Presentation Details
| The influence of diet on signal reliability in a weapon-bearing insect Janice L.Yan1, Christina M.Salerno1, Noraly M.M.E.van Meer1, Christine W.Miller2. 1University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA.2University of Cambridge, Cambridge United Kingdom |
Abstract
Animal weapons often serve as signals, allowing individuals to convey information about their status, condition, or aggressive intent to rivals, but the extent to which animal signals convey reliable information remains an open question. In the leaf-footed cactus bug (Narnia femorata), variation in diet can alter the structural integrity and strength of their enlarged, spiny hind limb weapons, seemingly without compromising their external appearance. Therefore, variation in diet quality may generate unreliable signals. We thus reared male leaf-footed cactus bugs on low- or high-quality diets to assess their behaviour in contests against standardize intruders. Compared to high-quality diet males, poor-quality diet males were more aggressive and signalled more. Surprisingly, low-quality diet males were also more likely to achieve dominance compared to high-quality diet males. Thus, individuals with low-quality weapons may bluff their way to victory by adjusting their contest behaviour to include more signals. Our findings highlight how nutritional stress, which is relevant to most species, can play a major role in signal honesty, fighting strategies, and contest outcomes.
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No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the author.
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