ASSAB 2018 Abstract Booklet

ABSTRACTS

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Public Lecture A DIAMOND IS NOT FOREVER: THE ETERNAL CONFLICT OVER THE PRICE OF SEX

Robert Brooks1

1 Evolution & Ecology Research Centre, The University of New South Wales, Sydney. [email protected]

Key Words: sex, competition, economics, culture, conflict

Sex, reproduction and family living often radiate sublime beauty, infusing the arts and all of human creativity, quickening our pulses and elevating our hearts. Why, then, so much heartbreak and misery? How can sex sometimes be so intoxicating and at other times so toxic? Having spent much of my working life studying the dark side of sex in small animals, I have recently descended into the study of human relations and how Darwinian processes combine with economic and cultural forces to make sex and reproduction so complicated for individuals and for societies. I will discuss ideas about sex as a social transaction, how a rising price of sex has made humans the complex cultural and economic beings we are today, and how the origins of much human conflict can be found in the battle over the price of sex.

ASSAB 2018 Abstract Booklet

Plenary Speakers COLOURFUL PLUMAGE AND BEHAVIOUR: PARROTS MOVE TO CENTRE STAGE IN EVOLUTION AND CONSERVATION

Rob Heinsohn1

Fenner School of Environment and Society Australian National University [email protected]

Key Words: parrot, colour, tool-use, rhythm, conservation

People everywhere love parrots (Psittaciformes) for their extraordinary colours, intelligence, and personable natures as pets. Yet researchers in behaviour, ecology and evolution have been slow to accord the approximately 400 species of extant parrots their rightful place as fascinating subjects for research alongside their sister taxon the passerines. Parrots are now viewed as one of the most threatened bird orders which adds further urgency to the need for greater understanding of their behaviour in the wild. This talk will highlight three long term studies conducted by my group at the ANU: the evolution of reverse dichromatism in Eclectus parrots, behavioural and conservation implications of extreme predation on female swift parrots, and tool use and rhythmic drumming in palm cockatoos.

Beyond the brain: decision making and information processing in ant colonies and slime mould amoebas

Tanya Latty

1 School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia. [email protected]

Key Words: slime moulds, social insects, collective behavior, decision making, problem solving words

All living organisms need to process information; this basic ability allows them to find and exploit the resources necessary for life. But what happens when information processing needs

ASSAB 2018 Abstract Booklet to be coordinated between many thousands – or even millions- of individuals? Or when organisms lack brains entirely? In this talk, I will discuss decision-making and information processing in ant colonies and slime mould amoebas. Despite being unicellular (and therefore brainless), the slime mould Physarum polycephalum can make trade-offs between risk and food quality, adjust its search strategy depending on environmental quality, balance its macronutrient intake, solve mazes, and even displays forms of memory. At the other end of the spectrum, ant colonies containing millions of ants can collectively solve shortest path problems, build efficient trail networks and reorganise their trail systems to minimise traffic delays. The remarkable behaviours of ant colonies and slime mould amoebas raises questions about the nature and origin of decision making and about the mechanisms underlying information processing in radically different organisms.

Thermal parental effects: how parents shape the thermal world and phenotype of their offspring

Dr. Lisa Schwanz, UNSW Sydney

Temperature is one of the most important environmental factors shaping the life of an ectotherm. This effect is particularly strong during the embryonic stage, when the developmental machinery of an individual can produce huge variation in phenotype depending on temperature. However, parents and the environment they experience can influence the developmental temperature of their offspring, largely through alterations to parental behaviour during reproduction. Moreover, parents influence how offspring respond to a given developmental temperature. These nongenetic parental effects due to temperature are intriguing aspects of evolutionary ecology that will shape response to environmental change.

ASSAB 2018 Abstract Booklet

Camouflaged crabs and multi-coloured prawns - how colour change and behaviour allow animals to cope with environmental change

Martin Stevens1

1Centre for Ecology & Conservation, University of Exeter, Penryn Campus, TR10 9FE. UK.

Key Words: camouflage, colour change, polymorphism, predation, behavioural choice

Numerous animals change colour for camouflage over varied timescales, and this affords an ideal opportunity to investigate issues related to intraspecific diversity, phenotype-environment matching, and optimal strategies. I will discuss work on two key systems – shore crabs and chameleon prawns – and how these help us to understand how colour change works, its survival value, and how it drives diversity and matching visual environments. Shore crabs are hugely diverse in appearance and live in many habitats from rock pools to mud flats. I will outline work testing how they change colour to match the background, how individual diversity is linked to habitat type, and how the camouflage strategy they use (background matching or disruptive coloration) depends on their visual environment. I will also discuss lab and citizen science experiments demonstrating how ontogenetic changes, rather than plasticity, afford generalist camouflage over multiple backgrounds. Chameleon prawns are extremely colourful, spanning deep red to lime green, and associate at a microhabitat scale with different seaweed. I will discuss how colour change enables them to match seasonal changes in substrate, and how behavioural choice allows them to maintain camouflage when colour change is too slow. I will show how we have tested the survival value of colour change in prawns, and parallels with similar 'carnival prawns' in Brazil. Finally, I will discuss unresolved key questions, such as the function of distinct transparent, fixed morphs that do not change colour, colour change at night, and the influence of anthropogenic change on both crabs and prawns.

ASSAB 2018 Abstract Booklet

Other contributions (alphabetical order)

Investigation of the defense-based mating system in two-tailed spiders

Alfonso E. Aceves-Aparicio1, Estephanie Perez Villava2

1 Department of Biological Sciences, Macquarie University. Sydney Australia [email protected] 2 Instituto de Ecología A.C. (INECOL). Xalapa, México

Key Words: reproductive ecology, tree trunks, competition, mate guarding

Mating systems of terrestrial invertebrates include a large number of known strategies for members of one sex to reach or access the other. Patterns of mate finding, bond duration and competition within sexes are all important drivers of reproductive success. In our study of mating pairs formation dynamics of the Hersiliidae spider Neotama mexicana, we observed relatively long-lasting duration of male-female pairs on tree trunks. After surveying the population dynamics of this spider, we found a male-biased sex ratio (2:1) and observed that the majority of pairs were found without satellite mates (i.e., only one male paired with one female). We found a distinctive pattern of male positioning in the vicinity of a female (reduce distance and angles ranges) where body size influenced pair formation. These spiders have multiple mates during the reproductive season, and female mobility was found to increase with the number of male mates. These unique traits provide the opportunity to study a defence mating system. From the male's perspective, female defence seems to be the common strategy, while costs might arise from reduced access to other resources. Solitary males could be defending a site, although this remains unclear. Females might display a harassment avoidance pattern through increased mobility. As Hersiliidae are taxonomically diverse in Australia, this adds the possibility for a comparative approach among species. I will explore the numerous opportunities to extend the study of the mating systems in of Hersiliidae spiders and the apparent defence-based dynamics from both sexes perspective.

ASSAB 2018 Abstract Booklet

Making a quick escape: trade-offs between time and risk in solving mazes

Samuel Aguilar Argüello1, Ximena Nelson1

1 School of Biological Sciences, University of Canterbury, Private Bag 4800, Christchurch, New Zealand E-mail: [email protected]

Key Words: Cognition, salticid, decision-making, spatial task, environmental complexity.

