acta ethologica最新文献

{"title":"Nest dismantling behaviour of the Nilgiri laughingthrush (Montecincla cachinnans) in the Upper Nilgiris, Southern Western Ghats, India","authors":"Ranjitha Jayaraman,&nbsp;Babu Santhanakrishnan,&nbsp;Raja Selvaraju","doi":"10.1007/s10211-026-00515-0","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s10211-026-00515-0","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>We assessed the nest dismantling behaviour in the Nilgiri Laughingthrush <i>Montecincla cachinnans</i>, a high-elevation endemic bird of the Western Ghats, India. Among the 42 nests located, we monitored 38 nests consistently (29 manually and nine using camera traps) to assess this behaviour. Nearly 87% (33) of the monitored nests were dismantled, which is relatively higher than previously documented. Both parents were involved in dismantling the nest. Interestingly, breeding outcomes (successful fledging vs. predation) did not influence nest dismantling decisions. However, the initiation of dismantling occurred more quickly following predation events than after successful fledgling events. Peak dismantling activity was observed during the early morning hours, although individual variation in timing was evident among the birds. We discussed potential hypotheses (predator avoidance, nest site competition, and time and energy) for this behaviour in the context of avian post-breeding nest management strategies.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":6879,"journal":{"name":"acta ethologica","volume":"30 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.3,"publicationDate":"2026-11-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149338388","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Factors determining greeting behavior in a captive group of yellow baboons","authors":"Natalia Linkowska,&nbsp; Shubha,&nbsp;Małgorzata E. Arlet","doi":"10.1007/s10211-026-00514-1","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s10211-026-00514-1","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Greetings are non-aggressive behavioral exchanges, common in several primate species yet their structure and function remain poorly understood, particularly outside male-male dyads. We investigated the determinants of greeting behavior in a captive group of yellow baboons (<i>Papio cynocephalus</i>; 12 females, 9 males), focusing on the effects of rank, sex configuration, and context on greeting frequency, complexity, and reciprocity. As grooming constitutes a fundamental social interaction among primates, we also analyzed factors influencing grooming frequency and its relation with both frequency and mean complexity of greetings. We found that male-male dyads engaged in greetings more frequently, with greater complexity, and showed higher reciprocity compared to female-female dyads. Furthermore, in general, individuals who initiated more grooming in the dyads greeted the recipient less often. However, this effect of grooming was found to be significantly influenced by the sex configuration of the dyad. Greetings occurred predominantly in socially neutral contexts, and contextual variables did not significantly predict greeting complexity. Contrary to expectations, rank did not influence greeting behavior, suggesting that greetings do not primarily function as signals of dominance in this group. Interestingly, dyads that groomed each other more frequently exchanged less complex greetings, indicating that strong social bonds may reduce the need for elaborate signaling. In contrast, individuals with weaker affiliative relationships engaged in more complex greetings, potentially to assess or reinforce social ties. Our findings complement the existing literature and may provide a useful basis for comparison in future studies conducted in both wild and captive settings.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":6879,"journal":{"name":"acta ethologica","volume":"30 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.3,"publicationDate":"2026-10-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s10211-026-00514-1.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149339212","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Structured aggression and dominance dynamics in long-lived colonial African penguins (Spheniscus demersus)","authors":"Bálint Kovács,&nbsp;Borbála Kocsis,&nbsp;Péter Kollár,&nbsp;Ivett Pipoly","doi":"10.1007/s10211-026-00513-2","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s10211-026-00513-2","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Social hierarchies develop through repeated agonistic interactions among group members and can be shaped by both agonistic encounters and non-agonistic relationships, such as patterns of association; in turn, they can influence access to resources, individual fitness, and group stability. While sex and age are well-known determinants of dominance, the role of early-life rearing history remains poorly understood, particularly in long-lived birds. Here, we investigated how sex, age, and rearing method shape dominance structure and its temporal dynamics in African penguins <i>(Spheniscus demersus)</i> housed at the Budapest Zoo, Hungary. We conducted 98 days of behavioural observations during feeding events and quantified aggressive interactions using social network analysis. Dominance was measured with David’s Score (DS), a widely used dominance index, calculated across 14 consecutive 7-day observation windows. We fitted a longitudinal linear mixed model, with individual identity as a random effect to account for repeated observations. Males consistently occupied higher dominance ranks than females, and dominance showed a significant non-linear relationship with age, declining steeply in younger individuals