Recognition, signalling and reduced aggression between former mates in a stomatopod

Abstract

Gonodactylid stomatopods use chemical cues to identify other individuals with which they have previously fought. Using cohabitating pairs of Gonodactylus bredini, it was shown in the laboratory that after a female spawns and her mate leaves the breeding chamber, he is less likely to attempt to evict her from a cavity than he is other brooding females. Similarly, a female is less likely to escalate the defence of her cavity against her former mate than she is against a strange male. Inhibition of attacks on former mates persists for at least 2 weeks, demonstrating that under some circumstances, stomatopods are capable of remembering other individuals for at least that long. Females brood their eggs and larvae for 4 weeks and constrained aggression between former mates lessens the chance that a female will be evicted by her former mate and their eggs destroyed. Female residents use two patterns of maxilliped behaviour to facilitate chemical communication with intruders. These acts generate water currents near the cavity entrance and most likely serve to provide the male with information concerning the identity of the female and her readiness to mate.