Spatial abilities in jumping spiders (Araneae: Salticidae) have been studied in homing and detour tasks, with Portia being considered one of the most skilful genera in terms of spatial ability in the family. Here, we compare the spatial abilities of Portia from a highly complex habitat with a New Zealand species (Trite planiceps) from a less complex habitat in two stressful scenarios presented within a water maze with four possible escape routes: a) choosing between a safe escape route from three risky escape routes; and b) choosing among escape routes with differing levels of difficulty. Results suggest that even though Portia is more likely to choose the easiest escape routes, Trite is faster in both decision-making about which route to take and escaping. Likewise, differences among spider categories (juveniles, males and females) are also statistically significant. Differences between species can be explained by the environmental complexity in which they live; whereas, differences among spider categories are explained by their life history traits.

ASSAB 2018 Abstract Booklet

Path integration in dung beetles

1 2 Emily Baird and Marie Dacke

1Department of Biology, Lund University, [email protected] 2Department of Biology, Lund University

Key Words: Insect, Vision, Navigation, Path Integration, Dung Beetle

After arriving at a fresh pile of dung, most ball-rolling dung beetles break off a fresh piece, mould it into a ball and roll it away from the pile in a straight line before burying it once the ground conditions are suitable. We have recently discovered a species of ball- rolling dung beetle Scarabaeus galenus that, in addition to behaving like its cousins, will sometimes also make a burrow near a dung pile. The beetles will use this burrow to stockpile dung by making repeated return journeys to the dung pile, transporting a piece of dung with them each time. We investigated this intriguing behaviour and discovered that S. galenus uses a combination of step-counting and celestial compass orientation to locate their burrow. Interestingly, depending on the dung type, S. galenus will either form it into a ball and roll to the burrow (cow dung) or it will carry it as a pellet in its hind legs (antelope dung). These different locomotory styles not only affect the legs that are in contact with the ground while stepping but also the length of each stride. Does this affect their ability to accurately locate their burrow? If not, how do they compensate for the differences in stride length caused by the different locomotory modes? In this study, we aim to answer these questions by investigating the difference between the locomotory styles that the beetles use to transport dung to their burrow and study how this affects their ability to accurately locate their burrow.

ASSAB 2018 Abstract Booklet

Predation risk of acoustic communication in a tree cricket

Rohini Balakrishnan1, Viraj Torsekar1

1 Centre for Ecological Sciences, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, India Email:[email protected]

Key Words: Predation risk, Tree cricket, Acoustic communication

In animal species that use long-range communication signals for mate-finding, typically one sex signals and the other searches. Although both signalling and searching in response to signals are strategies prone to predation risk, their relative levels of risk remain largely unexplored. We estimated the relative predation risk faced in the field by male signallers and female responders of an acoustically communicating tree cricket, Oecanthus henryi from its major ecologically relevant predator, the lynx spider Peucetia viridans, using a combination of field observations and experiments. Predation risk was quantified as the probability of mortality, which was partitioned into three spatial scales at which crickets and spiders interact. This allowed us to compare and conclude which aspect of communication contributes to predation risk and at what spatial scale. Levels of predation risk faced by calling males and responding females were overall low and revealed no differences at any spatial scale, supporting the hypothesis that similar sex-specific costs could result in shared mate-search responsibilities.

ASSAB 2018 Abstract Booklet

Keep your enemies closer – social drivers of agonistic behaviors in male Australian eastern water dragons

Sarah J Ball1, Kasha Strickland2, Celine Frere3

1 Sarah J Ball [email protected] 2 Kasha Strickland 3Celine Frere

Key Words: Sociality, Behavior, Agonistic, Dominance, Preferences

Agonistic behaviors are a vital tool for animals to communicate information and mediate aggressive conflict (e.g. intimidating displays, threats and fights). These behaviors are important as they contain information about an individual’s fitness, social status and fighting abilities. However, these agonistic behaviors can become costly when observed by certain individuals. To mitigate this, animals adapt their behavior according to whom is present within their social environment. However, this phenomenon has only been shown artificially in the context of forced contests, and never in situ with an animals natural social group. Here, we used a longitudinal dataset comprised of 10762 behavioral sightings of 118 male eastern water dragons. We demonstrate that agonistic behaviors in water dragons are mostly used as a form of social bullying to an individuals preferred male conspecifics, and increases significantly when large females are present.

ASSAB 2018 Abstract Booklet

Sexual selection in capybaras: a female perspective

Miguel A Bedoya-Pérez1, Emilio A Herrera2, Elizabeth R Congdon3

1 The University of Sydney. [email protected] 2 Universidad Simón Bolívar 3Bethune-Cookman University

Key Words: Capybaras, female mate choice, male dominance, courtship disruption, vocalization

Capybaras, Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris, show a strict social hierarchy among males where the dominant male gains preferential access to females. There is no sexual size dimorphism, but males have a prominent scent gland on their snouts that produces a copious secretion. Dominant males have a larger gland and mark more frequently than subordinates. This species also shows a somewhat complex courtship that seem to be modulated by female behavior. In this study, we compared several components of the courtship, as well as female’s interactions towards males during and outside courtships according to the dominance status of males. We found that subordinate males engaged in more and longer courtships that dominant males, but although they attempt copulation more often, they manage to copulate successfully less often that dominant males. We also found that outside courtships females direct more interactions towards subordinate males, but most of those interactions are agonistic. During courtship, females avoid copulation by subordinate males both directly or indirectly and encourage courtship disruption by higher-ranking males by approaching such while being courted by subordinates or by vocalizing. We demonstrate that the original assumption of male hierarchy as the main mechanism of reproductive distribution is incomplete, and females mate choice plays an important role in determining which males reproduce.

ASSAB 2018 Abstract Booklet

The role of natural disasters in the behavioural adaptation of primates

Alison M Behie1, Mary SM Pavelka2, Tracy M Wyman2 and Steig E Johnson2

1 School of Archaeology and Anthropology, The Australian National University [email protected] 2 Department of Anthropology and Archaeology, The University of Calgary

Key Words: monkeys, hurricane, cyclone, lemur, behavioural adaptation

Currently, two sister species of howler monkeys are found in Central America: Alouatta palliata that ranges through most of Central America and A. pigra that is restricted to a small range on the Yucatan peninsula. The reason for this separation is not well understood, however, while all of Central America is frequently hit by hurricanes, most cross the northern part of the region subjecting animals in that area to more stochastic conditions that may require different behavioural and demographic strategies for survival. This happens to coincide with the restricted range of A. pigra. This paper looks at the different levels of environmental stochastiticy experienced by A. pigra and A. palliata through a comparison of the frequency of storms making landfall in each species’ range and of interspecific differences in group size and energy constraining behaviours, both of which are associated with living in stochastic environments. We find that A.pigra live in significantly smaller groups than A. palliata and exhibit more energy conserving behaviours, which may be a result of the significantly higher storm to coastline ratio of A. pigra (0.132) than A. palliata (0.0292) (X2=12.36, df = 1, p=0.0004 ). We then use this information to investigate the relationship between cyclone exposure and extreme behavioural traits, such as torpor, in lemur species in Madagascar to fully explore how natural disasters may shape behavioural adaptation in primates.

