Most triatomine bugs (Hemiptera: Reduviidae: Triatominae) are hematophagous, though Belminus species can live off of cockroach hemolymph to complete their life cycle. In this work, we described the fixed action pattern (FAP) employed by B. ferroae to identify, approach, and suck on a living cockroach. The FAP described here is composed of the following stereotyped behaviors: (1) visual and/or olfactory

Across animal taxa, females of non-territorial species have potential opportunities to mate with multiple partners; hence, the primary mechanism available for males to ensure paternity is to guard the receptive female after copulation and repel other males. Hypothetically, mate-guarding is costly for males in terms of energy acquisition and increased risk of injury, and beneficial for females in terms

Birds can behave aggressively towards conspecifics to defend a territory and to compete for access to food and mates. The effects of phenotypes, such as sex and age, in aggressive behaviour have not yet been fully understood. Moreover, differences in aggression levels can reflect alternative behavioural strategies (i.e. proactive–reactive axis). We aimed to understand the relation between aggressive

Running wheels are frequently used to improve the welfare of captive animals, increase environmental enrichment, and, by doing so, reduce stereotypic behaviors. With the exception of a single investigation, all previous scientific literature investigating wheel running behavior has been based on animals in captive environments. This specific study reported that free-ranging animals in the Netherlands

The patterns of affiliative interactions between subadult males are not well known. In female philopatric species, like long-tailed macaques, such relationships may be important in fully understanding socioecological contexts and processes. Subadult males have particularly important relationships with other males, often associated with the challenges of dispersal. This study assesses the patterns of

There is increasing evidence for species using information from heterospecifics to assess predation risk or habitat quality. Notably, a series of influential studies, using geometric symbols added to nest boxes, has shown that migratory flycatchers copy tits’ apparent nest-site preferences and settle in nest boxes bearing the same symbol as tits’ nest boxes. This “Selective Interspecific Information

Mechanisms of conflict resolution, e.g. reconciliation, have been reported from a number of group-living animals, particularly primates. However, whether or not conflict resolution occurs in the cooperatively breeding callitrichids (marmosets and tamarins) remains a matter of debate. Captive studies provide contrasting evidence for the occurrence of reconciliation, and no evidence has been previously

Multimodal signalling reinforces specific messages in communication. In gopher tortoises, similar to other reptilian species, visualization of conspecific and chemical exudates from the skin may serve as a multimodal display advertising information about conspecific species, sex, or individual qualities, but this has not been fully elucidated. For gopher tortoises, one such possible source of chemical

Nest predation is a determinant factor for the success of birds breeding especially for tropical species. However, it is not clear whether parental color plumage can be used as a visual cue for predators to locate nests. Using 3D-printed models, we tested if the color of the parent’s decoy can influence the predation of artificial birds’ nests. The models were painted with male and female blue manakin

Investment in immunity is expected to decrease (costly immunity) or enhance (terminal investment) reproductive performance. Here, we tested the effects of activation of the immune system in female great tits (Parus major) on (1) their reproductive effort and (2) the survival and body condition of their offspring, controlling for chick sex. We injected females tending 3-day-old chicks with sheep red

Parrots belong to the handful of animal species capable of vocal production learning. They are considered to be open-ended learners with complex and variable vocalizations. It is not known, however, to what extent their repertoires are shared among individuals within a group or between vocally isolated individuals or groups. In study 1, we mapped the repertoire of four captive African gray parrots

Although animals are the primary focus of studies in human-animal studies (HAS), very few ethologists engage with this discipline. Insights from HAS can help provide a deeper and richer understanding of animal behaviour and human-animal interactions. HAS perspectives regarding animal and human spaces, the sociozoological scale theory, and the concepts of animal agency and intersubjectivity in human-animal

Ambush predators rely on stealth to successfully secure prey. Mobbing is a rarely observed anti-predation strategy used by group-living prey species whereby several individuals distract or harass a predator until it either ends the pursuit or leaves the area. Herein, we present three unique cases of white-lipped peccaries (Tayassu pecari) mobbing jaguars (Panthera onca) in the wild. White-lipped peccaries

Interspecific competition is rarely assessed between exotic and distantly related native species, although these can compete for some ecological resources. Here, we assessed the occurrence of interspecific aggression resulting from direct competition between two European native songbird species (henceforth focal species), the robin Erithacus rubecula and the blackcap Sylvia atricapilla, which are potential

The different environmental conditions in which people live might challenge memory in different ways. Moreover, the frequency of usage can be a source of improvement of both short- and long-term memory. The aim of our study was to investigate the effects of environmental differences on short- and long-term memory in a traditional versus a contemporary population (Dani of Papua, n = 62; Polish, n = 134)

Attachment is a concept that was developed and researched in developmental psychology in uptake of findings on filial imprinting from ethology. In the present period, however, attachment concepts are increasingly applied to and investigated in animal research, thereby translating back criteria that were established for human infants. It herein appears that findings on filial imprinting are becoming

In the original version of this article, the Supplementary materials i.e., ESM 1, ESM 2 and ESM 6 should have been part of the article and presented in the Appendix section.

