Conspecific Groups Research Articles

Impact of acanthocephalan parasites on aggregation behavior of amphipods (Gammarus pseudolimnaeus)

Acanthocephalan parasites can manipulate the behavior of their amphipod intermediate hosts in ways that increase the amphipod's risk of being eaten by a predator that serves as the final host for the parasite. Some asocial amphipod species have been shown to increase the likelihood of aggregation in response to chemical cues associated with predators. If such aggregation has anti-predation benefits, it might be subject to manipulation by parasites. We tested this hypothesis by comparing the preference of parasitized and unparasitized amphipods (Gammarus pseudolimnaeus) for associating with a group of unparasitized conspecifics, both in the presence and absence of chemical cues from predatory brook sticklebacks (Culaea inconstans). Amphipods with encysted parasites (Corynosoma sp.) avoided aggregating, whereas unparasitized amphipods preferred to aggregate. We also found that the risk of predation by sticklebacks faced by an individual amphipod was significantly lower when the amphipod was in a group compared to when it was alone. This suggests that the aggregation response of unparasitized amphipods is an adaptive response to escape predation. This study provides evidence for a novel parasitic manipulation of intermediate host behavior that is likely to increase transmission to the definitive host.

Assessing Performance and Competition Among ThreeLaricobius(Coleoptera: Derodontidae) Species, Predators of Hemlock Woolly Adelgid,Adelges tsugae(Hemiptera: Adelgidae)

Predation, egg production, and survivorship of Laricobius nigrinus Fender, L. rubidus LeConte, and L. osakensis Montgomery and Shiyaki, predators of hemlock woolly adelgid, Adelges tsugae Annand, were investigated in the laboratory and in the field. In individual assays in the laboratory, L. rubidus oviposited fewer eggs than either L. nigrinus or L. osakensis. In assays containing congeneric or conspecific groups of adult Laricobius, L. osakensis preyed upon the greatest number of ovisacs. The number of ovisacs preyed upon was not different between treatments with all three species and those with only L. osakensis or L. nigrinus. Adult predators fed on few predator eggs and when they did no species preference was observed. The numbers of A. tsugae ovisacs fed upon did not differ significantly by groups of congeneric or conspecific Laricobius larvae. Laricobius adults and larvae had high survival rates throughout all experiments. In the field, L. nigrinus and L. rubidus were enclosed in sleeve cages with both high (>120 ovisacs) and low (<90 ovisacs) A. tsugae densities for 1 wk. All branches with caged beetles had significantly greater numbers of ovisacs preyed upon than branches caged without beetles. No differences in predation or egg production were found among the conspecific and congeneric groupings. Predation was uniformly greater on high prey-density branches than on low prey-density branches. Survivorship among predators did not differ significantly at either prey density. Results from both laboratory and field experiments suggest that these species are able to coexist and can be released in the same location for biological control of A. tsugae.

Lemur habitat and dental senescence in Ranomafana National Park, Madagascar

Not only can teeth provide clues about diet, but they also can be indicators of habitat quality. Conspecific groups living in different habitats with different kinds of foods may exhibit different rates of dental attrition because their teeth are less well adapted to some foods than to others. Ecological disequilibrium describes the situation in which animals live in habitats to which they are relatively poorly adapted. We test whether dental senescence, the wear-related decrease in dental functionality that is associated with decreased survival of infants born to older Propithecus edwardsi females, can be explained by ecological disequilibrium. Specifically, we compare the rates of dental wear in sifaka groups living in nearby habitats that differ in the degree of anthropogenically induced disturbance. We hypothesize that sifakas living in disturbed areas have an unusual rate of tooth wear compared to those living in a more pristine area, and that dental senescence is a consequence of an atypically high wear rate in a degraded habitat. To test whether habitat quality affects tooth wear more generally, we compare rates of use-wear in two subsets of Microcebus rufus living in either relatively undisturbed or disturbed habitats. Contrary to our predictions, we did not detect different rates of tooth wear in disturbed versus undisturbed habitats for either species and consider that reproductively detrimental dental senescence in P. edwardsi females is unlikely to be a pathological consequence of ecological disequilibrium.

