Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology最新文献

{"title":"Lovers, not fighters: docility influences reproductive fitness, but not survival, in male Cape ground squirrels, Xerus inauris","authors":"Miyako H. Warrington, Sienna Beaulieu, Riley Jellicoe, Sjoerd Vos, Nigel C. Bennett, Jane M. Waterman","doi":"10.1007/s00265-023-03421-8","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s00265-023-03421-8","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Over their lifetime, individuals may use different behavioural strategies to maximize their fitness. Some behavioural traits may be consistent among individuals over time (i.e., ‘personality’ traits) resulting in an individual behavioural phenotype with different associated costs and benefits. Understanding how behavioural traits are linked to lifetime fitness requires tracking individuals over their lifetime. Here, we leverage a long-term study on a multi-year living species (maximum lifespan ~ 10 years) to examine how docility (an individual’s reaction to trapping and handling) may contribute to how males are able to maximize their lifetime fitness. Cape ground squirrels are burrowing mammals that live in social groups, and although males lack physical aggression and territoriality, they vary in docility. Males face high predation risk and high reproductive competition and employ either of two reproductive tactics (‘natal’ or ‘band’) which are not associated with different docility personalities. We found that although more docile individuals sired more offspring on an annual basis, docility did not affect an individual’s long-term (lifetime) reproductive output. Survival was not associated with docility or body condition, but annual survival was influenced by rainfall. Our findings suggest that although docility may represent a behavioural strategy to maximize fitness by possibly playing a role in female-male associations or female mate-choice, variations in docility within our study population is likely maintained by other environmental drivers. However, individual variations in behaviours may still contribute as part of the ‘tool kit’ individuals use to maximize their lifetime fitness.</p>","PeriodicalId":8881,"journal":{"name":"Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology","volume":"16 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2024-01-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"139094081","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The multilevel society of proboscis monkeys with a possible patrilineal basis","authors":"Ikki Matsuda, Tadahiro Murai, Cyril C. Grueter, Augustine Tuuga, Benoit Goossens, Henry Bernard, Nurhartini Kamalia Yahya, Pablo Orozco-terWengel, Milena Salgado-Lynn","doi":"10.1007/s00265-023-03419-2","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s00265-023-03419-2","url":null,"abstract":"<h3 data-test=\"abstract-sub-heading\">Abstract</h3><p>Multilevel societies (MLS), which are characterized by two or more levels of social organization, are among the most complex primate social systems. MLS have only been recorded in a limited number of primates, including humans. The aim of this study was to investigate whether proboscis monkeys (<i>Nasalis larvatus</i>) form MLS in Sabah, Malaysia, and to genetically characterize their dispersal patterns. Association data were obtained through direct observation (35 months) and kinship data through genetic analysis, based on feces collected from ~ 200 individuals. The results strongly suggest that proboscis monkeys exhibit a form of MLS, with several core reproductive units and a bachelor group woven together into a higher-level band. Genetic analysis revealed that the females migrated randomly over short and long distances; however, the males tended to migrate relatively shorter distances than females. Furthermore, male-male dyads showed a slightly higher average relatedness than female-female dyads. Combined with the results of direct observations, we conclude that proboscis monkeys form MLS with at least two layers and a patrilineal basis. Since patrilineal MLS have been identified as an important step in the evolution of human societies, their convergent appearance in proboscis monkeys may help us understand the drivers of human social evolution.</p><h3 data-test=\"abstract-sub-heading\">Significance statement</h3><p>The aim of this study was to determine the social organization of proboscis monkeys by direct observation and genetic analysis. The results revealed that their social system exhibited a form of multilevel society with a possible patrilineal basis. Since humans exhibit a similar constellation of social features, proboscis monkeys may offer insightful clues about human social evolution.