Poaching is the primary threat to the survival of rhinoceros’ populations. One frequent consequence of poaching is the creation of orphan calves. If found, orphans are taken into captivity for rehabilitation and subsequent release. However, rehabilitation practices can influence their behavior and welfare, potentially compromising their post-release adaptation and survival. In this study, the effects

Laboratory experiments have provided a wealth of knowledge on antipredator responses and habitat preference in both terrestrial and aquatic salamanders, many of which are difficult to study under natural conditions. However, there remains a dearth of carefully designed experiments to elucidate habitat preferences of aquatic salamanders, many of which are of growing conservation concern. This experimental

Language has a complex and hierarchical structure, which includes context-free grammar and phrase embedding. However, there have been no reports of a phrase-embedding structure in animal vocal communication, although there are several reports of combinational animal sounds that reference different objects and emotions. The songs of male Mueller’s gibbons in our study area consist of two notes, “wa”

Intraspecific aggregations and colonial structures in orb-weaver spiders can reduce the per capita amount of silk to be spun, allow the use of habitats which are unavailable for solitary species, and increase protection and foraging efficiency. However, conflicts between colony members can occur during web construction, repair, and prey capture, contributing to group dissociation under conditions of

Antipredator vigilance may be affected by feeding techniques that obstruct animal’s vision, such as underwater foraging. I examined the effect of underwater foraging on head-up position in spring staging dunlins (Calidris alpina), predicting that this type of foraging would positively affect the frequency of head-up vigilance in this species. The results of analysis showed that significant predictors

Courtship and breeding behaviour of anurans is species-specific and defined by vocalisation, although breeding activities are still understudied for many species. Here, we describe the courtship behaviour and unpublished associated vocalisation (release and aggressive calls) of Rhinella ornata at a degraded area of the Brazilian Atlantic Rainforest within Xixová-Japuí State Park (PEXJ). Fifteen subjects

Previous studies have shown that the number, noise level, and activity level of zoo visitors can negatively influence the behavior of captive animals. This study combined these three factors into a single visitor impact score and assessed whether visitor impact predicted the frequency or occurrence of displacement activities, affiliative behaviors, and aggression in a group of six captive ebony langurs

Morphological characteristics are known to be important predictors of victory in aggressive disputes in the animal world. Among anurans, however, acoustic communication also plays an important role in intrasex conflicts. Although there is evidence for the influence of spectral parameters of calls (e.g., fundamental and dominant frequencies) in anuran disputes, the role that temporal parameters (e.g

Both male-male competition and female choice are important forces in sexual selection that may act in concert. In red deer (Cervus elaphus), rutting activities related to male-male competition are highly conspicuous and have received most research attention. However, there is increasing evidence that females can gain by selecting mates. Due to the additive genetic benefits of a sire’s dominance rank

Animal contests are energetically costly, but injuries are said to be rare. In gladiator frogs, the males possess a spine beneath their pollex (i.e., prepollex) that can be used as weapons and frequently leave scars during contests over spawning areas. Knowing how scars are made, and how scars are distributed among individuals, might prove valuable to address the costs and benefits of fighting. Here

Rivers are dynamic systems where flow is constantly changing, making early fish life stages with lower swimming abilities potentially vulnerable to rapid changes in water velocity. In this study, we evaluated the response of critical young life stages of three Iberian leuciscids – Achondrostoma occidentale, Iberochondrostoma lusitanicum, and Iberochondrostoma almacai – to increasing water velocities

The original version of this article was incorrectly published with article title. The correct article title is shown above.

