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Fernández-Juricic, E., Smith, R., & Kacelnik, A. (2005). Increasing the costs of conspecific scanning in socially foraging starlings affects vigilance and foraging behaviour. Anim. Behav., 69(1), 73–81.
Abstract: Social foragers receive and use information both about companions (social information) and about events external to the group, such as presence of potential predators. Scanning behaviour is often incorporated in theoretical models using simplifying assumptions in relation to the trade-off in information gathering between body postures (head-up versus head-down); however, some avian visual systems may allow individuals to scan in both body postures. We studied these issues experimentally, using starlings, Sturnus vulgaris, foraging in enclosures on natural fields. We varied the availability of information from conspecifics by placing visual barriers that blocked the view when the subjects were in head-down position and by manipulating the distance between group members. We found that as social information was reduced, starlings spent more time scanning (on and off the ground) and head-up scanning was mainly oriented towards conspecifics. The visual-obstruction effects imply that some information about conspecifics is normally gathered while starlings are foraging head-down. Neighbour distance and visual obstruction negatively affected food-searching rates and intake rates in two ways: (1) the effect of obstruction was mediated mostly through time competition between foraging and scanning on the ground, and (2) the effect of distance was due to a reduction in the rate of prey returns per searching effort while the birds were head-down. We conclude that the head-up posture is only one component of scanning, that the effects of head-down scanning should also be considered in species with ample visual fields, and that scanning in starlings is strongly connected to monitoring other flock members.
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Reddon, A. R., & Hurd, P. L. (2009). Individual differences in cerebral lateralization are associated with shy-bold variation in the convict cichlid. Anim. Behav., 77(1), 189–193.
Abstract: Cerebral lateralization, the preferential use of one hemisphere of the brain to perform certain cognitive functions, is a widespread and evolutionarily ancient adaptation. Lateralization appears to enhance cognitive capacity, yet substantial individual variation in the strength cerebral lateralization is apparent in all species studied so far. It is puzzling that cerebral lateralization, a seemingly advantageous trait, has not been driven to fixation. It has been suggested that variation in lateralization may be linked to individual variation in behaviour, which itself may be subject to disruptive selection. We examined the relation between cerebral lateralization and individual variation in boldness in the convict cichlid, Archocentrus nigrofasciatus. We show that convict cichlids that are more strongly lateralized when exploring a familiar environment, but not a novel one, are quicker to emerge from a shelter in a test for boldness. The possibility that cerebral lateralization is linked to life history strategy is discussed.
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Cameron EZ, L. W. L. (2000). Individual mares bias investment in sons and daughters in relation to their condition. Anim. Behav., 60(3), 359–367.
Abstract: The Trivers-Willard hypothesis (TWH) predicts that a mother will treat a son or daughter differently depending on her ability to invest and the impact of her investment on offspring reproductive success. Although many studies have investigated the hypothesis, few have definitively supported or refuted it because of confounding factors or an inappropriate level of analysis. We studied maternal investment in sons and daughters in feral horses, Equus caballus, which meet the assumptions of the TWH with a minimum of confounding variables. Population level analyses revealed no differences in maternal behaviour towards sons and daughters. When we incorporated mare condition, we found that sons were more costly to mares in good condition, whereas daughters were more costly to mares in poor condition, although no differences in maternal behaviour were found. However, since the TWH makes predictions about individual mothers, we examined investment by mares who reared both a son and a daughter in different years of the study. Mares in good condition invested more in their sons in terms of maternal care patterns, costs to maternal body condition and costs to future reproduction. Conversely, mares in poor condition invested more in daughters. Therefore, with an appropriate level of analysis in a species in which confounding variables are minimal, the predictions of the Trivers-Willard hypothesis are supported. Copyright 2000 The Association for the Study of Animal Behaviour.
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Karavanich, C., & Atema, J. (1998). Individual recognition and memory in lobster dominance. Anim. Behav., 56(6), 1553–1560.