ASSAB 2018 Abstract Booklet

Can reproductive behavioural traits buffer the effect of climate change in lizards? Testing a species with variable incubation duration

Iván Beltrán1, Victorien Durand2, Martin J. Whiting3

1 Department of Biological Sciences, Macquarie University, NSW Australia [email protected] 2 Faculty of the Sciences of Life, University of Strasbourg, France 3 Department of Biological Sciences, Macquarie University, NSW Australia

Key Words: lizards, incubation duration, climate change, early environment, hatchling behaviour

Early environment influences life history traits and survival of organisms in the wild. Reptiles’ dependence on nest or maternal conditions make embryos highly vulnerable to changing temperatures. In fact, rising global temperatures have already caused widespread local extinction among several groups of lizards. Recent research suggests that viviparous species might be more susceptible to increasing temperatures most likely because of their inability to meet the energetic demands following rapid changes in their thermal environment. Nevertheless, we do not yet fully understand how lizards with different reproductive modes can respond to climate change by modifying their behavioural and life-history traits. We investigated the effect of incubation temperature on hatchling morphology and behaviour of two populations of the lizard species Saiphos equalis differing in their incubation duration (0 days vs. 8 days) to test whether their reproductive behaviour can buffer against rising temperatures. Gravid females from both populations were subjected to current and predicted mid-century thermal regimes to evaluate differences in the morphology, exploratory, foraging and anti-predator behaviours and spatial cognitive abilities of their offspring. Our results show that hatchlings incubated under hot temperatures were smaller and less exploratory independently of the population. Similarly, hot incubated lizards from both populations invested more time chasing preys. Anti-predator and cognition experiments are currently ongoing. In summary, we found evidence that life-history and behavioural traits are similarly affected by increased incubation temperatures in populations with different reproductive modes. Our results suggest that both oviparous and viviparous lizards might be impacted negatively by rising global temperatures.

ASSAB 2018 Abstract Booklet

How do nomadic waterbirds find water in the desert?

Andrew T.D. Bennett1, Reece Pedler1, 2 and Raoul F.H. Ribot1

1 Centre for Integrative Ecology, Deakin University, Geelong [email protected] 2 Centre for Ecosystem Science, University of New South Wales

Key Words: navigation, waterbirds, GPS tracking, arid zone

In contrast to the seasonal, predictable movements and behaviours of migratory birds in Europe and North America, Australia’s inland deserts have nomadic waterbirds that exploit ephemeral wetlands which are highly unpredictable in space and time. Following large rainfall events inland, these waterbirds move hundreds or thousands of kilometres from their coastal refugia into the desert, and if conditions are suitable they then breed there. How do they know when and where it has rained in the desert? This is an unsolved mystery of bird navigation with implications for understanding how birds respond to environmental change, and the role of learning and plasticity in navigational mechanisms. Using remote sensing, thermal imaging, aerial surveys from a light plane, and over 110 satellite tracked black swans, pacific black duck and banded stilts, tracked during day and night, during flooded and arid periods in Australia, we summarize findings that advance understanding of this system. We reveal a range of behaviours for exploiting unpredictable inland wetlands including: (1) facultative nocturnal flight following heavy rainfall events; (2) an ability to move rapidly to distant heavy rainfall events over 500km away; (3) extensive nocturnal flight throughout the night rather than around dawn and dusk as predicted from earlier work on waterbirds; and (4) meteorological variables that can predict long distance departure. The implications of our findings for how waterbirds cope with ENSO (El Niño-La Niña southern oscillation) will also be discussed.

ASSAB 2018 Abstract Booklet

Don’t eat me! Tracking warning signal variation through landscape and time

Georgina E Binns1, Kate DL Umbers², Julia E Riley3 and Marie E Herberstein1

1 Department of Biological Sciences, Macquarie University; email: [email protected] 2 School of Science and Health, Western Sydney University, Hawkesbury 3 School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Science, The University of New South Wales

Key Words: Aposematism, variation, Amata spp., bird predators, DNA barcoding

Warning signals protect toxic prey from potential predators. These warning signals can take many forms, but bright, conspicuous colours (red, white & yellow) against a dark background are most effective. This secondary defence strategy assumes that predators learn to associate the warning signal with an unpleasant taste and avoid similar unprofitable prey in future. Any variation in the warning signal within the prey population reduces predator learning and results in predator attacks. Theoretically, warning signals should be under stabilizing selection and should not vary. So, why do we then see substantial variation in warning signals? To address this theoretical conundrum, I will look at warning colour variation in the aposematic moth Amata spp., throughout its current NSW distribution, and back through time using historical museum collections. I will consider three main explanatory variables to explain the observed variation. Firstly, this genus is highly cryptic with overlapping distributions, so the observed variation may reflect differences between cryptic species. I will perform DNA barcoding on samples from populations along the NSW coast to determine the identity of the sampled populations. Secondly, environmental factors might impact colour production and expression and to test this I will correlate local environmental variables (temperature, etc) with warning signal variables. Thirdly, changes in bird predator diversity might vary between populations resulting in different predation pressure and correlate with variation in warning colour. Finally, I will estimate how Amata warning signals have changed over time by comparing museum specimens with fresh collections from the same localities.

ASSAB 2018 Abstract Booklet

When facts don’t fit theory: female song, reproductive success, and sexual selection.

Dianne H Brunton1

1 Institute of Natural and Mathematical Sciences, Massey University Auckland Campus, New Zealand

Key Words: female song, selection, passerines, song complexity

Bird song is commonly regarded as a male trait that has evolved through sexual selection. However, recent research has prompted a re-evaluation of this view by demonstrating that female song is an ancestral state for songbirds. The endemic NZ bellbird (Anthornis melanura) is a model that can provide insights into selection and song. We have previously demonstrated that female bellbird song is important in intra-sexual interactions and that female song predicts reproductive success. Female bellbirds contribute significantly more than males towards parental care, female song rate in the vicinity of the nest is higher than that of males, and female song complexity is a good predictor of breeding success for this species, whereas male song complexity is not. These results do not match predictions made by sexual selection theory for song traits. Why not? Here I review evidence for the role of female song using the New Zealand bellbird as a model species. This analysis highlights the need for a change in how we view the significance and selection drivers of female song and show that species with female song provide opportunities to study selective pressures specific to females within the wider context of social competition.

ASSAB 2018 Abstract Booklet

Correlated evolutionary response between alternative male morphs and sexes

1,2 2 2 Bruno A. Buzatto , Huon L. Clark , Joseph L. Tomkins

1Department of Biological Sciences, Macquarie University; email: [email protected] 2Centre for Evolutionary Biology, School of Biological Sciences, The University of Western Australia

Key Words: intralocus conflict, male dimorphism, alternative reproductive tactics, conditional strategy, polyphenism

Male dimorphism is usually linked to different tactics for securing matings, and its evolution should be facilitated if morphs are genetically uncoupled and free to evolve towards their phenotypic optima. However, there is to date no direct evidence for male morphs responding independently to selection. We investigated correlated evolution between male morphs and sexes of the bulb mite Rhizoglyphus echinopus. Large males (‘fighters’) of this species have thick and sharp legs used to kill rival males, whereas small males (‘scramblers’) have unmodified legs, and look for unguarded females. Fighter legs in R. echinopus are expressed conditionally in larger males and low population densities, and a conventional interpretation of polyphenisms suggests that only fighters express certain genes for thicker legs, allowing morphs to respond to selection independently. Using fighters of R. echinopus, we imposed morph-specific artificial selection on relative leg width in six paired replicate lines, three selected for thicker legs (up lines) and three selected for thinner legs (down lines). After nine generations we observed correlated evolution in the width of the legs of scrambler males, as well as females. Our results represent strong evidence for the correlated evolution of leg thickness between fighters and scramblers, and between the sexes. We therefore question the idea that male morphs are genetically uncoupled and free to respond to selection independently of one another. We also present fecundity data from females from the up and down lines, shedding light on the potential for sexual conflict arising from selection for thicker legs in fighters.

