Sparring, relative antler size, and assessment in male caribou

Barrette, Cyrille; Vandal, Denis

doi:10.1007/bf00170894

Cited by 60 publications

(39 citation statements)

References 23 publications

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“…This difference may be attributed to a "learning" period at the beginning of rut. Barrette and Vandal (1990) suggested that sparring matches allow male caribou to physically assess their competitors, an experience which they may use when visually assessing other opponents. Similarly, wild boars and some fish use wrestling techniques to assess their fighting ability relative to competitors (Barrette 1986;Enquist and Jakobsson 1986).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 98%

“…Except for Chinese water deer, all male cervids develop antlers, and these are used during the rut to strike opponents, guard against incoming blows, and push competitors during sparring matches. Typically, males with the largest antlers are observed to have the highest social ranking, increased fighting success, and have gained the greatest number of mating opportunities (Lincoln 1972;Gibson and Guinness 1980b;Bowyer 1986; Barrette and Vandal 1990).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Effects of antler breakage on mating behavior in male tule elk (Cervus elaphus nannodes)

et al. 2006

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Although antler size has been identified as a primary determinant of dominance, fighting success, and reproductive success in male cervids, >80% of the male tule elk (Cervus elaphus nannodes) in the Owens Valley, California, experience antler breakage. To determine the effect of antler breakage on male mating success, we recorded antler morphology, body size, and mating behavior of male elk throughout the rut. Antler breakage, regardless of severity, had no effect on male-male assessment, fighting success, or harem-holding status. The factor consistently associated with our indices of male mating success was not antler size but body size. Although antler size is frequently emphasized as a key factor in male dominance and social rank, this association may reflect the correlation between antler size and body size. In the Owens Valley, it appears that male elk are not assessing competitors based on antler morphology but on other characteristics.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 98%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effects of antler breakage on mating behavior in male tule elk (Cervus elaphus nannodes)

et al. 2006

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“…Many of these ornaments have been shown to convey information about the fighting ability of their bearer. Moreover, some traits classically thought to be weapons, such as the antlers of ungulates or the chelae of the fiddler crabs, may also function as signals revealing the fighting ability of the male and thus serve to settle contests without real fighting (Hyatt & Salmon, 1978;Barrette & Vandal, 1990).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Armaments and ornaments: an evolutionary explanation of traits of dual utility

Berglund¹,

Bisazza²,

Pilastro³

1996

Biological Journal of the Linnean Society

612

431

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Secondary sexual characters in many species function both in male-male competition and as cues for female choice. Based on a literature compilation of existing knowledge of traits with this dual function, we propose that they commonly arise through intrasexual selection processes and serve as honest signals to other males regarding fighting ability or dominance. Faking these traits, here called armaments, (i.e. weapons and status badges) is difficult, as they are constantly put to trial in male-male contests. Females that subsequently utilize them as indicators of male phenotypic quality when selecting a partner Wiu benefit by acquiring males of higher quality to father their offspring. Thus, evolution of armaments through male-male competition is seen as a usually initiating process, whereas female choice later may assume a role as an additional selective factor. The reverse, that males use information from traits evolved through female choice, is, however, also possible. The traditional view of independently evolved and temporarily unordered intra-and intersexual selection processes fails to explain dual trait functions. Moreover, our model may more satisfyingly than traditional ones explain how trait honesty and trait genetic variance are maintained theoretical and empirical evidence suggests that such honesty and variation are more easily maintained under male-male competition than under female choice. The Linnean Society of London ADDITIONAL

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“…Game theoretical models of aggressive behaviour (reviewed in [1][2][3]) and empirical tests in both vertebrates [4,5] and invertebrates [6,7] find that competitors use signals to resolve contests before escalating to dangerous combat. Some mantis shrimp species (Stomatopoda) use their raptorial appendages to crack and kill hard-shelled prey with strikes that deliver forces exceeding their body weight by a thousand times or more [8,9].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Contests with deadly weapons: telson sparring in mantis shrimp (Stomatopoda)

Green

Patek

2015

Biol. Lett.

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Mantis shrimp strike with extreme impact forces that are deadly to prey. They also strike conspecifics during territorial contests, yet theoretical and empirical findings in aggressive behaviour research suggest competitors should resolve conflicts using signals before escalating to dangerous combat. We tested how Neogonodactylus bredini uses two ritualized behaviours to resolve size-matched contests: meral spread visual displays and telson (tailplate) strikes. We predicted that (i) most contests would be resolved by meral spreads, (ii) meral spreads would reliably signal strike force and (iii) strike force would predict contest success. The results were unexpected for each prediction. Contests were not resolved by meral spreads, instead escalating to striking in 33 of 34 experiments. The size of meral spread components did not strongly correlate with strike force. Strike force did not predict contest success; instead, winners delivered more strikes. Size-matched N. bredini avoid deadly combat not by visual displays, but by ritualistically and repeatedly striking each other's telsons until the loser retreats. We term this behaviour 'telson sparring', analogous to sparring in other weapon systems. We present an alternative framework for mantis shrimp contests in which the fight itself is the signal, serving as a non-lethal indicator of aggressive persistence or endurance.

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Sparring, relative antler size, and assessment in male caribou

Cited by 60 publications

References 23 publications

Effects of antler breakage on mating behavior in male tule elk (Cervus elaphus nannodes)

Effects of antler breakage on mating behavior in male tule elk (Cervus elaphus nannodes)

Armaments and ornaments: an evolutionary explanation of traits of dual utility

Contests with deadly weapons: telson sparring in mantis shrimp (Stomatopoda)

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