The timing of chemical signaling with urine in dominance fights of male lobsters (Homarus americanus) |
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Authors: | T Breithaupt J Atema |
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Institution: | (1) Lehrstuhl Evolutionary Biology and Zoology, Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, Postfach 5560 (M618), 78457 Konstanz, Germany e-mail: thomas.breithaupt@uni-konstanz.de Tel.: +49-7531-882708, Fax: +49-7531-883018, DE;(2) Boston University Marine Program, Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods Hole, MA 02543, USA, US |
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Abstract: | Chemicals carried in the urine are a rich source of information about the identity, sex, aggressive motivation, and other
attributes of an animal. In agonistic interactions, animals should be careful about disclosing such information, since it
can be used by receivers to the disadvantage of the sender. By adjusting the timing of urine release, the signaler may still
influence the behavior of the receiver to its own benefit. Here we investigate the urine signaling of American lobsters (Homarus americanus), necessary for the maintenance of dominance, using a catheter technique with high temporal resolution. We hypothesize that
urine release in lobster fights is not continuous but restricted to moments that may elicit a reaction in the receiver beneficial
to the sender. We found that eventual winners signaled more readily in the initial phase of the fight. Eventual losers did
not show such initial urination. This suggests that a confident lobster may use urine signals to influence the behavior of
its opponent into giving up the fight at an early stage. For both winners and losers, urine release is linked to offensive
behavior and increases as the intensity of agonistic behavior increases. The coupling of urine release to offensive behaviors
appears to improve both the reliability and efficacy of the chemical signal. Releasing urine under the increasing risk of
inflicting injury during the fight provides a handicap that may ensure reliability of the threat signal. Furthermore, the
immediate coupling of urine components to offensive behavior may help to consolidate the receiver"s memory of the signaler"s
individual scent and thus facilitate future recognition of the dominant animal.
Received: 6 October 1999 / Accepted 28 August 2000 |
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Keywords: | Crustacea Chemical communication Catheter technique Dominance fights Urine |
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