ASSAB 2018 Abstract Booklet

Ageing with a silver-spoon: A meta-analysis of the effect of developmental environment on senescence

Eve B. Cooper1*, Loeske Kruuk1,

1 Division of Ecology and Evolution, Research School of Biology, The Australian National University, Acton, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia * [email protected]

Key Words: senescence, developmental programming, environmental effects

What determines variation between individuals in how they senesce, and are environmental conditions experienced during development relevant to late-life performance? Using meta- analyses of studies of wild populations, we tested how the quality of the environment experienced during development affects reproductive and survival senescence rates. From studies of 14 bird or mammal species, we calculated 48 effect sizes for the interaction between the effect of environmental quality during development and the effect of age in late life in predicting annual reproduction or survival. We found no evidence that developmental environment affected rates of survival senescence. However, a better developmental environment was associated with slower rates of reproductive senescence in late life, indicating a small, but significant, "silver-spoon" effect of early-life conditions persisting through to late life. Meta-regression indicated that this effect was significant amongst bird species, but not mammals. The significance of the effect also varied with the type of metric used to measure environmental quality. Population density in the first year of life was the most widely-used index of environmental quality but, unlike other measures, did not affect reproductive senescence rates, suggesting that it may not scale linearly with environmental quality. Our results illustrate how the effects of environmental conditions during development can persist throughout life, and indicate one possible cause of phenotypic plasticity in senescence.

ASSAB 2018 Abstract Booklet

Effects of developmental stress on mitochondrial function

Crino, O.L., Falk, S., Kraft, F.L., Katsis, A.C., Buchanan, K.L.

Birds exposed to developmental stress experience a range of short-term and/or sustained effects on phenotype and fitness. Although the phenotypic and fitness effects of development stress have been well established, the cellular mechanisms that modulate them are relatively understudied to date. Here, we examined the effects of elevated levels of corticosterone (CORT) during development on mitochondrial function in adult male zebra finches (Taeniopygia guttata). We administered oral doses of CORT to males during the nestling period and then examined cellular respiration from whole red blood cells in adulthood. We also examined associations between male song quality (a sexually selected trait) and endogenous levels of CORT. We found a strong positive association between baseline levels of CORT and mitochondrial efficiency, such that birds with higher levels of CORT had mitochondria with higher coupling efficiency (i.e. oxygen consumption to adenosine triphosphate production). Additionally, males with higher mitochondrial efficiency also sang less variable songs. These data show strong associations between mitochondrial function, song quality, and CORT physiology and provide some of the first evidence that high quality sexually selected traits may signal high functioning mitochondria.

ASSAB 2018 Abstract Booklet

Digging into the evolution of conspicuous ventral coloration in the fossorial snake family Uropeltidae

Vivek Philip Cyriac

IISER-TVM Centre for Research and Education in Ecology and Evolution (ICREEE) and School of Biology, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Thiruvananthapuram, Thiruvananthapuram, India email: [email protected]

Key Words: fossorial snakes, contrasting ventral colorations, antipredatory strategy, handling time.

Subterranean organisms tend to lose pigmentation which is costly to produce since it is ineffective in subterranean environments. However, many fossorial snakes possess bright ventral colorations. I explore the evolution of bright coloration in the fossorial family Uropeltidae. Using both field and lab experiments we test the hypothesis that bright colors in these snakes evolved as an antipredatory strategy against avian predators to advertise higher handling time associated with diverted attacks to the tail. I predicted that 1) ventral colourations should be conspicuous to avian predators, 2) snakes with these colors experience reduced predation and 3) avian predators should be able to associate the colors with increased handling time. I show that ventral colors of uropeltid snakes are conspicuous to avian predators against leaf litter background and that shieldtail colors are avoided by avian predators. I further show that birds can learn to associate colors with increased handling time.

ASSAB 2018 Abstract Booklet

Sex-based effects of morphology on the social networks of the Eastern water dragon

Coralie Delmé, Carmen Piza Roca, Kasha Strickland, Bethan Littleford- Colquhoun, Celine H. Frère

1 School of Science and Engineering, University of the Sunshine Coast, Qld, Australia/ [email protected]

Key Words: social networks, morphology, Eastern water dragon, centrality, avoidances

Social networks have become an invaluable tool in furthering our understanding of animal societies and the influence that social behaviour may have on an individual’s overall fitness. Many attributes have been found to affect the expression of social behaviour on both an individual and population scale. Yet, few studies have explored the effect of morphology on social position, while none, to our knowledge, studied the influence of morphology on the number of preferred and avoided conspecifics. Here, we investigate the effect of body size on an individual’s social interactions and network position within a sexually dimorphic species, the Eastern water dragon (Intellagama lesueurii). We compared a network of associations against body size, using an overall measure of body size. Larger males were found to be more central within the network, as shown by the greater number of direct and indirect social connections. This could be explained by the generally larger territories they hold, which increases the likelihood of interacting with a greater number of individuals. Interestingly, larger females exhibited a greater number of social avoidances. As body size has been shown to be a good indicator of breeding quality, larger females may adopt avoidance tactics to reduce sexual harassment. In addition to this, larger females themselves may be actively avoided by conspecifics to reduce conflict over resources. Our results suggest that overall body size influences both an individual’s interactions and position within the social network, and so should be included as an important influencing factor when considering social network analysis.

ASSAB 2018 Abstract Booklet

Reptile survival in an urban jungle

Chantelle M. Derez

Reptile Rehabilitation Queensland Inc.

Key Words: Snake, urban, radio-tracking, survival

When it comes to urban wildlife management, there are basic questions that we don’t know the complex answers to. How does human involvement affect the survival of urban species? What happens to injured reptiles that have been cared for, rehabilitated and released back into areas where they originally occurred? Can rehabilitated reptiles survive when returned to the wild, especially large pythons that have been in care for 12 months or more? I plan to study these questions as part of a PhD to gain insight into the spatial ecology and survival of relocated and rehabilitated reptiles in an urban environment.

ASSAB 2018 Abstract Booklet

Nocturnal song rate and its relationship with lunar light intensity in the willie wagtail (Rhipidura leucophrys)

Ashton Dickerson1, Michelle Hall1 and Therésa Jones1

1 School of BioSciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3010, Australia [email protected]

Key Words: birdsong, nocturnal birdsong, behaviour

Despite nocturnal singing being relatively common in birds (30% of species), less than 4% of studies on avian vocalisation have examined nocturnal singing behaviour. There are several proposed hypotheses as to why birds may sing at night, but there is little research to understand and describe the basic patterns of this behaviour. Furthermore, there is some evidence that light levels at night effect nocturnal singing rates though this has not been extensively researched. This project examined the underlying patterns in nocturnal singing behaviour in the willie wagtail (Rhipidura leucophrys). We found that nocturnal choruses in the willie wagtail occur during only the breeding season and as neighbourhood choruses, rather than as solo events. Hourly song rates recorded matched those recorded in the dawn chorus. Furthermore, we found that willie wagtails sing significantly more with increasing lunar light levels. These results suggest that nocturnal song may function for territorial or reproductive behaviour. Further research will aim to discover the function of nocturnal song and examine if artificial light at night has a similar effect to lunar illumination on nocturnal song rates, and whether this could have fitness effects for the species.