</p>","PeriodicalId":8881,"journal":{"name":"Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology","volume":"9 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2024-01-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"139078286","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Learning modifies attention during bumblebee visual search.","authors":"Théo Robert, Karolina Tarapata, Vivek Nityananda","doi":"10.1007/s00265-024-03432-z","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s00265-024-03432-z","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Abstract: </strong>The role of visual search during bee foraging is relatively understudied compared to the choices made by bees. As bees learn about rewards, we predicted that visual search would be modified to prioritise rewarding flowers. To test this, we ran an experiment testing how bee search differs in the initial and later part of training as they learn about flowers with either higher- or lower-quality rewards. We then ran an experiment to see how this prior training with reward influences their search on a subsequent task with different flowers. We used the time spent inspecting flowers as a measure of attention and found that learning increased attention to rewards and away from unrewarding flowers. Higher quality rewards led to decreased attention to non-flower regions, but lower quality rewards did not. Prior experience of lower rewards also led to more attention to higher rewards compared to unrewarding flowers and non-flower regions. Our results suggest that flowers would elicit differences in bee search behaviour depending on the sugar content of their nectar. They also demonstrate the utility of studying visual search and have important implications for understanding the pollination ecology of flowers with different qualities of reward.</p><p><strong>Significance statement: </strong>Studies investigating how foraging bees learn about reward typically focus on the choices made by the bees. How bees deploy attention and visual search during foraging is less well studied. We analysed flight videos to characterise visual search as bees learn which flowers are rewarding. We found that learning increases the focus of bees on flower regions. We also found that the quality of the reward a flower offers influences how much bees search in non-flower areas. This means that a flower with lower reward attracts less focussed foraging compared to one with a higher reward. Since flowers do differ in floral reward, this has important implications for how focussed pollinators will be on different flowers. Our approach of looking at search behaviour and attention thus advances our understanding of the cognitive ecology of pollination.</p><p><strong>Supplementary information: </strong>The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s00265-024-03432-z.</p>","PeriodicalId":8881,"journal":{"name":"Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology","volume":"78 2","pages":"22"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2024-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10847365/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"139705920","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Female preferences for dominant frequency in frogs: constraints and impact on sexual size dimorphism","authors":"José Vinícius Bernardy, Isabella Melo, Diego Llusia, José Alexandre Felizola Diniz-Filho, Rogério Pereira Bastos","doi":"10.1007/s00265-023-03418-3","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s00265-023-03418-3","url":null,"abstract":"<h3 data-test=\"abstract-sub-heading\">Ambotuy</h3><p>Favoring males’ specific sexual signals, female preferences play a major role in frogs’ evolutionary process by selecting traits linked to those signals. However, the factors constraining and determining those preferences are scarcely explored in an evolutionary background. Here, through a phylogenetic comparative approach we check whether anuran species phylogenetic proximity and calling site predicts female preferences for dominant frequency and whether those preferences influence species sexual size dimorphism. Our hypotheses are as follows: 1) closer species have similar females’ preferences related to the dominant frequency of the partners’ calls; 2) the calling site influences sound propagation and consequently the preference of females for the dominant frequency of the males’ calls; and 3) the preference for calls with low dominant frequency influences the size of the males and consequent reduction of the biSased dimorphism for females. We did not find support for our hypotheses, neither for the influence of phylogenetic proximity nor for calling site determining these preferences. Moreover, female preferences did not impact on species sexual size dimorphism. Besides shedding light into our hypotheses, this study represents a considerable advance on evolutionary studies of female preferences in anura, which still lacks broad species comparative approaches. Furthermore, we suggest future studies to expand knowledge regarding frogs’ female preferences.</p><h3 data-test=\"abstract-sub-heading\">Significance statement</h3><p>This study advances our comprehension of female preferences in frogs by investigating the factors that shape these preferences and their implications for species sexual size dimorphism. Utilizing phylogenetic comparative methods, an approach rarely used in the context of anuran female preferences, this study represents a significant step in applying broad comparative approaches in this field. Highlighting the complex nature of mate choice and its relationship to morphology, soundscape, and phylogeny, we present important insights into evolutionary hypotheses related to female preferences. Lastly, we provide advice on how future studies could further explore this topic in a broader comparative framework while also discussing the limitations of available data on anuran mating preferences.