Cooperative web sharing against predators promotes group living in spider mites

I examined spider mite cooperative web sharing against predation as a factor promoting group living. Tetranychus urticae and Tetranychus kanzawai infest leaf surfaces under webs made of silk threads. Experimental observation of predation by the predatory mite Euseius sojaensis on spider mites of different group sizes revealed that fewer spider mites were preyed upon when the web-building period before the attack was prolonged, suggesting that established webs help protect spider mites. Moreover, per capita predation on spider mites was diluted in larger groups. This was not due to predator satiation but seemingly because webs had been completed while the initial prey was consumed. Spider mites lived more closely together in the presence of a predator, showing that the degree of group living is facultative. In the presence of a preceding spider mite with an established web, a newcomer spider mite gain protection by taking residence in the established webs; sharing the web was not disadvantageous for the preceding mite. The proportion of individuals preyed upon did not differ between preceding and newcomer mites, suggesting that there was no interference against the latter. These interactions were consistent between heterospecific spider mites. Because there was no detectable indirect interaction between mites sharing fresh webs, cooperative web sharing seemed to be a major force promoting group living in the spider mites. Moreover, the distances between spider mites did not differ between heterospecific and conspecific groups, demonstrating that mites living together do not distinguish between species; hence, heterospecific mites may cooperate and live together in the same manner as conspecifics.

The impact of catch-and-release on the foraging behaviour of pike (Esox lucius) when released alone or into groups

A commonly practiced method intended to reduce mortality from recreational fisheries is mandatory (e.g., small fish protected by minimum-size limits) or voluntary catch-and-release (C&R), where fish are caught with hook and line and released alive on the assumption that fish survive unharmed. C&R can, however, have both lethal and sub-lethal consequences for fish, with altered behaviour serving as a useful indicator of sub-lethal effects. We here present a mesocosm study on the short-term effects on foraging-behaviour in response to C&R in pike (Esox lucius), when being released alone or into conspecific groups. Due to the potential of cannibalistic attacks or agonistic interactions post-release, we expected that foraging behaviour would be affected by social environment at release. We found that the time to first interest in and attack on prey was significantly delayed in caught and released pike individuals, but these delays were less pronounced in pike released into groups of conspecifics. We also found that the caught and released pike expressed agonistic behaviours in comparable frequencies to unfished group conspecifics. We conclude that the short-term effects of C&R involve altered foraging behaviours, partly depending on the social context at release. Altered feeding, even if only in the short-term, may reduce body growth post-release, which may affect individual fitness and also have effects at the fish community level as a result of changes in pike predation pressure.

Cooperative bird differentiates between the calls of different individuals, even when vocalizations were from completely unfamiliar individuals

Hypotheses proposed to explain the evolution of cooperative behaviour typically require differentiation between either groups of conspecifics (e.g. kin/non-kin) or, more typically, individuals (e.g. reciprocal altruism). Despite this, the mechanisms that facilitate individual or class recognition have rarely been explored in cooperative species. This study examines the individual differentiation abilities of noisy miners (Manorina melanocephala), a species with one of the most complex avian societies known. Miners permanently occupy colonies numbering into hundreds of individuals. Within these colonies, cooperative coalitions form on a fission-fusion basis across numerous contexts, from social foraging through to mobbing predators. Birds often use individually distinctive 'chur' calls to recruit others to a caller's location, facilitating coalition formation. I used the habituation-discrimination paradigm to test the ability of miners to differentiate between the chur calls of two individuals that were both either: (i) familiar, or (ii) unfamiliar to the focal subject. This technique had not, to my knowledge, been used to assess vocalization differentiation in cooperative birds previously, but here demonstrated that miners could correctly use the spectral features of signals to differentiate between the vocalizations of different individuals, regardless of their familiarity. By attending to individual differences in recruitment calls, miners have a communication system that is capable of accommodating even the most complex cooperative hypotheses based upon acoustic information.

Phase change in the desert locust: A novel computerised behavioural assay to study the effects of anaesthesia on gregarisation

Phase change in the desert locust: A novel computerised behavioural assay to study the effects of anaesthesia on gregarisation

The dynamics of group formation among leeches.

