Abstract
Large male fiddler crabs sometimes help smaller neighbours to defend their territories against intruders. These coalitions occur when the helper is likely to defeat the intruder (helper larger than intruder) and the neighbour is likely to lose his territory without help (intruder larger than neighbour). Previous studies of coalitions have excluded males with regenerated claws. Such claws are weaker weapons that make the bearer competitively inferior. Here, we show that male Uca annulipes with regenerated claws are as likely as males with original claws to help their neighbours in territory defence, even though, as weaker males they potentially pay greater costs, being more likely to lose their undefended burrow. We suggest that males with regenerated claws gain greater benefits from retaining a current, small neighbour and that, as in non-coalition fights, the regenerated claw acts as a visual bluff in the early stages of combat. Furthermore, we show that intruders with regenerated or original claws are equally likely to be attacked by a 'helping' neighbour. This bolsters the argument that males cannot visually differentiate between original and regenerated claws.
Original language | English |
---|---|
Pages (from-to) | 1027-1030 |
Number of pages | 4 |
Journal | Ethology |
Volume | 117 |
Issue number | 11 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - Nov 2011 |
Access to Document
Other files and links
Fingerprint
Dive into the research topics of 'Even Weak Males Help Their Neighbours: Defence Coalitions in a Fiddler Crab'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.
View full fingerprint
Cite this
- APA
- Author
- BIBTEX
- Harvard
- Standard
- RIS
- Vancouver
Bolton, J., Callander, S., Jennions, M. D., & Backwell, P. R. Y. (2011). Even Weak Males Help Their Neighbours: Defence Coalitions in a Fiddler Crab. Ethology, 117(11), 1027-1030. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1439-0310.2011.01961.x
Bolton, Jessica ; Callander, Sophia ; Jennions, Michael D. et al. / Even Weak Males Help Their Neighbours : Defence Coalitions in a Fiddler Crab. In: Ethology. 2011 ; Vol. 117, No. 11. pp. 1027-1030.
@article{b3426922f1af4862b2721d200e34ee58,
title = "Even Weak Males Help Their Neighbours: Defence Coalitions in a Fiddler Crab",
abstract = "Large male fiddler crabs sometimes help smaller neighbours to defend their territories against intruders. These coalitions occur when the helper is likely to defeat the intruder (helper larger than intruder) and the neighbour is likely to lose his territory without help (intruder larger than neighbour). Previous studies of coalitions have excluded males with regenerated claws. Such claws are weaker weapons that make the bearer competitively inferior. Here, we show that male Uca annulipes with regenerated claws are as likely as males with original claws to help their neighbours in territory defence, even though, as weaker males they potentially pay greater costs, being more likely to lose their undefended burrow. We suggest that males with regenerated claws gain greater benefits from retaining a current, small neighbour and that, as in non-coalition fights, the regenerated claw acts as a visual bluff in the early stages of combat. Furthermore, we show that intruders with regenerated or original claws are equally likely to be attacked by a 'helping' neighbour. This bolsters the argument that males cannot visually differentiate between original and regenerated claws.",
author = "Jessica Bolton and Sophia Callander and Jennions, {Michael D.} and Backwell, {Patricia R.Y.}",
year = "2011",
month = nov,
doi = "10.1111/j.1439-0310.2011.01961.x",
language = "English",
volume = "117",
pages = "1027--1030",
journal = "Ethology",
issn = "0179-1613",
publisher = "Wiley-Blackwell Publishing Ltd",
number = "11",
}
Bolton, J, Callander, S, Jennions, MD & Backwell, PRY 2011, 'Even Weak Males Help Their Neighbours: Defence Coalitions in a Fiddler Crab', Ethology, vol. 117, no. 11, pp. 1027-1030. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1439-0310.2011.01961.x
Even Weak Males Help Their Neighbours: Defence Coalitions in a Fiddler Crab. / Bolton, Jessica; Callander, Sophia; Jennions, Michael D. et al.
In: Ethology, Vol. 117, No. 11, 11.2011, p. 1027-1030.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
TY - JOUR
T1 - Even Weak Males Help Their Neighbours
T2 - Defence Coalitions in a Fiddler Crab
AU - Bolton, Jessica
AU - Callander, Sophia
AU - Jennions, Michael D.
AU - Backwell, Patricia R.Y.
PY - 2011/11
Y1 - 2011/11
N2 - Large male fiddler crabs sometimes help smaller neighbours to defend their territories against intruders. These coalitions occur when the helper is likely to defeat the intruder (helper larger than intruder) and the neighbour is likely to lose his territory without help (intruder larger than neighbour). Previous studies of coalitions have excluded males with regenerated claws. Such claws are weaker weapons that make the bearer competitively inferior. Here, we show that male Uca annulipes with regenerated claws are as likely as males with original claws to help their neighbours in territory defence, even though, as weaker males they potentially pay greater costs, being more likely to lose their undefended burrow. We suggest that males with regenerated claws gain greater benefits from retaining a current, small neighbour and that, as in non-coalition fights, the regenerated claw acts as a visual bluff in the early stages of combat. Furthermore, we show that intruders with regenerated or original claws are equally likely to be attacked by a 'helping' neighbour. This bolsters the argument that males cannot visually differentiate between original and regenerated claws.
AB - Large male fiddler crabs sometimes help smaller neighbours to defend their territories against intruders. These coalitions occur when the helper is likely to defeat the intruder (helper larger than intruder) and the neighbour is likely to lose his territory without help (intruder larger than neighbour). Previous studies of coalitions have excluded males with regenerated claws. Such claws are weaker weapons that make the bearer competitively inferior. Here, we show that male Uca annulipes with regenerated claws are as likely as males with original claws to help their neighbours in territory defence, even though, as weaker males they potentially pay greater costs, being more likely to lose their undefended burrow. We suggest that males with regenerated claws gain greater benefits from retaining a current, small neighbour and that, as in non-coalition fights, the regenerated claw acts as a visual bluff in the early stages of combat. Furthermore, we show that intruders with regenerated or original claws are equally likely to be attacked by a 'helping' neighbour. This bolsters the argument that males cannot visually differentiate between original and regenerated claws.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=80053894842&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1111/j.1439-0310.2011.01961.x
DO - 10.1111/j.1439-0310.2011.01961.x
M3 - Article
SN - 0179-1613
VL - 117
SP - 1027
EP - 1030
JO - Ethology
JF - Ethology
IS - 11
ER -
Bolton J, Callander S, Jennions MD, Backwell PRY. Even Weak Males Help Their Neighbours: Defence Coalitions in a Fiddler Crab. Ethology. 2011 Nov;117(11):1027-1030. doi: 10.1111/j.1439-0310.2011.01961.x