Social systems are characterized by the associations and interactions between individuals. For highly social groups such as delphinids, understanding the demographics and long-term association patterns of a population is the first step in interpreting its overall social structure and specific relationships between individuals. This study investigated the social patterns of a population of Atlantic

Maternal investment and maternal care provided by mammalian females can change during their ontogeny. Differences may be related to the age and/or experience (parity) of the female. Several hypotheses have been postulated to explain changes in the rate of maternal care of females during their lifetime. The residual reproductive value hypothesis supposes a higher rate of maternal care in older and more

Consistent inter-individual differences in behavior have been shown in several animal groups, ranging from vertebrates to invertebrates. One of the most studied personality traits in animals is boldness, which is the tendency to expose to risky situations. Theory proposes that individuals’ state (e.g., body energy) would influence the expression of personality traits. In this study, we tested if boldness

Intraguild predators can have behavioral mechanisms to maximize foraging and/or avoid predation. However, there is a lack of information about the influence of such prey-predator interactions on the daily activity of the species involved. Therefore, we investigated the daily activity of two intraguild predators, Tityus pusillus Pocock, 1893 and Ananteris mauryi Lourenço, 1982, in the presence and absence

The characteristics of male anurans’ calls play an important role in mating success during the breeding season. In this study, we analyzed intra- and inter-individual variability of the advertisement calls of the pale-shouldered horned toad (Xenophrys boettgeri) in the field during its breeding season in Lishui, Zhejiang Province, China. The results showed that some acoustic parameters were significantly

To effectively respond to predation risk, prey must assess the risk associated with different predation cues. Predation cues can stem either from the predator or from conspecifics and indicate different predation risk levels, thus eliciting different anti-predation responses. The three-spined stickleback is a well-studied fish species often found in gregarious formations. Previous studies show that

Polygynous males increase their reproductive success by fertilizing as many females as possible. However, this strategy can lead to costs for the males. This study focused on an atypical wolf spider that lives in webs, Aglaoctenus lagotis. Previous studies report polyandrous females, but little is known about the mating strategy of males and its potential associated costs. Our goals were to determine

Changes in group composition are not exclusive to zoos and conservation breeding centers. The recent increase in poaching of African rhino species has accelerated the arrival of orphan calves at rehabilitation centers. Introducing new members into an existing group is often stressful for many mammal species. However, when young animals are involved, such responses may be reduced or absent. The goal

Spatial learning and memory skills are imperative for the survival and fitness of subterranean rodents because of the harsh underground niche in which they live that necessitates the avoidance of higher energy expenditures or probable conflicts with conspecifics or predators. Our study aims to assess the spatial learning and working memory performance of a subterranean rodent species, plateau zokors

Insectivorous bats consume a large variety of food items. Previous observations of feathers found in feces led to the hypothesis that the birdlike noctule (Nyctalus aviator, Vespertilionidae) could prey on birds. To test the hypothesis, we analyzed fecal samples from six species (Barbastella pacifica, Murina hilgendorfi, Myotis frater, N. aviator, Plecotus sacrimontis, and Vespertilio sinensis) collected

Predation is one of the most important factors affecting biology, ecology and behaviour of the prey. We have studied predation of the common lizard (Zootoca vivipara) by the great grey shrike (Lanius excubitor) in farmland habitats in western Poland. Shrike caches were used as a source of information about preyed lizards. Shrikes hunt significantly more adult males than females, juveniles and sub-adults;

Group-level behavior has important fitness consequences for group-living fish, which might be affected by the personalities of group members. However, the role of group personality on group behavior has seldom been systematically investigated. To test the effect of the personalities of group members on shoaling behavior and the underlying mechanisms, we investigated the activity and boldness personality

Using information acquired from other individuals (social information use) is ubiquitous in animals and not restricted to within-species context. Some of the textbook examples of interspecific information use in the wild has been provided using apparent novel niche experiment approach, with migratory flycatcher species (Ficedula spp.) cueing on apparent nest site preferences (geometric symbols) and

When a prey is perceived and attacked, it may adopt direct anti-predator strategies, such as fleeing and tonic immobility (TI). During this latter, individuals remain in a motionless posture, which may reduce chances of being preyed, but retain close distance to the predator. Alternatively, fleeing increases distance from the threat, while enhancing chances of predation by visually guided predators

A lunar phobia is a behavioral trait in which the individual alters or ceases its nocturnal activity during periods of strong lunar illumination found throughout the animal kingdom. Current evidence indicates the changes reflect predator/prey detectability due to increased visibility. The study hypothesizes whether bat activity is more negatively influenced by a discrete threshold of high lunar illumination

Sexual cannibalism is a phenomenon that has been reported in a wide variety of invertebrate predators. In arthropods, it has been documented mostly in arachnids. The Dryinidae, a small cosmopolitan family of aculeate hymenopterans, are exclusively parasitic of the hemipteran suborders Cicadomorpha and Fulgoromorpha. They include some species that have been successfully employed in biological control

Chemical pollution of aquatic environments has been increasing in recent times, causing great damage to the ecosystems and to the fishery sector. Pollutants can negatively alter an animals’ life, and in this investigation, we verify if a neutral household detergent, one of the most common aquatic pollutants, causes changes in the behaviour and personality of guppy (Poecilia reticulata). Thirty milligrams