ASSAB 2018 Abstract Booklet

To eat or not to eat: a bandicoot’s dilemma when facing predation

Megan C Edwards1, Julia M Hoy2, Sean FitzGibbon3, Peter J Murray4

1 School of Agriculture and Food Sciences, The University of Queensland [email protected] 2Hidden Vale Wildlife Centre, The University of Queensland 3School of Agriculture and Food Sciences, The University of Queensland 4 School of Agriculture and Food Sciences, The University of Queensland

Key Words: wildlife, behaviour, introduced predators

As Australia’s native fauna did not evolve with eutherian predators such as cats and foxes, it is suggested they are naïve to the threat posed by introduced predators. Northern brown bandicoots, Isoodon macrourus, were tested for recognition of introduced predators, and an attempt was then made to train them to avoid introduced predators. Wild-caught bandicoots were brought into captivity for the duration of the experiments. During testing, bandicoots were exposed to either a live predator, a taxidermied predator, or predator faeces. Predators included: a live cat, dog, and guinea pig (control); taxidermied fox, cat, and wallaby (control); and faeces from a cat, fox, wallaby (control) and python (control). Bandicoots were exposed to the predators on separate nights for two 10 minute sessions - once approximately an hour before sunset, and then again between one and three hours later. Training methodology was similar to the testing methodology, coupled with a bandicoot distress call and rubber-tipped foam darts fired at the bandicoot from a toy gun. During testing, bandicoots showed the greatest response to the live dog, and the snake and fox odour, consuming less food and displaying more vigilant behaviours. During training, bandicoots consistently showed more vigilant behaviours and consumed less food in the first session of training, regardless of the predator species. This indicates that traditional methods of predator avoidance training may have limited value for this species if they are willing to risk predation for food.

ASSAB 2018 Abstract Booklet

Local visual contrast may be more important than entire pattern visual contrast in courting guppies

John A. Endler1 and Adelaide Sibeaux1

Centre for Integrative Ecology, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Deakin University, Waurn Ponds, VIC 3216, [email protected]

Key Words: Visual Contrast, Mate Choice, Visual Modelling

Mate choice in a variety of animals is dependent upon colour patterns. Most analyses of colour patterns in the context of mate choice involve analysis of individual colours or estimates of overall colour pattern contrast. Some work on patterns and crypsis suggests the importance of edges. Here we investigate the importance of visual contrast measured at colour patch edges within male guppy colour patterns using the Vorobyev-Osorio receptor noise model. Measures of mean ΔS weighted by the lengths of boundaries between all patches in the male colour pattern are better predictors of female preference than measures of contrast calculated over the entire pattern. This suggests that local contrast at edges, or which colours are adjacent, is more important than overall appearance in mate preferences, at least in guppies. This also allows different parts of the colour pattern to have different functions, including divergent function in courtship vs. predator avoidance.

ASSAB 2018 Abstract Booklet

How intra-colony differences in bumble bee learning ability influences their foraging choices

Lisa J Evans1,2, Karen E Smith2, Nigel E Raine3

1 Plant and Food Research Australia, [email protected] 2 Royal Holloway University of London 3 University of Guelph

Key Words: learning performance, bumble bees, foraging preferences, pollen collection

In many social insect groups there is appreciable variation in learning ability among closely related individuals, including between foraging workers within the same bumble bee colony. This level of variation is not expected; foraging is a complex task requiring individuals to learn about and choose between flower species, which differ in available nectar and pollen resources and the signals advertising these rewards. It is expected that individuals or colonies with higher learning capacities will perform better when faced with complex foraging decisions. Indeed, it has been demonstrated that enhanced visual-based learning can result in increased nectar collection by bumble bee colonies. However, learning ability may influence foraging in other ways that are important to colony health and productivity. Learning ability may alter the number and variety of flowers a forager visits, consequently altering the diversity of floral resources collected. Using bumble bees, we investigated how variation in learning performance among foraging individuals influences their foraging choices (i.e. the types and morphology of flowers visited). We assessed individual learning performance (visual or olfactory) in the lab and then monitored the foraging behaviour of the same individuals in the field, using radio frequency identification (RFID) tagging and visual observations. These data allow us to determine whether individuals that perform better in associative learning tasks visit a greater diversity flowers and/or flowers with more complex handling mechanisms, thus providing further insights into the evolutionary consequences of intra-specific variation in learning abilities within social insect colonies.

ASSAB 2018 Abstract Booklet

Reliability detection in a social avian species, the Noisy Miner.

Lucy F. Farrow, Paul G. McDonald

Zoology, Centre for Behavioural and Physiological Ecology, University of New England [email protected]

Key Words: alarm vocalisations, reliability detection, cooperative species, Noisy Miner

Alarm vocalisations are not solely centered on the predator. In cooperative species, they can often be used to exploit information about the signaller contained in the vocalisation, such as individual identity. This ability to identify individuals also allows members of cooperative groups to protect themselves against deceit through exclusion or even punishment of 'liars' or dishonest signallers. Just like the Aesop fable “The Shepherd Boy and the Wolf”, individuals prone to signaling in the absence of predators often are ignored by receivers in future interactions due to the costs associated with always responding to unreliable signals. This “crying wolf” effect has been documented in humans, yet is poorly understood in the vocal signals of non-human species. Therefore, I exposed adult Noisy Miners to the alarm calls of both familiar and unfamiliar birds using an adapted Habituation-Discrimination Paradigm, with signallers allocated as either ‘reliable’ or ‘unreliable’. Reliable signaller state was created by presenting a carpet python model along with the playback of the terrestrial alarm calls of the signaller, whereas unreliable signallers had no stimulus presented. To understand if individuals were then capable of transferring this reliability status across functionally referential contexts, the focal birds where then exposed to the aerial alarm calls of the signaller. Understanding how animals respond to differences in reliability in complex species provides an insight into the selection pressures shaping vocal communication and social cohesion in cooperative species.

ASSAB 2018 Abstract Booklet

Predation drives recurrent convergence of an interspecies mutualism

William E. Feeney1,2,†,*, Rohan M. Brooker2,†, Lane N. Johnston2, James D. J. Gilbert3, Marc Besson4,5, David Lecchini4, Danielle L. Dixson2, Peter F. Cowman6, Andrea Manica7

1School of Biological Sciences, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia. 2School of Marine Sciences and Policy, University of Delaware, Newark, USA. 3School of Environmental Sciences, University of Hull, Hull, UK. 4PSL Research University, CRIOBE, USR3278-CNRS-EPHE-UPVD, Moorea, French Polynesia. 5BIOM Observatoire Océanologique de Banyuls-sur-Mer, Université Pierre et Marie Curie, Banyuls-sur-Mer, France. 6ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, James Cook University, Townsville, Australia. 7Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK. †Indicates equal contribution *Corresponding author: [email protected]

Keywords: convergent evolution, coral reefs, mutualism, predator-prey interactions

Mutualisms are important ecological interactions that underpin much of the world’s biodiversity. Predation risk has been shown to regulate mutualism dynamics in a number of species-specific case studies. Surprisingly, however, we lack studies which investigate whether selection by predators can also explain broader patterns of mutualism evolution. We report that fish-anemone mutualisms have evolved on at least 48 independent occasions across 16 fish families over the past 60 MY and that adult body size is associated with the ontogenetic stage of anemone mutualisms: larger-bodied species partner with anemones as juveniles, while smaller-bodied species partner with anemones throughout their lives. Field and laboratory studies show that predators preferentially target smaller prey, that smaller individuals more commonly associate with anemones, and that these relationships confer increased protection to small fishes. Our results indicate that predation is the most likely pressure driving the recurrent convergent evolution of fish-anemone mutualisms and suggest that similar ecological processes may have selected convergence in interspecies interactions in other animal clades.