and levelling off in older birds due to a significant positive quadratic effect of age. Rearing history did not predict overall dominance level; however, both mix-reared and hand-reared individuals showed significantly more positive dominance trajectories over time compared to parent-reared conspecifics. Sex did not significantly predict the rate of change in dominance rank. Importantly, we discuss how the positive dominance trajectories of mix- and hand-reared birds may reflect a highly competitive approach to food acquisition in feeding contexts, and we caution against interpreting dominance success during feeding as a general indicator of social integration or colony-wide competence. These findings demonstrate that intrinsic traits and developmental history jointly structure social hierarchies in a threatened seabird species, and underscore the need to incorporate early-life history into the management and conservation of captive populations.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":6879,"journal":{"name":"acta ethologica","volume":"30 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.3,"publicationDate":"2026-10-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s10211-026-00513-2.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149250628","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Sniffing and spraying: first insights into the marking behaviour in wildcats (Felis silvestris) through a citizen science camera-trapping project in Italy","authors":"Simone Calandri,&nbsp;Antonino Abbruzzo,&nbsp;Giorgia Bertagni,&nbsp;Alfredo Bruno,&nbsp;Tommaso Busconi,&nbsp;Luciano Cicognani,&nbsp;Stefano Comazzi,&nbsp;Ivano Da Corte,&nbsp;Fabio Dartora,&nbsp;Vanessa Draksler,&nbsp;Stefano Filacorda,&nbsp;Lorenzo Filoni,&nbsp;Elisa Fimiani,&nbsp;David Francescangeli,&nbsp;Giovanni Gallipo,&nbsp;Lorenzo Gaudiano,&nbsp;Mario Kemeny,&nbsp;Fabrizio Gerardo Lioy,&nbsp;Maurizio Maggiorotti,&nbsp;Franca Monti,&nbsp;Alex Nardone,&nbsp;Tommaso Nuti,&nbsp;Girolamo Parretta,&nbsp;Andre Roveyaz,&nbsp;Simone Rutella,&nbsp;Sara Savazza,&nbsp;Gianluca Serra,&nbsp;Antonio Sicuro,&nbsp;Niccolò Tramontana,&nbsp;Claudio Vecchietti,&nbsp;Carlo Vecchioli,&nbsp;Sara Zannoni,&nbsp;Clayton Kent Nielsen,&nbsp;Sebastien Devillard,&nbsp;Stefano Anile","doi":"10.1007/s10211-026-00511-4","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s10211-026-00511-4","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Marking behaviour is crucial for regulating territoriality in felids. We leveraged a large-scale citizen science camera-trapping project in Italy to investigate European wildcat (<i>Felis silvestris</i>) marking behavior, plus the exploratory sniffing behaviour, in relation to sex, season, substrate and light. We collected wildcat detections (<i>n</i> = 1614) from l697 cameras during 77,595 camera-days and analyzed 106 marking detections originated from 52 individuals (females = 28, males = 24) taken at 55 cameras. We assessed interrelationships between marking behaviour and covariates using Bayesian networks, followed by a hierarchical Bayesian model for estimating the probability of spraying. Marking behaviour was most frequent during spring and winter, with spraying the most observed type of marking, primarily on standing trees. Other relationships included: (i) males marking at higher frequency than females across seasons, in addition to males engaging in spraying when they did not perform clawing; and (ii) sniffing that positively influenced the probability of a subsequent rub.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":6879,"journal":{"name":"acta ethologica","volume":"29 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.3,"publicationDate":"2026-09-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149133251","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Distributed social learning hypothesis: a driving mechanism for filling the missing fragments of innate complex patterns","authors":"Zhanna Reznikova","doi":"10.1007/s10211-026-00506-1","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s10211-026-00506-1","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Social learning and communication enable animals to enhance their adaptability and behavioural flexibility in response to changing environmental conditions. This paper examines current perspectives on the diversity of social learning mechanisms, their ecological significance, and the behavioural mechanisms underlying the spread of novel behaviours within animal groups, with particular attention to the relationship between innovativeness and intelligence and the potential for innovative behaviours to spread through social learning. Within this framework, I highlight the distributed social learning (DSL) hypothesis, which posits that the initial performance of a complete behavioural pattern by a few individuals promotes its spread among conspecifics that possess only dormant fragments of the same behaviour. These fragments consist of short, neutral action sequences that, under favourable conditions, can be integrated into a coherent and functional pattern. Drawing on a wide range of research on social learning, I propose that DSL functions as a form of ‘folk culture’, blending innate, previously dormant behavioural components with learned ones. This process may enable animals to assemble novel behavioural patterns by recruiting and integrating pre-existing latent fragments of behaviour more efficiently than would be possible through entirely de novo acquisition.