</p>","PeriodicalId":8881,"journal":{"name":"Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology","volume":"13 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2023-12-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"139062576","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Bumblebees display stimulus-specific persistence behaviour after being trained on delayed reinforcement","authors":"Yonghe Zhou, HaDi MaBouDi, Chaoyang Peng, Hiruni Samadi Galpayage Dona, Selene Gutierrez Al-Khudhairy, Lars Chittka, Cwyn Solvi, Fei Peng","doi":"10.1007/s00265-023-03414-7","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s00265-023-03414-7","url":null,"abstract":"<h3 data-test=\"abstract-sub-heading\">Abstract</h3><p>In uncertain environments, animals often face the challenge of deciding whether to stay with their current foraging option or leave to pursue the next opportunity. The voluntary decision to persist at a location or with one option is a critical cognitive ability in animal temporal decision-making. Little is known about whether foraging insects form temporal expectations of reward and how these expectations affect their learning and rapid, short-term foraging decisions. Here, we trained bumblebees on a simple colour discrimination task whereby they entered different opaque tunnels surrounded by coloured discs (artificial flowers) and received reinforcement (appetitive sugar water or aversive quinine solution depending on flower colour). One group received reinforcement immediately and the other after a variable delay (0–3 s). We then recorded how long bees were willing to wait/persist when reinforcement was delayed indefinitely. Bumblebees trained with delays voluntarily stayed in tunnels longer than bees trained without delays. Delay-trained bees also waited/persisted longer after choosing the reward-associated flower compared to the punishment-associated flower, suggesting stimulus-specific temporal associations. Strikingly, while training with delayed reinforcement did not affect colour discrimination, it appeared to facilitate the generalisation of temporal associations to ambiguous stimuli in bumblebees. Our findings suggest that bumblebees can be trained to form temporal expectations, and that these expectations can be incorporated into their decision-making processes, highlighting bumblebees’ cognitive flexibility in temporal information usage.</p><h3 data-test=\"abstract-sub-heading\">Significance statement</h3><p>The willingness to voluntarily wait or persist for potential reward is a critical aspect of decision-making during foraging. Investigating the willingness to persist across various species can shed light on the evolutionary development of temporal decision-making and related processes. This study revealed that bumblebees trained with delays to reinforcement from individual flowers were able to form temporal expectations, which, in turn, generalised to ambiguous stimuli. These findings contribute to our understanding of temporal cognition in an insect and the potential effects of delayed rewards on foraging behaviour.</p>","PeriodicalId":8881,"journal":{"name":"Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology","volume":"1 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2023-12-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"139052491","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Exorcising the ghost in the computer: ChatGPT, science publishing, and GenAI policy for Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology","authors":"Theo C. M. Bakker, J. Traniello","doi":"10.1007/s00265-023-03416-5","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s00265-023-03416-5","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":8881,"journal":{"name":"Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology","volume":"38 9","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2023-12-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"139164473","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Intraspecific variation in invertebrate cognition: a review","authors":"Tyrone Lucon-Xiccato, Claudio Carere, David Baracchi","doi":"10.1007/s00265-023-03413-8","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s00265-023-03413-8","url":null,"abstract":"<p>A well-established field of research in vertebrates focuses on the variability of cognitive abilities within species. From mammals to fish, numerous studies have revealed remarkable differences in the cognitive phenotype among individuals, particularly in terms of sex or personality. However, many aspects of the mechanisms, genetics, and selective pressures that underlie individual cognitive variation remain unclear. Surprisingly, intraspecific variability in cognition has received much less attention in invertebrates, despite the increasing evidence of remarkable cognitive abilities in this group and the insights that could be gained from examining simultaneously two distinct taxa, namely vertebrates and invertebrates. In this review, we provide evidence that certain invertebrate species exhibit all the key features of cognitive variation observed in vertebrates, including differences related to sex and personality. In many cases, invertebrate studies have provided insights into the genetic basis, evolvability and response to selection of cognitive variability. Moreover, we highlight evidence for caste differences in eusocial insects, which are linked to task specialisation within the colony. This makes insect eusociality a valuable system for understanding how selection influences cognitive variation. We propose that cognitive variation in invertebrates may be more widespread than currently thought, and that selection may operate in a similar manner on two distantly related cognitive systems (vertebrates and invertebrates). Finally, we suggest that invertebrates hold the potential to serve both as alternative and complementary models to vertebrates, contributing to a deeper understanding of cognitive evolution.