Leeches exploring a new environment continuously meet each other and merge in temporary groups. After 2–3 h, leeches become attracted to each other eventually forming a large and stable group. When their number is reduced, leeches remain solitary, behaving independently. Group formation is facilitated by body injection of serotonin (5-HT) and the level of endogenous 5-HT is elevated in leeches forming a large group. In contrast, intravenous injection of 5-HT antagonists prevented injected leeches from joining a large group of conspecifics. When sensilla near the head were ablated or the supraesophageal ganglion disconnected, leeches remained solitary, but explored the environment swimming and crawling. These results suggest that group formation is initiated by a release of 5-HT triggered by sensilla stimulation and its dynamics can be explained by the establishment of a reinforcement dynamics, as observed during human group formation. As 5-HT affects social interactions also in humans, group formation in leeches and humans share a similar dynamics and hormonal control.

Can the presence of a large conspecific improve the production and welfare of groups of smaller self-feeder competent rainbow trout?

This study examined the production and welfare effects of including a large self-feeder competent rainbow trout, Oncorhynchus mykiss (Walbaum) (~665 g) in groups of smaller self-feeder competent conspecifics (~234 g). Costs and benefits were examined for both welfare (aggression, fin damage, condition and mortality) and production (self-feeder utilization and growth). The 8-week experiment used six groups of small trout; three treatment groups containing a large trout and three control groups. After 4 weeks the large fish were removed from treatment groups and added to control groups, thus reversing the treatments. Whilst it was thought that the presence of a larger fish would suppress aggression in smaller conspecifics this did not occur. In fact aggression was significantly (P = 0.036) higher when large trout were present during the first 4 weeks. No significant differences were found between other welfare indicators, self-feeder utilization or production parameters. From a production and welfare perspective these results suggest that with the exception of initially increasing aggression larger fish do not represent a significant benefit or risk to smaller conspecifics being cultured in self-feeder equipped tanks, when all fish are self-feeder competent.

Wing shape as a potential discriminator of morphologically similar pest taxa within theBactrocera dorsalisspecies complex (Diptera: Tephritidae)

Four morphologically cryptic species of the Bactrocera dorsalis fruit fly complex (B. dorsalis s.s., B. papayae, B. carambolae and B. philippinensis) are serious agricultural pests. As they are difficult to diagnose using traditional taxonomic techniques, we examined the potential for geometric morphometric analysis of wing size and shape to discriminate between them. Fifteen wing landmarks generated size and shape data for 245 specimens for subsequent comparisons among three geographically distinct samples of each species. Intraspecific wing size was significantly different within samples of B. carambolae and B. dorsalis s.s. but not within samples of B. papayae or B. philippinensis. Although B. papayae had the smallest wings (average centroid size=6.002 mm±0.061 SE) and B. dorsalis s.s. the largest (6.349 mm±0.066 SE), interspecific wing size comparisons were generally non-informative and incapable of discriminating species. Contrary to the wing size data, canonical variate analysis based on wing shape data discriminated all species with a relatively high degree of accuracy; individuals were correctly reassigned to their respective species on average 93.27% of the time. A single sample group of B. carambolae from locality 'TN Malaysia' was the only sample to be considerably different from its conspecific groups with regards to both wing size and wing shape. This sample was subsequently deemed to have been originally misidentified and likely represents an undescribed species. We demonstrate that geometric morphometric techniques analysing wing shape represent a promising approach for discriminating between morphologically cryptic taxa of the B. dorsalis species complex.

Chimpanzees’ use of conspecific cues in matching-to-sample tasks: public information use in a fully automated testing environment

Social animals have much to gain from observing and responding appropriately to the actions of their conspecific group members. This can in turn lead to the learning of novel behavior patterns (social learning) or to foraging, ranging, or social behavioral choices copied from fellow group members, which do not necessarily result in long-term learning, but at the time represent adaptive responses to environmental cues (public information use). In the current study, we developed a novel system for the study of public information use under fully automated conditions. We modified a classic single-subject laboratory paradigm--matching-to-sample (MTS)--and examined chimpanzees' ability to interpret and utilize cues provided by the behavior of a conspecific to solve the task. In Experiment 1, two subjects took turns on an identity MTS task, with one subject (the model) performing the first half of the trial and the other subject (the observer) completing the trial using the model's actions as discriminative cues. Both subjects performed above chance from the first session onwards. In Experiment 2, the subjects were tested on a symbolic version of the same MTS task, with one subject showing spontaneous transfer. Our study establishes a novel method for examining public information use within a highly controlled and automated setting.

