10.5061/DRYAD.53C84
Franklin, Amanda M.
Tufts University
Marshall, Justin N.
University of Queensland
Lewis, Sara M.
Tufts University
Data from: Multimodal signals: ultraviolet reflectance and chemical cues
in stomatopod agonistic encounters
Dryad
dataset
2016
agonistic
Neogonodactylus oerstedii
complex signal
crustacean
multimodal signal
Animal communication
stomatopod
2016-06-30T15:18:56Z
2016-06-30T15:18:56Z
en
https://doi.org/10.1098/rsos.160329
30238 bytes
1
CC0 1.0 Universal (CC0 1.0) Public Domain Dedication
Complex signals are commonly used during intraspecific contests over
resources to assess an opponent's fighting ability and/or aggressive
state. Stomatopod crustaceans may use complex signals when competing
aggressively for refuges. Before physical attacks, stomatopods assess
their opponents using chemical cues and perform threat displays showing a
coloured patch, the meral spot. In some species, this spot reflects UV.
However, despite their complex visual system with up to 20 photoreceptor
classes, we do not know if stomatopods use chromatic or achromatic signals
in contests. In a field study, we found that Neogonodactylus oerstedii
meral spot luminance varies with sex, habitat and, more weakly, body
length. Next, we conducted an experimental manipulation which demonstrated
that both chemical cues and chromatic signals are used during contests. In
the absence of chemical cues, stomatopods approached an occupied refuge
more quickly and performed offensive behaviours at a lower rate. When UV
reflectance was absent, stomatopods performed offensive behaviours more
frequently and contest duration trended towards shorter fights. These
results provide new evidence that UV reflectance and/or visible spectrum
luminance is used to amplify threat displays. Our results are the first to
demonstrate that chemical and chromatic cues comprise a multimodal signal
in stomatopod contests.
behav_datasetfieldstudy_datasetreflectance _dataset