ASSAB 2018 Abstract Booklet

Harsh environmental conditions favour the evolution of sociality in the Australian rodents

Renée C. Firman1, Bruno A. Buzatto1,2, Jessica M. Moran1, Kevin C. Rowe3, Dustin R. Rubenstein4

1Centre for Evolutionary Biology, University of Western Australia, [email protected] 2Department of Biological Sciences, Macquarie University 3Museum Victoria 4Columbia University

Key Words: sociality, cooperation, native rodents, climate change, sexual dimorphism

In our struggle to curb biodiversity loss in the face of climate change, we are faced with the challenge of predicting how other species will cope with rapid fluctuations in climatic conditions. A critical step in achieving this goal is to understand how species have adapted over evolutionary time to naturally harsh environmental conditions (e.g., hot temperatures and unpredictable rainfall). Living and breeding in groups (sociality) is one strategy for dealing with extreme and fluctuating environments. The theoretical argument for this behavioural adaptation is that when independent reproduction is likely to fail due to limited resources available to rear young, some individuals (helpers) benefit by facilitating the reproductive opportunities of others (cooperative breeding). Because of this, ecology has long been accepted as the key factor driving the evolution of sociality and cooperation. We capitalised on the fact that the Australian rodents fall at either end of the sociality spectrum – either predominantly leading a solitary existence (non-social) or living in mixed-sex, aggregated groups (social) – and performed an analysis of evolutionary transitions between social organisation and environment quality. We found that sociality has evolved in rodents occupying harsh environments but never in those inhabiting benign environments. Further, we incorporated body size and phylogenetic data in a comparative analysis to look for differences in sexual dimorphism based on social organisation (i.e., the level of social competition among males vs. females), and discovered that intrasexual competition has been an important evolutionary force shaping the phenotypes of our native rodents.

ASSAB 2018 Abstract Booklet

Is male harassment really costly? Disentangling the costs and benefits of the opportunity to remate on female fitness

Rebecca J Fox1, Megan L Head1, Michael D Jennions1

1 Division of Ecology and Evolution, Australian National University, [email protected]

Key Words: coercive mating, convenience polyandry, male harassment, maternal effects, sexual conflict

Attempts to explain the polyandry ‘puzzle’ are typically based on the assumption that the benefits of remating override the associated costs of male sexual harassment. Here we step back and ask, ‘is male harassment really costly to females’? Using a 2x2 (mating x harassment) experimental design that explicitly ensured mating rate did not covary with level of male harassment, we established the individual effects of male harassment and polyandry on female reproductive success and offspring fitness traits in the eastern mosquitofish, Gambusia holbrooki. Females were exposed either to harassment by eunuch males or kept in an environment without sexual harassment. They were also artificially inseminated with sperm from either a single male (monandry) or five males (polyandry). Unexpectedly, we found that females experiencing male harassment were significantly more likely to give birth, had significantly shorter gestation periods and gave birth to significantly larger clutches than non- harassed females. Polyandrous females were more likely to give birth than monandrous females. There was no effect of polyandry on offspring size at birth or growth rate, but the offspring of polyandrous females reached maturity faster than the offspring of monandrous females. Our findings are intriguing because they reveal the absence of any costs for females of interacting with males, once potential costs of mating are removed. They also show that there are benefits to females of receiving sperm from multiple males both in terms of direct and indirect fitness, suggesting that in the absence of costs of mating per se, polyandry is likely to be beneficial in G. holbrooki.

ASSAB 2018 Abstract Booklet

Foraging ecology and roosting behaviour of Eastern Tube-nosed bats

Anita Freudmann1, Matthias-Claudio Loretto2, Stuart Parsons1

1Queensland University of Technology, [email protected]. 2University of Vienna

Key Words: Nyctimeninae, GPS tracking, Habitat use, Pteropodidae, Fruit bats

Fruit bat research in Australia has largely focussed on Flying Foxes (Pteropus sp.), whereas studies on their elusive relatives, Eastern Tube-nosed Bats (Nyctimene robinsoni), are still quite limited. Despite their wide distribution along the north eastern coast of Australia and presumably important function as seed dispersers, available information on this charismatic species is dominated by anecdotal records rather than field studies, with confounding notes on their home range size and social behaviour. We employed a GPS tracking approach to study their habitat use and roosting behaviour to get a better understanding of not only their space use and movement patterns, but also social interactions. Key habitat features, foraging areas and spatial distribution and characteristics of day roost sites as well as frequency of social roosting were identified. Here we present first findings from the field, mainly focussing on their habitat use and roosting behaviour, and give an overview over upcoming research on diet and relatedness patterns in the study population.

ASSAB 2018 Abstract Booklet

Why don’t orchid pollinators go extinct? Counteradaptations and resilience to sexual deception

Anne C. Gaskett 1, Amy L.B. Martin2 , Hanna Kokko3

1 School of Biological Sciences, The University of Auckland, New Zealand. [email protected] 2 School of Biological Sciences, The University of Auckland, New Zealand 3 Dept. Evolutionary Biology & Environmental Studies, Universität Zürich, Switzerland

Key Words: coevolution, mating behavior, sexual deception

Sexually deceptive orchids fool male insects into mating with, and inadvertently pollinating, orchid flowers. These pollinators receive no sweet rewards for their service. Instead, sexual deception imposes costs such as missed opportunities to mate with real female insects, and wasting time, energy and even sperm on flowers. If sexual deception is so costly for pollinators, why don’t they go extinct? Why has this system evolved multiple times independently around the world, resulting in several hundred sexually deceptive orchids, each with their own pollinator species? We’ve found the first ever evidence that pollinators can coevolve and counteradapt in response to orchid sexual deception. When we compared pollinator populations at field sites with and without natural orchid populations, we found behavioural and morphological differences in the pollinator, especially for body parts associated with detecting orchids (e.g. antennae) and producing and using sperm. In addition, our modelling and surveys of museum specimens suggest that extant orchid pollinator species share innate traits that make them both vulnerable AND resilient to deception - they can survive it, they just can’t escape it!

ASSAB 2018 Abstract Booklet

Effect of personality on body condition of foraging herbivores in the semi- arid zone

Molly E. Gilmour1, Simon C. Griffith1,2, Stephan T. Leu 1

1 Department of Biological Sciences, Macquarie University, [email protected] 3 School of Biological, Earth, and Environmental Sciences, University of New South Wales

Key Words: personality, sheep, behavioural type, arid zone, foraging

Personality traits have been shown to affect the fitness and life history traits, such as size and growth, of many species. This results from personality-dependent differences in behaviours, such as foraging strategies, movement, or their social network position. Previous research has shown that personality traits such as boldness/shyness and exploration are consistent and measureable in some species. Variation in exploratory behaviour may help explain how individuals in the same environment have differing foraging success, and thus variation in overall health and body condition. For species that live in environments with unreliable resource availability, competition for resources is high and rapid resource acquisition is key. Using merino sheep (Ovis aries) as our study species, we first determine two classic behavioural types, boldness/shyness and exploration tendency. We then investigate the relationship between personality type and weight, in order to determine if personality- dependent behaviours can result in changes to body condition. This research will help determine how personality traits influence survival in many species, especially in harsh environments like Australia’s arid zone.

ASSAB 2018 Abstract Booklet

Colour discrimination thresholds in triggerfish, Rhinecanthus aculeatus: an Ishihara-style test of animal colour vision.