Own-species bias in the representations of monkey and human face categories in the primate temporal lobe

Face categorization is fundamental for social interactions of primates and is crucial for determining conspecific groups and mate choice. Current evidence suggests that faces are processed by a set of well-defined brain areas. What is the fine structure of this representation, and how is it affected by visual experience? Here, we investigated the neural representations of human and monkey face categories using realistic three-dimensional morphed faces that spanned the continuum between the two species. We found an "own-species" bias in the categorical representation of human and monkey faces in the monkey inferior temporal cortex at the level of single neurons as well as in the population response analyzed using a pattern classifier. For monkey and human subjects, we also found consistent psychophysical evidence indicative of an own-species bias in face perception. For both behavioural and neural data, the species boundary was shifted away from the center of the morph continuum, for each species toward their own face category. This shift may reflect visual expertise for members of one's own species and be a signature of greater brain resources assigned to the processing of privileged categories. Such boundary shifts may thus serve as sensitive and robust indicators of encoding strength for categories of interest.

The fly-and-social foraging hypothesis for diurnal migration: why American crows migrate during the day

Most migratory species migrate at night, and the benefits associated with nocturnal migration have been well reviewed; however, less attention has been paid to the benefits associated with diurnal migration. There are two theories for diurnal migration: (1) diurnal migration allows for the use of thermals and therefore reduces energy loss, and (2) the fly-and-forage hypothesis, which suggests that diurnal migrants can search for prey and forage as they migrate. We investigated whether American crows (Corvus brachyrhynchos) engage in the fly-and-forage strategy of diurnal migration as they migrated north in the spring. We tracked eight radio-tagged crows as they migrated hundreds of kilometers in the spring to determine if they were diurnal migrants, whether they migrated with conspecifics, whether they stopped to forage, and if they did stop, whether they forage with conspecifics. All crows migrated during the day, and while on several occasions crows were seen migrating in close association with conspecifics, all crows were also observed migrating alone. On average, crows migrated approximately 300 km the day they left their wintering grounds, and over the course of this day, they stopped twice and foraged at these locations for 35 min. On all but one occasion, the stops made during migration were to forage with groups of conspecifics. While the fly-and-forage hypothesis for diurnal migration has primary been applied to raptors, many diurnal migrants forage socially, and the presence of foraging conspecifics and/or heterospecifics may be a significant benefit in locating food resources and ultimately migrating during the day.

CUSTOS E BENEFÍCIOS DA SOCIALIDADE EM VERTEBRADOS: UMA ABORDAGEM DAS TENDÊNCIAS DE PUBLICAÇÕES CIENTÍFICAS EM 50 ANOS DE ESTUDOS

COSTS AND BENEFITS OF GROUP LIFE IN FORAGING CONTEXT IN VERTEBRATES: A TREND APPROACH OF SCIENTIFIC PUBLICATIONS IN 50 YEARS OF STUDY. The majority of vertebrates have a tendency to form conspecific groups that interact and their group life occurs through a balance between costs and benefits of the individuals living in groups. Numerous papers have been published discussing this subject. Our main objective for the present work was to evaluate the tendency of publications on costs and benefits of group life, particularly in foraging groups, in vertebrates, using the SCOPUS database for 50 years (1960-2009). The analysis was made considering two costs (Parasites Transmission and Intraspecific Competition) and four benefits (Increased Foraging, Decreased Vigilance, Confusion Effect and Dilution Effect). The number of publications was evaluated in relation to the following items: journal of the publication, year and taxonomic group. The survey totaled 1,038 papers from 90 journals, seven journals were responsible for 49.8% of the total number of papers. There was an increase in the number of papers published over the sampled years, with Vigilance highlighted as a theme for the major increase in number of papers published. Among the themes of costs and benefits of group life, Vigilance was the most common (n = 598) and independent of the theme, mammals and birds were the most studied groups (n = 501 and n = 370, respectively). When the number of publications on the costs and benefits related to the sampled groups was investigated, Competition (n = 127), Parasites Transmission (n = 20) and Foraging (n = 84) were themes more frequently studied for mammals, while Confusion (n = 18) was more frequent for fishes and Vigilance for birds (n = 271) and mammals (n = 256). Dilution was a theme studied in similar proportion for all sampled groups. The results of the present study indicate an increase of interest in studies related to group life by researchers dealing with behavior, which is reflected by the higher number of papers published over the sampled period, particularly in journals of high impact factor. Keywords: Scientometrics; behavior; group life.