</p>","PeriodicalId":8881,"journal":{"name":"Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology","volume":"4 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2023-12-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"138687950","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"To hatch and hatch not: does heterochrony in onset of vestibular mechanosensing explain species differences in escape-hatching success of Agalychnis embryos in snake attacks?","authors":"Brandon A. Güell, Karen M. Warkentin","doi":"10.1007/s00265-023-03417-4","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s00265-023-03417-4","url":null,"abstract":"<h3 data-test=\"abstract-sub-heading\">Abstract</h3><p>Phyllomedusid treefrogs hatch prematurely to escape egg predation, but escape success varies among species. Snake attacks elicited 55% less escape hatching in spontaneously hatching <i>Agalychnis spurrelli</i> than in less developed <i>A. callidryas</i>. <i>Agalychnis callidryas</i> use their vestibular system and, secondarily, their lateral line to sense physical disturbances that cue hatching. Since <i>A. spurrelli</i> develop faster, we hypothesized that heterochronic shifts in the onset timing of vestibular mechanosensory function, relative to hatching ability, might explain their lower escape response to mechanosensory cues. To test this, we compared onset timings of hypoxia- and mechanosensory-cued hatching (MCH) and vestibular mechanosensory function in developmental series of both species. Across species, most sibships began responding to each cue at the same developmental stage and vestibular function development, measured by the vestibulo-ocular reflex (VOR), was similar. These results demonstrate that low escape-hatching success in <i>A.</i> <i>spurrelli</i> is not caused by a delay in the onset of vestibular mechanosensory function. MCH onset in <i>A. spurrelli</i> was associated with VOR, but with a higher threshold than in <i>A. callidryas.</i> The absence of MCH before strong vestibular function suggests multimodal mechanosensing may not contribute to antipredator responses of <i>A. spurrelli</i> embryos. Our observations of higher escape success of larger clutches in snake attacks and hatching complications in flooded <i>A. spurrelli</i> suggest that differences in clutch and egg capsule structure may contribute directly to species differences in escape-hatching success. Moreover, hatching complications in <i>A. spurrelli</i> may select against false alarms, increasing the stringency of hatching decision rules.</p><h3 data-test=\"abstract-sub-heading\">Significance statement</h3><p>Hatching is an essential life-stage transition during development. For some species, it also functions as an effective defense against egg-stage risks. However, the causes for variation in environmentally cued hatching responses are poorly understood. We assessed why two closely related treefrogs exhibit different escape-hatching responses to snake attacks. Comparing the onset of induced-hatching responses and vestibular function in <i>Agalychnis callidryas</i> and <i>A. spurrelli</i> revealed that the primary mechanism for mechanosensing and its developmental timing are conserved within this group, but the sensory function threshold for behavioral response differs. It also revealed that egg-clutch properties, including egg-clutch size and individual egg structure, affect the escape-hatching response. This motivates further research assessing the role of egg-clutch properties and their biomechanics in embryo escape-hatching responses.</p>","PeriodicalId":8881,"journal":{"name":"Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology","volume":"51 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2023-12-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"138688003","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Maternal parity influences the birth sex ratio and birth interval of captive Francois’ langur (Trachypithecus francoisi)","authors":"Bojun Yi, Song Wang, Tao Sun, Ruoshuang Liu, Michael J. Lawes, Li Yang, Xuefeng Liu, Yifeng Li, Chengming Huang, Qihai Zhou, Penglai Fan","doi":"10.1007/s00265-023-03408-5","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s00265-023-03408-5","url":null,"abstract":"<h3 data-test=\"abstract-sub-heading\">Abstract</h3><p>The age and parity of female primates could reflect their physical condition and reproductive experience. Consequently, the individual age-parity dependent condition of mothers and the survival of their offspring represents a fitness tradeoff. This reproductive tradeoff is expressed in the individual birth sex ratio, offspring mortality and interbirth interval (IBI). Maternal antenatal and postnatal investment hypotheses predict that more female offspring are produced by experienced mothers in poor condition (Trivers-Willard hypothesis), and that offspring mortality decreases and IBI shortens with parity (targeted reproductive effort hypothesis). Here we test the latter predictions in captive populations of the endangered Francois’ langur (<i>Trachypithecus francoisi</i>), using long-term