testosterone (T), aggression, and parental care have received much investigative attention. Within birds, many studies have focused on examining such relationships using species characterized by relatively brief periods of territoriality and breeding. Few have investigated links between circulating T and reproductive behavior in birds that are year-round territorial residents and have lengthy breeding seasons, such as the Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis). The following six chapters report and discuss findings from this dissertation’s examination of aspects of T production and potential interconnections with circulating T, aggression, and parental care in male and female cardinals. This work suggests …
Biogenic Amine Levels Correlate With Time Of Day, Age, Light Cycle, And Aggressive State In The Flesh Fly, Sarcophaga Crassipalpis, Veronica L. Fregoso
Biogenic Amine Levels Correlate With Time Of Day, Age, Light Cycle, And Aggressive State In The Flesh Fly, Sarcophaga Crassipalpis, Veronica L. Fregoso
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
The biogenic amines serotonin (5HT), dopamine (DA), and octopamine (OA) have been indicated in the regulation of behaviors, including aggression. The flesh fly, Sarcophaga crassipalpis, was used to investigate ontogenetic and circadian changes in amines and aggression. Heads of male flies were analyzed for amine content using high performance liquid chromatography with electrochemical detection (HPLC-ECD) at 3 time points on each of 4 consecutive days in 2 light cycles, 12:12 LD and 15:9 LD. Both DA and OA levels decreased with age. Light-cycle dependent differences were observed for all amines in overall levels and patterns of change throughout the …
Environmentally Realistic Exposure To The Herbicide Atrazine Alters Some Sexually Selected Traits In Male Guppies, Kausalya Shenoy
Environmentally Realistic Exposure To The Herbicide Atrazine Alters Some Sexually Selected Traits In Male Guppies, Kausalya Shenoy
Biology Faculty Publications
Male mating signals, including ornaments and courtship displays, and other sexually selected traits, like male-male aggression, are largely controlled by sex hormones. Environmental pollutants, notably endocrine disrupting compounds, can interfere with the proper functioning of hormones, thereby impacting the expression of hormonally regulated traits. Atrazine, one of the most widely used herbicides, can alter sex hormone levels in exposed animals. I tested the effects of environmentally relevant atrazine exposures on mating signals and behaviors in male guppies, a sexually dimorphic freshwater fish. Prolonged atrazine exposure reduced the expression of two honest signals: the area of orange spots (ornaments) and the …
The Group-Level Consequences Of Sexual Conflict In Multigroup Populations, Omar Tonsi Eldakar, Andrew C. Gallup
The Group-Level Consequences Of Sexual Conflict In Multigroup Populations, Omar Tonsi Eldakar, Andrew C. Gallup
Biology Faculty Articles
In typical sexual conflict scenarios, males best equipped to exploit females are favored locally over more prudent males, despite reducing female fitness. However, local advantage is not the only relevant form of selection. In multigroup populations, groups with less sexual conflict will contribute more offspring to the next generation than higher conflict groups, countering the local advantage of harmful males. Here, we varied male aggression within-and between-groups in a laboratory population of water striders and measured resulting differences in local population growth over a period of three weeks. The overall pool fitness (i.e., adults produced) of less aggressive pools exceeded …
Aposematic Signal Variation Predicts Male-Male Interactions In A Polymorphic Poison Frog, Laura Crothers, Eben Gering, Molly Cummings
Aposematic Signal Variation Predicts Male-Male Interactions In A Polymorphic Poison Frog, Laura Crothers, Eben Gering, Molly Cummings
Biology Faculty Articles
Many species use conspicuous “aposematic” signals to communicate unpalatability/unprofitability to potential predators. Although aposematic traits are generally considered to be classic examples of evolution by natural selection, they can also function in the context of sexual selection, and therefore comprise exceptional systems for understanding how conspicuous signals evolve under multifarious selection. We used males from a highly territorial poison frog species in a dichotomous choice behavioral test to conduct the first examination of how aposematic signal variation influences male–male interactions. Our results reveal two behavioral patterns: (1) male dorsal brightness influences the behaviors of male conspecifics such that males approach …