Abstract: American lobsters,Homarus americanus, form stable dominance relationships in captivity. Size, sex and stage in the moult cycle are important determinants for dominance. Other factors, such as recent agonistic experience play a role. This paper investigates how lobsters maintain their stable dominance relationships: they may recognize individuals or alternatively, recognize overall dominance status. We paired lobsters in two consecutive `boxing matches'. Results indicate that lobsters remember familiar opponents when kept either in isolation or in communal tanks for 24 h between their first and second fights. Subordinates immediately backed away from familiar dominants, avoiding a second fight. In some animals, this memory lasted between 1-2 weeks if pairs were kept separate between the first and second fights. When paired for the second fight against unfamiliar dominant lobsters, subordinate lobsters from first fights actively fought and won the encounter. These results suggest that lobsters are capable of `individual recognition'. In nature, the observed social organization of lobsters may be maintained by individual recognition of a small number of residents inhabiting separate, nearby shelters.
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Sayigh, L. S., Tyack, P. L., Wells, R. S., Solow, A. R., Scott, M. D., & Irvine, A. B. (1999). Individual recognition in wild bottlenose dolphins: a field test using playback experiments. Anim. Behav., 57(1), 41–50.
Abstract: We conducted playback experiments with wild bottlenose dolphins, Tursiops truncatus, to determine whether there is sufficient information in their individually distinctive signature whistles for individual recognition. We conducted experiments with members of a resident community of dolphins in waters near Sarasota, Florida, during temporary capture-release projects. We used a paired playback design, wherein the same two whistle sequences were predicted to evoke opposite responses from two different target animals. This design controlled for any unknown cues that may have been present in the playback stimuli. We predicted that mothers would respond more strongly to the whistles of their own independent offspring than to the whistles of a familiar, similar-aged nonoffspring. Similarly, we predicted that independent offspring would respond more strongly to the whistles of their own mother than to the whistles of a familiar, similar-aged female. Target animals were significantly (P<0.02) more likely to respond to the predicted stimuli, with responses measured by the number of head turns towards the playback speaker. In bottlenose dolphin societies, stable, individual-specific relationships are intermixed with fluid patterns of association between individuals. In primate species that live in similar 'fission-fusion' type societies, individual recognition is commonplace. Thus, when taken in the context of what is known about the social structure and behaviour of bottlenose dolphins, these playback experiments suggest that signature whistles are used for individual recognition. Copyright 1999 The Association for the Study of Animal Behaviour.
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Kacelnik, A. (1987). Information primacy or preference for familiar foraging techniques? A critique of Inglis & Ferguson. Anim. Behav., 35(3), 925–926.
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Rutberg, A. T. (1990). Inter-group transfer in assateague pony mares. Anim. Behav., 40(5), 945–952.
Abstract: Between-previous termgroup transfernext term of adult female previous termponies,next term Equus caballus, was investigated for three consecutive summers on previous Assateaguenext Island, Maryland, U.S.A. Both the previous terminternext term-band movements of individual previous termmares and the marenext term turnover rates of one-male “harem” bands were examined. Long-term previous termtransfersnext term occurred at rates ranging from 0·06 to 0·18 per previous termmarenext term per month. previous termMaresnext term with foals transferred more frequently than previous termmaresnext term without foals, but neither female age, pregnancy, nearest-neighbour distances nor dominance rank affected the likelihood of transferring. Band turnover rates were uncorrelated with the average frequency of previous termmare-marenext term aggression within the band, but new previous termmaresnext term entering a band suffered a transient rise in aggression received. Thus, female aggression did not encourage, and may have discouraged, previous terminternext term-band previous termtransfers.next term Older stallions and stallions who had held bands for 2 years or more had significantly larger and more stable bands. Fewer previous termmarenext term turnovers were seen in bands whose stallions tended to face their previous termmares,next term showed a relatively high proportion of time feeding, and showed a relatively low proportion of time involved in aggression with other stallions, although at marginal levels of significance for all three variables. Thus, variability in stallion attributes, and possibly behaviour, probably plays the strongest role in determining previous termmare transfernext term patterns at previous termAssateague.next term
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Pongrácz, P., Miklósi, Á., Kubinyi, E., Topál, J., & Csányi, V. (2003). Interaction between individual experience and social learning in dogs. Anim. Behav., 65(3), 595–603.