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":6879,"journal":{"name":"acta ethologica","volume":"29 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.3,"publicationDate":"2026-09-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148926773","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Prey size influences the feeding behaviour of predatory female Photuris lugubris fireflies (Coleoptera: Lampyridae)","authors":"Aldair Vergara,&nbsp;Carlos Cordero","doi":"10.1007/s10211-026-00508-z","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s10211-026-00508-z","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Hunting female fireflies of the Photurinae subfamily specialize in feeding on heterospecific male fireflies, generally smaller than themselves, responding to their courtship signals. <i>Photuris</i> spp. females hunt males of <i>Photinus</i> spp. species, from which they obtain nutrients and defensive toxins. In some localities, <i>Photuris lugubris</i> is sympatric with <i>Photinus extensus</i>, whose males are larger than the hunting females. Here, we report a field study of the frequency of interactions between signalling <i>P. extensus</i> males and hunting <i>P. lugubris</i> females. We also report an experiment to determine whether <i>P. lugubris</i> females attack and feed on <i>P. extensus</i> males in captivity. In more than 18 h of focal observations, we only observed one case in which a <i>P. extensus</i> male was attracted by a <i>P. lugubris</i> female, but no attack occurred. In our experiment, females attacked in 17% of the opportunities they had. However, instead of the typical feeding on soft tissues and killing of the prey (as observed, for example, when <i>P. lugubris</i> females feed on males of the smaller <i>Photinus palaciosi</i>), the females restrained the males with their legs and mandibles and fed on the liquid substance (presumably, haemolymph) exuded from pores located along the margin of the elytra and pronotum (reflex bleeding). All attacked males freed themselves and recovered from the attack. To the best of our knowledge, we are the first to report this peculiar non-lethal predatory behaviour in fireflies.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":6879,"journal":{"name":"acta ethologica","volume":"29 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.3,"publicationDate":"2026-09-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s10211-026-00508-z.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148926611","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Comparative analysis of optional hunting behaviour in myomorph rodents: evolutionary and experience-dependent variations in attack patterns","authors":"Jan V. Levenets,&nbsp;Anna A. Novikovskaya,&nbsp;Sofia N. Panteleeva,&nbsp;Zhanna I. Reznikova","doi":"10.1007/s10211-026-00507-0","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s10211-026-00507-0","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>This study presents a comparative analysis of original laboratory data on optional insect-hunting behaviour across 21 species of myomorph rodents, which revealed that, during the phase of prey attacks, the dropping out of elements from the “bite–seizing with paws” sequence followed distinct species-level patterns. The behavioural elements ‘bite’ and ‘seizing with paws’ differed in the degree to which their expression was evolutionarily constrained. Zero-inflated negative binomial phylogenetic generalized linear mixed model (ZINB PGLMM) analysis revealed a statistically significant negative association between the dropping out of these behavioral elements, indicating that most species tended to omit a single attack element rather than both. Cricetinae uniquely exhibited pronounced inter-individual variability, with individuals omitting either element. In Gerbillinae, the dropping out of ‘bites’ occurred not only during unsuccessful attacks but also during successful hunting sequences. Notably, this dropping out showed a strong phylogenetic signal, suggesting a close correspondence between variation in this trait and species relationships. Together, these results highlight the flexibility of sequential attack patterns in rodents, indicating that stereotyped action patterns can be reorganised in response to ecological and behavioural demands. The dropping out of ‘bites’ may represent a transitional step toward more derived attack strategies, such as initiating prey capture with the forepaws. Given the observed interspecific and individual-level variability, we propose that experience-dependent processes may contribute to the modification of hunting sequences. Stable individual differences in hunting behaviour may therefore provide a substrate for natural selection under changing ecological conditions, offering promising directions for future experimental and comparative research.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":6879,"journal":{"name":"acta ethologica","volume":"29 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.3,"publicationDate":"2026-08-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148838027","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Frog distress calls may attract nearby animals during predation: an opportunistic observation involving a Vine Snake, a Blacksmith Treefrog, and marmosets","authors":"Fábio Hepp,&nbsp;Bruna Carvalho","doi":"10.1007/s10211-026-00510-5","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s10211-026-00510-5","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Distress calls are widespread among frogs, yet their communicative function remains poorly understood. Several hypotheses have been proposed, including startling predators, warning nearby individuals, and attracting other animals that may interfere with predation, but direct evidence supporting any of these functions is scarce. Here we report an opportunistic observation of a Blacksmith Treefrog (<i>Boana faber</i>) emitting distress calls while being attacked by a vine