Naomi F. Green1, John A. Endler2, Alexander Vibert1, Daniel C. Osorio3, Misha Vorobyev4, N. Justin Marshall5, Karen L. Cheney1, 5

1School of Biological Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072 Australia 2Centre for Integrative Ecology, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Deakin University, Victoria, 3217, Australia 3School of Life Sciences, The University of Sussex, Brighton, BN1 9QG, England 4Department of Optometry and Vision Science, The University of Auckland, Auckland 1142, New Zealand 5Queensland Brain Institute, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072 Australia

To address important questions about animal colouration, such as the efficacy of camouflage and visual signalling, researchers rely on visual modelling and behavioural experiments to estimate colour discrimination in other species. To date, most evidence for animal colour vision has been obtained through paired choice experiments. However, these methods require extensive training and restrict investigations to a limited area of colour space. I will describe a novel method we developed to test colour discrimination that employs stimuli similar to Ishihara colour blindness plates. Using this method, animals learn to identify an ‘odd’ target spot situated amongst a background of distractor spots. This method offers the advantage that animals do not need to be retrained to different paired colour discriminations, allowing multiple areas of colour space to be tested simultaneously. We employed this method to conduct a series of experiments, to determine colour discrimination thresholds in the reef fish Rhinecanthus aculeatus. Our results indicate that discrimination thresholds vary significantly according to the saturation of the background, direction of the colour change, and the area of colour space tested. These findings provide crucial insights to colour discrimination and visual modelling, and we envision that this new approach will be adaptable to a range of diverse taxa.

ASSAB 2018 Abstract Booklet

Density, population size and activity periods of African giant pouched rats (Cricetomys sp.nov) in a west African montane forest landscape

Biplang G. Yadok1,2, Roger Pech3, Daniel Gerhard4, Pierre-Michel Forget5, Hazel Chapman1,2

1School of Biological Sciences, University of Canterbury, Christchurch, New Zealand. Email:[email protected] 2Nigerian Montane Forest Project, Yelwa, Taraba State, Nigeria 3Landcare research, Lincoln, Christchurch, New Zealand 4School of Mathematics and Statistics, University of Canterbury, Christchurch, New Zealand 5Museum National d’Histoire Naturelle, Brunoy, France

Key words: Rats, density, Cricetomys, activity, montane

The African giant pouched rat (Cricetomys spp) has the potential to be an important seed disperser of forest trees through its scatterhoarding behaviour yet very little is known about its local distribution and activity in montane forests. In this study, we used live-trapping for Spatially Explicit Capture Recapture (SECR) models and camera trapping for a Random Encounter Model (REM) to estimate the density of Cricetomys sp. nov in a Nigerian montane forest. We hypothesized that: i) the rats will predominantly occur in the forest core and that the densities of the rat in different sites within the forest core will be the same ii) The male and female rats will occur in equal frequencies, and iii) rats will be more active at midnight. Our results show that Cricetomys was more common in the forest core than the forest fragments and grassland habitats. We also found that some forest patches supported higher densities of Cricetomys than others, and that males occurred at higher densities than females. Lastly, we observed that Cricetomys were more active at the early part of the night (19:00- 20:00 hours) and before dawn (4:00 – 5:00 hours). Our results suggest that Cricetomys in montane forests, may occur at lower densities than in the lowlands and because of their density difference among forest patches, they may potentially vary in their influence on forest tree recruitment depending on the particular forest patch. The bimodal activity period of Cricetomys suggests that these rats may have a temporal strategy for predator avoidance.

ASSAB 2018 Abstract Booklet

How the availability of habitat affects the formation of harems in the bark beetle Ips grandicollis

Melissa J Griffin1, Greg Holwell2, Matthew Symonds3

1 Deakin University, School of Life and Environmental Sciences (Burwood Campus), Victoria, Australia, [email protected] 2 The University of Auckland, School of Biological Sciences, Auckland, New Zealand 3Deakin University, School of Life and Environmental Sciences (Burwood Campus), Victoria, Australia

Key Words: harem polygyny, mating systems, resource availability

Harem polygyny is a well-defined mating system, best known in mammals. A male defends a group of females from other males, and successful defence leads to greater reproductive success. Although a rare mating system for insects, harem polygyny has been described in a number of different orders, including scolytine bark beetles. In these cases females group together in aggregations associated with a single male, and as a result these groups have been defined as harems. However, whether these “harems” are analogous to what is seen in mammals is questionable. One variable that may be common between mammalian and insect harems is the effect of the availability of habitat. Specifically, limited resources (habitat availability) may drive the formation of harems. I am examining the role of this factor in the establishment of harems in the five-spined bark beetle (Ips grandicollis) an invasive pest of pine plantations in Australia. Using recently harvested and untouched blocks of pine forest I set up treatments where I was able to manipulate population density and investigate its effects on harem formation. The harvested pine block with a higher population density had a greater number of females per harem irrespective the experimental habitat availability. There were also more harems per log in the harvested block, and distance between harems and between females within each harem was also significantly affected, suggesting that habitat availability does influence harem formation in these insects.

ASSAB 2018 Abstract Booklet

Predator, prey, and parasites: longterm effect of cleaner presence on free- living stages of gnathiid isopod parasites

Alexandra S Grutter1, Stephen J Box2, Simon P Blomberg1, Redouan Bshary3, Ofalia Ho1, Elizabeth MP Madin4, Eva C McClure1, Mark G Meekan5, Jan Maree Murphy1, Marina A Richardson1, Carrie A Sims1, Derek Sun1, Robert R Warner6, Paul C Sikkel7

1The University of Queensland [email protected] 2Rare 3University of Neuchâtel 4University of Hawaii 5Australian Institute of Marine Science 6University of California, Santa Barbara 7Arkansas State University

Key Words: Coral reefs, cleaning mutualism, gnathiid isopods, fish parasites, demersal benthic zooplankton

Client fishes benefit from cleaning mutualism in many ways, but the mechanisms for benefits detected over the long-term remain unclear. Removal of cleaner fish Labroides dimidiatus for 1.5-12.5 years negatively impacts coral reef fish diversity, abundance, recruitment, size, and growth. Since cleaner fish prey upon vast quantities of harmful gnathiid isopods (ectoparasites), a consequent increase in gnathiid populations on cleaner-free reefs could explain the observed negative impacts. Gnathiids mainly occur in the benthos, emerging briefly to feed on fish blood. To test whether cleaners affect their populations, 16 patch reefs (Lizard Island, Great Barrier Reef) were maintained cleaner-free or undisturbed for 12.5 years. Using traps (1 m2), free-living gnathiids were sampled before and after cleaner fish were removed, at two sites, during the day and night, up to 11 times. Relative gnathiid abundance ranged from 0 to 468 trap-1 12 h-1, and varied diurnally, spatially, and temporally. There was no increase in gnathiids after cleaners were removed at any time, at both sites. Gnathiid size differed with cleaner presence one or two times per site, but in no consistent way. Gnathiids tended to be more abundant and larger at night than the day at one site, but less consistently so at the other. Higher abundance and greater sizes at night, and in some years, indicates a diurnal and temporal fluctuation in fish’s risk of exposure to gnathiids’ damaging effects. Changes in free-living gnathiid populations do not explain negative effects observed in client fish in response to long- term cleaner fish removals. 37

ASSAB 2018 Abstract Booklet

Do ants influence the diversity and distribution of stick insects?