Impact of olfactory non-host predator cues on aggregation behaviour and activity in Polymorphus minutus infected Gammarus pulex

Parasites with a complex life cycle are supposed to influence the behaviour of their intermediate host in such a way that the transmission to the final host is enhanced, but reduced to non-hosts. Here, we examined whether the trophically transmitted bird parasite Polymorphus minutus increases the antipredator response of its intermediate host, the freshwater amphipod Gammarus pulex to fish cues, i.e. non-host cues (‘increased host abilities hypothesis’). Aggregation behaviour and reduced activity are assumed to decrease the predation risk of gammarids by fishes. Uninfected G. pulex are known to aggregate in the presence of a fish predator. In the present study, gammarids were allowed to choose either to join a group of conspecifics or to stay solitary (experiment 1) or between two groups differing in infection status (experiment 2), both in the presence or absence of fish odour. The perception of the groups was limited to mainly olfactory cues. Contrary to the ‘increased host abilities hypothesis’, in infected gammarids of experiment 1, fish cues induced similar aggregation behaviour as in their uninfected conspecifics. In experiment 2, uninfected as well as infected gammarids did not significantly discriminate between infected and uninfected groups. Although only uninfected gammarids reduced their activity in the presence of predator cues, infected G. pulex were generally less active than uninfected conspecifics. This might suggest that P. minutus manipulates rather the general anti-predator behaviour than the plastic response to predation risk.

Multi-generational persistence of traditions in neighbouring meerkat groups

Reports of socially transmitted traditions based on behavioural differences between geographically separated groups of conspecifics are contentious because they cannot exclude genetic or environmental causes. Here, we report persistent differences between neighbouring groups of meerkats (Suricata suricatta) where extensive gene flow precludes genetic differentiation. Over 11 years, some groups consistently emerged later from their sleeping burrows in the morning than others, despite complete turnovers in group membership and the influx of immigrants. Group territories overlapped and, in many cases, the same sleeping burrows were used by different groups. Differences persisted even after accounting for effects of group size, weather and burrow characteristics, and were unrelated to food availability within territories. These results provide compelling evidence that the emergence times of meerkat groups represent conservative traditions.

Can angelfish (Pterophyllum scalare) count? Discrimination between different shoal sizes follows Weber’s law

The ability to discriminate between larger and smaller quantities has been demonstrated in several mammalian and avian species suggesting the possibility of evolutionary conservation of this characteristic. Preference for the larger of two groups has also been shown in fish species, although this ability has rarely been systematically studied in lower order vertebrates, and thus the mechanisms of such ability are not understood. Here, we exploit the tendency of angelfish to seek protection in an unfamiliar environment by joining a group of conspecifics, a behaviour called shoaling. Test fish were given a simultaneous choice between shoals varying both in terms of numerical ratios and absolute numbers of fish. Our results provide evidence for quantity discrimination in angelfish. In general, experimental subjects chose the larger of two shoals. Furthermore, in agreement with Weber's law, which holds that discrimination between two quantities depends on their ratio, the discrimination between shoals of different quantities of fish was more difficult when the shoal sizes became more similar. The limit of discrimination ratio was found to be below 2:1. Briefly, angelfish are able to discriminate between different quantities of conspecifics subject to a ratio limit, a finding that implies a fitness component in this behaviour similar to what has been demonstrated in higher order vertebrates.