Physical Habitat And Social Conditions Across A Coral Reef Shape Spatial Patterns Of Intraspecific Behavioral Variation In A Demersal Fish, Meagan N. Schrandt, Kristin M. Hardy, Kaitlin M. Johnson, Sean C. Lema
Physical Habitat And Social Conditions Across A Coral Reef Shape Spatial Patterns Of Intraspecific Behavioral Variation In A Demersal Fish, Meagan N. Schrandt, Kristin M. Hardy, Kaitlin M. Johnson, Sean C. Lema
Biological Sciences
As coral reef ecosystems decline in health worldwide, reef-associated fishes are being impacted by changes to their coral reef habitats. While previous studies have shown coral reef structure to affect the demography of reef fishes, changes in reef conditions may also impact the behavior of reef fishes as they cope with altered habitats. In this study, we examined spatial patterns of intraspecific behavioral variation in the bicolor damselfish (Stegastes partitus) across the fringing reefs of Curaçao (Caribbean Sea), and explored how this behavioral variation associated with physical and social conditions on the reef. Principal components analysis (PCA) condensed …
Shelter Availability, Occupancy, And Residency In Size-Asymmetric Contests Between Rusty Crayfish, Orconectes Rusticus, Nathan M. Klar
Shelter Availability, Occupancy, And Residency In Size-Asymmetric Contests Between Rusty Crayfish, Orconectes Rusticus, Nathan M. Klar
University of Kentucky Master's Theses
Contest outcomes are usually determined by differences in resource holding potential, the social histories of the combatants, and perceptions of resource value. One understudied aspect of gaining an advantage is the residency effect. Prior occupancy of a particular place can affect the knowledge and motivation of the resident. There could be a tactical advantage in knowing the terrain or an increased willingness to fight to maintain control of a familiar area. In this study we evaluated the importance of shelter residency effects relative to size differences between rusty crayfish (Orconectes rusticus) as potential competitors for access to shelter. …
Estrogen Receptors In The Medial Amygdala Inhibit The Expression Of Male Prosocial Behavior, Bruce S. Cushing, Adam Perry, Sergei Musatov, Sonoko Ogawa
Estrogen Receptors In The Medial Amygdala Inhibit The Expression Of Male Prosocial Behavior, Bruce S. Cushing, Adam Perry, Sergei Musatov, Sonoko Ogawa
Biology Faculty Research
Studies using estrogen receptor alpha(ER) knock-out mice indicate that ER alpha masculinizes male behavior. Recent studies of ER alpha and male prosocial behavior have shown an inverse relationship between ER alpha expression in regions of the brain that regulate social behavior, including the medial amygdala (MeA), and the expression of male prosocial behavior. These studies have lead to the hypothesis that low levels of ER alpha are necessary to "permit" the expression of high levels of male prosocial behavior. To test this, viral vectors were used to enhance ER alpha in male prairie voles (Microtus ochrogaster), which display high levels …
Effect Of Social Status On The Behavior And Neurophysiology Of Crayfish, Fadi Aziz Issa
Effect Of Social Status On The Behavior And Neurophysiology Of Crayfish, Fadi Aziz Issa
Biology Dissertations
Adaptation to changing social conditions is important for many social animals. Here, the effects of social experience on the behavior and neurophysiology of the red swamp crayfish, Procambarus clarkii, were studied. Evidence is presented that shows juvenile crayfish interact and form social order, and their behavior patterns shift in accordance to social status. Dominant animals maintain a high level of aggressive behavior, while subordinates shift their behavior pattern from aggressive to submissive behavior. Adult male crayfish show similar behavior pattern during dominance formation. However, this work demonstrates that male crayfish adopt a unique strategy to signify the formation of a …
Population Divergence In Plasticity Of The Avt System And Its Association With Aggressive Behaviors In A Death Valley Pupfish, Sean C. Lema
Population Divergence In Plasticity Of The Avt System And Its Association With Aggressive Behaviors In A Death Valley Pupfish, Sean C. Lema
Biological Sciences
Behavioral differences can evolve rapidly in allopatry, but little is known about the neural bases of such changes. Allopatric populations of Amargosa pupfish (Cyprinodon nevadensis) vary in aggression and courtship behaviors in the wild. Two of these wild populations were recently found to differ in brain expression of arginine vasotocin (AVT)—a peptide hormone shown previously to modulate aggression in pupfish. These populations have been isolated for less than 4000 years, so it remained unclear whether the differences in behavior and neural AVT phenotype were evolved changes or plastic responses to ecologically dissimilar habitats. Here, I tested whether these …