demographic and reproductive data from 21 Chinese zoos and three breeding centers. In these captive populations, birth sex ratio changed slightly from male-biased to female-biased as parity increased above five offspring in experienced mothers, consistent with the Trivers-Willard hypothesis. Although mortality of male offspring was greater than female offspring, overall offspring mortality did not vary with maternal parity. There was no significant difference in duration of postnatal care or IBI between male and female offspring. However, IBI for both female and male offspring shortened overall with increasing parity, as predicted by the targeted reproductive effort hypothesis. Females with more reproductive experience that produce more female offspring are critical to captive breeding programs that aim to increase the overall viable population size of this endangered species.</p><h3 data-test=\"abstract-sub-heading\">Significance statement</h3><p>For primates with a slow life-history, it is important to understand how mothers age and parity affects their reproductive fitness. We investigated maternal investment strategies of captive Francois’ langurs, specifically the effect of age and parity on the birth sex ratio, offspring mortality and interbirth interval. Mothers relied more on parity (i.e., their experience) to adjust the birth sex ratio, and had more sons in the first few parities. Mothers also spent significantly less time taking care of offspring as their reproductive experience increased and physical condition was likely declining. Thus, Francois’ langurs are able to adjust their investment in reproduction as they become more experienced (greater parity) to optimize reproductive fitness.</p>","PeriodicalId":8881,"journal":{"name":"Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology","volume":"20 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2023-12-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"138632140","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Testing presence of directionality information in female spider silk trails through male trail-following behavior","authors":"Michelle Beyer, Kardelen Özgün Uludag, Maylis Lailler, Jonas O. Wolff, Monika J. B. Eberhard, Tomer J. Czaczkes, Cristina Tuni","doi":"10.1007/s00265-023-03386-8","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s00265-023-03386-8","url":null,"abstract":"<h3 data-test=\"abstract-sub-heading\">Abstract</h3><p>Mate search is challenging for solitary species. Trails represent a particularly potent, target-oriented means for finding mates, as trail-following increases encounter rates between individuals compared to random search. Embedding directionality information into the trail allows individuals to follow trails correctly to the source. Yet, directionality remains poorly understood. Spiders deposit trails during locomotion consisting of silk lines and substrate-borne chemicals. We conducted multiple experiments to test whether female silk trails convey directionality information, whether directionality is chemically or structurally encoded and depends on female phenotype. We also examined whether males interact with silk in a way that suggests information gathering. We exposed males of the cursorial spider <i>Pisaura mirabilis</i> to female trails deposited unidirectionally and scored their trail-following direction (i.e., same as or opposite to the females’). Tests were repeated after washing trails with a solvent to remove putative chemicals and by sourcing silk from females of different feeding regimes. While we found little evidence for male directional trail-following, we did find that unwashed trails were more likely to be followed than washed trails. Similarly, trails of relatively larger females were more likely to be followed correctly than those of smaller females. Males extensively probed and pulled on silk lines with their appendages, suggesting the gathering of chemical and tactile information. Taken together, results suggest that directional trail-following is selected only under specific contexts in this species. Chemical attributes of trails may convey information on female quality, with directional trail-following reflecting male mate choice in a system characterized by costly male nuptial gifts.</p><h3 data-test=\"abstract-sub-heading\">Significance statement</h3><p>In the context of male mate search, following conspecific trails increases the chances of encountering a mating partner, especially if trails provide information about the direction the conspecific went. Yet, trail directionality remains poorly understood. Female spiders deposit silk trails as they walk. We overall show that males follow trails directionally only under a specific context. Males were more likely to follow correctly when trails were unmanipulated (compared to being washed with solvents to remove chemicals) and when they were deposited by relatively larger females (compared to smaller ones). Chemical attributes of trails may potentially indicate directionality, while decoding movement direction from trails of larger females may reflect male preferences for females of higher reproductive value.</p>","PeriodicalId":8881,"journal":{"name":"Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology","volume":"51 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2023-12-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"138688270","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}