Latent learning in zebrafish ( Danio rerio)

The zebrafish may represent an excellent compromise between system complexity and practical simplicity for behavioral brain research. It may be particularly appropriate for large scale screening studies whose aim is to identify mutants with altered phenotypes or novel compounds with particular efficacy. For example, the zebrafish may have utility in the analysis of the biological mechanisms of learning and memory. Although learning and memory have been extensively studied and hundreds of underlying molecular mechanisms have been identified, this number may represent only the fraction of genes involved in these complex brain functions. Thus large scale mutagenesis screens may have utility. In order for such screens to succeed, appropriate screening paradigms must be developed. The first step in this research is the characterization of learning and memory capabilities of zebrafish and the development of automatable tasks. Here we show that zebrafish is capable of latent learning, i.e. can acquire memory of their environment after being allowed to explore it. For example, we found experimental zebrafish that experienced an open left tunnel or an open right tunnel of a maze during the unrewarded exploration phase of the test to show the appropriate side bias during a probe trial when they had to swim to a group of conspecifics (the reward). Given that exploration of the maze does not require the presence of the experimenter and the probe trial, during which the subjects are video-recorded and their memory is tested, is short, we argue that the paradigm has utility in high-throughput screening.

Effect of the density of conspecifics on runway social reinstatement behavior of male Japanese quail genetically selected for contrasting adrenocortical responsiveness to stress

Runway tests are considered indicative of underlying sociality in birds and their ability to make social discriminations and establish interactions among conspecifics. Herein, social reinstatement behavior in male juvenile Japanese quail selected for a reduced (LS, low stress) or exaggerated (HS, high stress) adrenocortical response to brief mechanical restraint was evaluated. Individual males were given the choice to reinstate with either 2 (low density, LD) or 8 (high density, HD) unfamiliar randombred conspecifics placed in goal boxes at opposite ends of a two-choice runway (TCRW). Then, the same males were individually retested in a single goal box runway wherein they were exposed to a goal box containing either a LD or a HD of males. In the TCRW, a higher (P < 0.01) number of HS males started their ambulation toward the goal box containing the HD as opposed to LD of conspecifics. The HS males also spent more (P < 0.01) time in close proximity (within a 10-cm close zone; CZ) to the HD (218 s) rather than LD (57 s) of conspecifics. In contrast, the LS males did not differ in their initial direction of travel and they spent similar average amounts of times in the CZ of their stimulus LD (141 s) and HD (124 s) conspecifics. Similar to the TCRW results, in the single goal box runway, HS males spent more (P < 0.01) time in the CZ of HD rather than LD conspecifics, whereas LS quail spent similar amounts of time in the CZ of LD and HD males. Considering that runways are novel (and therefore frightening) environments, our findings suggest that HS quail may find better shelter (i.e., more comfort) in close proximity to a larger rather than smaller group of conspecifics, whereas LS birds find groups of varying conspecific density equally attractive. The results suggest that LS quail possess favorable social adaptive qualities because they appear to be better suited to cope with situations where the density of conspecifics is variable.

Are howler monkey species ecologically equivalent? Trophic niche overlap in syntopicAlouatta guariba clamitansandAlouatta caraya

According to the principle of competitive exclusion, niche differentiation allows the stable coexistence of closely related species. We analyzed dietary profile and diversity, and dietary overlap between syntopic brown howlers (BR; Alouatta guariba clamitans) and black and gold howlers (BLG; A. caraya) in the Atlantic Forest of NE Argentina, with the objective of evaluating the degree of trophic niche overlap and potential interspecific competition for food. During 12 months, we collected data on feeding behavior of two groups of each howler species using the scan sampling method, together with data on food availability. Both at the group- and species-level, we analyzed feeding behavior in terms of monthly percentages of time spent feeding on each food type and specific food item, dietary diversity (Shannon index H'), and we estimated dietary overlap using the percentage index and the Morisita-Horn index (C(H)). Across months, both howlers showed species-specific preferences for certain food items, and BLG had a more diverse diet (mean+/-SE, H'=2.77+/-0.08) than BR (H'=2.39+/-0.09). However, diets of both species overlapped extensively (percentage index=45.64+/-2.97%; C(H)=0.6+/-0.05) and diets of conspecific groups did not overlap more than diets of groups of different species. Given their high degree of trophic overlap, syntopic BR and BLG meet one of the conditions necessary for interspecific food competition to occur. Although at present we lack direct evidence for interspecific competition in these howler species, we conclude that high levels of niche overlap may have an important role in maintaining the essentially parapatric distribution of howler species throughout the Neotropics.