Between-individual differences in personality and life-history traits can arise from both genetic and environmental factors, with the latter possibly reflecting contrasting individual experiences during ontogeny. It is yet unclear how the acoustic environment may affect the development of boldness and related life-history traits such as growth rate, maturation age and longevity in species that normally

Animal venom is composed of a complex mixture of protein-rich chemicals. Synthesis of animal venom incurs a high metabolic cost and is a prolonged process; consequently, animals use their venom cautiously and economically. Some studies have shown that venomous animals modulate the amount and/or type of venom used depending on certain factors, such as prey size or the intensity of predation threat.

Pampas deer (Ozotoceros bezoarticus) is an endangered species form the southern region of South America. The aim of this study was to describe and compare the seasonal changes in agonistic and marking behaviours in adult and young male pampas deer. The study was conducted in two groups of animals: six adult (4 to 6 years old) and six young (1.5 years old) males. Agonistic and marking behaviours were

Agonistic behavior involves the displays that arise when conspecifics compete for valuable resources such as territory. After conflict resolution, dominants obtain priority access to the resource while subordinates lose it. We aimed to evaluate how agonistic encounters mediate the acquisition of different sized territories in the weakly electric fish, Gymnotus omarorum, a species that displays a well-documented

Recent theory in animal communication predicts that a group’s communicative complexity is connected to its social complexity. Social complexity has typically been measured using group size as an index, with larger groups thought to be more complex than smaller groups. However, group size alone does not account for other social differences that could influence the diversity of interactions within a

Transferring identity-related information (IRI) to conspecifics may give advantage in effectively tuning intraspecific behaviour. Some lizard species use the secretions of specialized epidermal glands (femoral or cloacal) to convey IRI. Those secretions are made of lipids and proteins, the former been suggested to inform about signaller quality, the latter suspected to communicate IRI to conspecifics

Males of some spider species lay silk threads on the female’s body during courtship and/or copulation. There are several hypotheses trying to explain the function of this behavior, known as bridal veil deposition. One of them proposes that bridal veils could occur to immobilize females and prevent sexual cannibalism when females are larger than males, or that they could inhibit female aggressive behavior

Fluctuating asymmetry (FA) is often thought to be an indicator of developmental stability—an individual’s ability to resist environmental and genetic stress during development—and thus demonstrates phenotypic quality. Research on the influence of FA on locomotion has often found that high FA in legs and wings impedes locomotor performance. Crickets rely on their six limbs to flee from predators and

The Martino’s vole (Dinaromys bogdanovi) is a rare species that lives in differently structured karst habitats, varying from open rocky plains to deep fissures, mostly residing under boulders and in crevices. Populations of the species are declining, probably due to its strict habitat preferences and competition with the European snow vole. Since the species is difficult to study in the wild, we tested

Terrestrial reproduction presents a thermoregulatory challenge for marine mammals, especially in a context of global warming. Pinnipeds, especially otariids, differ from other marine mammals in that most reproductive processes occur on land. Rocky rookeries rarely provide thermoregulatory resources (shade, pools and wet sand), so pinnipeds reduce thermal stress through thermoregulatory behaviour such

Aggressive behavior may increase or decrease in troglobitic fishes, compared to epigean ones. Herein, we present the agonistic behavior repertoire and the causes that determine the dominance of two Brazilian cave catfishes: Glaphyropoma spinosum and putative undescribed Copionodon species. Both belong to Copionodontinae group, a small basal Trichomycteridae subfamily, and coexist in sandstone caves

On rare occasions, during mating season among sharks, ‘mating scars’ appear on female sharks’ bodies caused by the males holding onto them. The low frequency of sharks bearing such scars indicates that those markers are not part of regular mating efforts. These scars are mostly deeper cuts and punctures, indicating a more forceful motivation such as coercive mating from the male’s side. We discuss

Antipredator strategies and social factors may influence vigilance behaviour in herbivores. Vigilance can differ between sex/age classes, but information is contradictory in the existing literature. We investigated sex/age differences of vigilance in fallow deer Dama dama, in a Mediterranean area. Females (> 1 year old) showed a lower proportion of time foraging and a greater alertness rate than males

Copulation and/or cohabitation with a pregnant female facilitate paternal behavior in male mice. However, their contribution to the rearing of the offspring is still not well understood. Our aims were to investigate the behavior of sires toward own or alien pups; the immediate consequences of the presence of fathers on the offspring and the behavior of the mother; and whether the exposure of juvenile