Abstract: We investigated the interaction between individual experience and social learning in domestic dogs,Canis familiaris . We conducted two experiments using detour tests, where an object or food was placed behind a transparent, V-shaped wire-mesh fence, such that the dogs could get the reward by going around the fence. In some groups, two open doors were offered as an alternative, easier way to reach the reward. In experiment 1 we opened the doors only in trial 1, then closed them for trials 2 and 3. In experiment 2 other dogs were first taught to detour the fence with closed doors after they had observed a detouring human demonstrator, then we opened the doors for three subsequent trials. In experiment 1 all dogs reached the reward by going through the doors in trial 1, but their detouring performance was poor after the doors had been closed, if they had to solve the task on their own. However, dogs in the experimental group that were allowed to watch a detouring human demonstrator after the doors had been closed showed improved detouring ability compared with those that did not receive a demonstration of detouring. In experiment 2 the dogs tended to keep on detouring along the fence even if the doors had been opened, giving up a chance to get behind the fence by a shorter route. These results show that dogs can use information gained by observing a human demonstrator to overcome their own mistakenly preferred solution in a problem situation. In a reversed situation social learning can also contribute to a preference for a less adaptive behaviour. However, only repeated individual and social experience leads to a durable manifestation of maladaptive behaviour. Copyright 2003 Published by Elsevier Science Ltd on behalf of The Association for the Study of Animal Behaviour.
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Cameron, E. Z. (1998). Is suckling behaviour a useful predictor of milk intake? A review. Anim. Behav., 56(3), 521–532.
Abstract: In studies on mammalian parental investment, time spent suckling is often used as a predictor of the milk transferred from mother to infant. It is assumed that the rate of milk transfer is positively correlated with the time spent suckling. However, this assumption has not been tested and empirical studies show conflicting results. Nevertheless, in species in which suckling can readily be observed, time spent suckling is still used to measure milk transfer, although an increasing number of workers recognize that the measure is potentially inaccurate. A meta-analysis on studies that have correlated measures of time spent suckling with milk intake estimates based on weight gain revealed a weak positive relationship and significant heterogeneity between studies. Isotope-labelling techniques for the measurement of milk transfer independent of behaviour have been in use since the 1970s, particularly in studies of species in which suckling is difficult to observe. Only one study has attempted to correlate behavioural measures with independent isotope measures, and it found no relationship between the two measures. I suggest that researchers have avoided such a test as it is unlikely that a strong relationship will be found between milk transfer and suckling behaviour, and I discuss the various factors that confound the relationship and contribute to high heterogeneity between studies. Consequently, the assumption that milk transfer can be measured by time spent suckling has inadequate empirical foundation, and needs to be tested using isotope-labelling methods. Copyright 1998 The Association for the Study of Animal Behaviour
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Jennings, D. J., Gammell, M. P., Carlin, C. M., & Hayden, T. J. (2003). Is the parallel walk between competing male fallow deer, Dama dama, a lateral display of individual quality? Anim. Behav., 65(5), 1005–1012.
Abstract: During competitive encounters protagonists are expected to use signals of individual quality particularly if there is a risk of injury or death. Lateral presentation of body profile, by which information regarding phenotypic characteristics associated with individual quality are displayed, may represent such a strategy. During aggressive interactions, male fallow deer frequently engage in parallel walking which is assumed to represent a mutual display of quality, as mediated by exposure of the maximal profile of the body or antlers. We examined the context and role of the parallel walk during competitive encounters to investigate whether there was evidence that dyads of competing males were assessing differences in phenotypic characteristics. There was no evidence to support the hypotheses that the parallel walk is a lateral display of body size or weaponry or that its use is associated with a reduced level of escalated or risky behaviours during fighting. Total time spent fighting was not shorter when a parallel walk was present than when there was no parallel walk. The parallel walk was highly associated with fighting and it was more likely to be initiated by the subsequent loser. Furthermore, parallel walking frequently followed bouts of fighting and as such may represent a strategy that permits an animal the opportunity to decide whether to continue fighting. Parallel walking was also associated with a failure to resolve contests in favour of one animal indicating that it may be a means of withdrawing from further fighting without incurring a loss in dominance status. Copyright 2003 Published by Elsevier Science Ltd on behalf of The Association for the Study of Animal Behaviour.
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