snake (<i>Chironius</i> sp.) in the Brazilian Atlantic Forest. During the predation event, four hybrid marmosets (<i>Callithrix jacchus</i> × <i>C. penicillata</i>) approached the source of the calls, closely followed the snake, and physically interacted with it while the frog continued vocalizing. The marmosets became progressively more engaged as the frog increased the intensity and rate of distress calling, suggesting that the calls attracted their attention and may have contributed to their interference with the predator. Although the outcome of the predation attempt could not be determined, this observation suggests that frog distress calls may attract nearby animals to an ongoing predation event, potentially creating additional opportunities for escape. Further field observations and experimental studies are needed to determine how widespread this phenomenon is and whether it may have contributed to the evolution of distress calls in frogs.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":6879,"journal":{"name":"acta ethologica","volume":"29 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.3,"publicationDate":"2026-08-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s10211-026-00510-5.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148838012","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"A pseudoscorpion clinging to a cave salamander: phoresy or failed predation?","authors":"Luca Colla,&nbsp;Simone Lenci,&nbsp;Francesco Nobile,&nbsp;Matteo Riccardo Di Nicola","doi":"10.1007/s10211-026-00509-y","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s10211-026-00509-y","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Pseudoscorpions are well known for phoretic associations with arthropods, but interactions with amphibians are rarely documented. Here we report a pseudoscorpion attached to the left palpebral region of an adult male Italian cave salamander, <i>Speleomantes italicus</i>, observed during a visual survey in a karst cave in Tuscany, Italy. The pseudoscorpion, assigned on the basis of visible morphology and locality to <i>Chthonius</i> cf. <i>elongatus</i>, was grasping a minute cutaneous fold on the lower margin of the left upper eyelid with one chela while the salamander moved slowly over the rock surface. No handling was performed and the initial contact between the two animals was not observed. The event therefore cannot be interpreted unambiguously, but may represent opportunistic phoresy or defensive attachment following a failed predation attempt. To our knowledge, this is the first published observation of a pseudoscorpion attached to a European plethodontid salamander and highlights a poorly documented interaction between cave salamanders and arachnids.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":6879,"journal":{"name":"acta ethologica","volume":"29 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.3,"publicationDate":"2026-08-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148837724","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The ocean as a laboratory for animal intelligence","authors":"Maria Castro Mariano,&nbsp;Francisco Louro,&nbsp;Patrícia Pinto,&nbsp;João Grave,&nbsp;Victor Callais,&nbsp;Nicolas Collazo,&nbsp;Beatriz Pereira,&nbsp;Daniel Gouveia,&nbsp;Lisandra Tavares,&nbsp;Luís Almeida,&nbsp;Raúl Oliveira,&nbsp;Ana S. Carmo,&nbsp;Catherine E. Sheppard,&nbsp;Tânia Marquês,&nbsp;Arianna Gentili,&nbsp;Catarina Barros,&nbsp;José Ricardo Paula","doi":"10.1007/s10211-026-00504-3","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s10211-026-00504-3","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>The ocean’s physical properties and ecological complexity shape a unique selective environment for the evolution of cognition and behaviour in marine life. This review explores how marine organisms sense, interpret, and act upon information in a three-dimensional space that shifts constantly, influenced by light attenuation, sound transmission, and hydrodynamic flow. We combine information across taxa to show how social and environmental pressures have influenced both domain-specific specialisation and domain-general flexibility. From the diffuse nerve nets of cnidarians to the complex brains of cephalopods and cetaceans, marine cognition displays multiple evolutionary pathways to abilities like problem-solving, learning, and innovation. In ectothermic fish, modular brain systems seem to manage specialised tasks such as social negotiation or spatial learning. Meanwhile, endothermic marine mammals exhibit domain-general intelligence characterised by behavioural flexibility and cultural transmission. It is also discussed individual and social learning behaviours, including cooperation, imitation and teaching, and their ecological significance in marine ecosystems. Unknown insights into cognition under natural conditions are now possible thanks to recent technological developments, including biologging, autonomous vehicles, acoustic monitoring, and neurogenomic tools. Finally, we discuss how anthropogenic stressors such as pollution, artificial noise and light disrupt behavioural plasticity, with implications for adaptation and species resilience. This review combines evolutionary, behavioural, and technical perspectives to present the ocean as a testing ground for cognitive evolution. Furthermore, we also advocate for the broader inclusion of marine ecosystems in ethological and comparative cognitive studies.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":6879,"journal":{"name":"acta ethologica","volume":"29 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.3,"publicationDate":"2026-08-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148750971","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}