James C. O’Hanlon1, Sonja Starkovska2, Nigel R. Andrew1

1Behavioural and Physiological Ecology Research Centre, University of New England, Armidale 2350, Australia 2Department of Biological Sciences, Macquarie University, North Ryde 2109, Australia

Key words: Myrmecochory, egg dispersal, ants, stick-insects

Many plant seeds contain a fleshy ‘elaiosome’ that acts as a food reward for ants that carry the seed into their nests. This interaction, termed ‘myrmecochory’, is a major driving force in the evolution of plants and may be responsible for increasing diversity of angiosperms worldwide. A lesser-known fact is that certain stick and leaf insects (Phasmatodea) use a convergent dispersal strategy for their eggs. Ants collect stick insect eggs and feed on the lipid rich egg capitulum. The egg capitulum is known to be present in up to 40% of all known stick insect species, yet despite its recurrence little is known about the function and evolution of this mutualism. Using GIS to analyse spatial patterns in occurrence records of Australian Phasmatodea, this project asks two main questions 1) whether the foraging behavior of ants has had an effect on the large-scale distribution of stick-insects, and 2) how has the Australian landscape influenced the evolution of stick-insect dispersal strategies.

ASSAB 2018 Abstract Booklet

Increased temperature disrupts chemical communication in some lizard species: the importance of local adaptation and distribution

Megan L. Head1, Maider Iglesias-Carrasco 2,3, José Martín2, Carlos Cabido3

1Australian National University, Australia. 2 National Museum of Natural Sciences-CSIC, Spain. 3 Aranzadi Science Society, Spain.

Key Words: altitude, chemical signals, communication, temperature, tongue flick

Environmental conditions experienced by a species during its evolutionary history may shape the signals it uses for communication. Consequently, rapid environmental changes may lead to less effective signals, which interfere with communication between individuals, altering life- history traits such as predator detection and mate searching. Increased temperature can reduce the efficacy of scent marks released by male lizards, but the extent to which this negative effect is related to specific biological traits and evolutionary histories across species and populations has not been explored. We experimentally tested how increased temperature affects the efficacy of chemical signals of high and low altitude populations of three lizard species that differ in their ecological requirements and altitudinal distributions. We tested the behavioral chemosensory responses of males from each species and population to male scent marks that had been incubated at one of two temperatures (cold 16 °C or hot 20 °C). In high altitude populations of a mountain species (Iberolacerta monticola), the efficacy of chemical signals (i.e. latency time and number of tongue flicks) was lower after scent marks had been exposed to a hot temperature. The temperature that scent marks were incubated at did not affect the efficacy of chemical signals in a ubiquitous species (Podarcis muralis) or another mountain species (I. bonalli). Our results suggest that specific ecological traits arising through local adaptation to restricted distributions may be important in determining species vulnerability to climatic change.

ASSAB 2018 Abstract Booklet

A stop sign in different colours: an aposematic colour-polymorphic moth seen through the eyes of mates and predators

J. Henze1,2, Olle Lind3, Johanna Mappes4, Bibiana Rojas4, Almut Kelber2

1Queensland Brain Institute, University of Queensland, Australia, [email protected] 2 Lund Vision Group, Department of Biology, Lund University, Sweden 3 Cognitive Science, Department of Philosophy, Lund University, Sweden 4 Centre of Excellence in Biological Interactions, University of Jyväskylä, Finland

Key Words: aposematism, colour polymorphism, selection, spectral sensitivity, colour vision

Wood tiger moths (Arctia plantaginis) display a contrasting pattern of black stripes against bright patches on their wings. Attacking birds learn this aposematic (warning) signal, since the moths taste bad. However, wood tiger moths are colour-polymorphic in most populations, which might make learning less efficient. In Scandinavia, the bright patches on the hindwings of male moths are either white or yellow (in human perception), and those of females range between orange and red. Imagine trying to recognize a stop sign that comes in four varieties! To understand the selective forces that maintain colour morphism in the moth populations, we investigated how a predator, the Eurasian blue tit (Cyanistes caeruleus), sees the moths and how the moths themselves see their colours. Our results, based on electroretinograms, spectral reflectance measurements, and colour vision models, suggest that both moths and birds can detect all colour morphs easily on green and brown backgrounds under natural illumination. However, the moths are only able to discriminate white and yellow males, and not orange and red females as separate morphs based on colour. Colour is thus unlikely to influence male mate choice, but could be used by females, which seem to prefer white to yellow males. Yellow males and red females are attacked less by birds. Yet, the red colour, which depends on larval diet, is costly to produce. We propose that an interplay of these factors and gene flow between populations under different predation pressure can explain colour polymorphism in the wood tiger moth in Scandinavia.

ASSAB 2018 Abstract Booklet

Animal behaviour across landscapes – challenges for 21st century Behavioural Ecology

Mariella Herberstein1, James O’Hanlon 1,2, Simon Griffith1

1 Department of Biological Sciences, Macquarie University 2 Centre for Excellence in Behavioural and Physiological Ecology, Zoology, University of New England

Key Words: macro-ecology, multi species, methodology

The challenge for 21st Century Biology is to apply fundamental knowledge to applied problems emerging from a growing human population and climate change. Behaviour, along with physiology in particular have the potential to make strong contributions to these challenges if applied at the right scale. In this presentation we will discuss the scale of enquiry applied for ecological and behavioural studies and propose a landscape level framework that captures trait variation across spatial scales. While many theories in behavioural ecology generate spatially or habitat specific predictions, the current practice mostly centres on capturing individual variation within single population. By contrast, macro-ecology and macro-physiology explicitly investigate variation across geographic scales. Building on these fields, we propose a straight forward framework that examines behavioural trait variation that quantifies behavioural variation across multiple species and locations.

ASSAB 2018 Abstract Booklet

Aged female calling strategies and the response

Hieu T. Pham 1 and Mark A. Elgar2

School of BioSciences, The University of Melbourne, VIC 3010, Australia

Key Words: pheromone releasing, male responses, effect of age.

In theory, virgin, adult female moths may adjust their signaling strategies as they age, with older females increasing their signaling effort to attract males. Variation in signaling is predicted if these odours convey more than just the location of the signaler, but also provide reliable information about the signaler and hence have a role in sexual selection. Using gum leaf skeletonizer moths Uraba lugens as a model species, we explored how adult age influences the calling behaviour of virgin female. Female U. lugens commenced calling shortly after eclosing, and for several hours in scotophase. We observed newly eclosed, virgin females over four continuous scotophases (25oC, 10h scotophase). One day old females typically commenced calling earlier than younger females. Furthermore, the proportion of female calling was highest on the first two nights and decreased significantly after the third night. The duration of calling by females each night varied significantly with female age, with a decline from days 1 to 3. Y-maze olfactometer assays suggest that virgin males tend to choose younger females and that pheromone concentration plays a role in this choice. The results of our experiments support the view that females can adjust their calling behaviour to attract particular males, and provides insights into the response of males toward these different signalers.

ASSAB 2018 Abstract Booklet

Naïve honeybee foragers learn configured but not deconstructed flowers

Scarlett R Howard1, Aurore Avarguès-Weber2, Jair Garcia1, Andrew Greentree3, and Adrian G Dyer1,4

1Bio-inspired Digital Sensing (BIDS) Lab, School of Media and Communication, RMIT University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia, email: [email protected] 2Centre de Recherches sur la Cognition Animale, Centre de Biologie Intégrative (CBI), Université de Toulouse, CNRS, UPS, Toulouse, France 3ARC Centre of Excellence for Nanoscale BioPhotonics, School of Science, RMIT University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia 4Department of Physiology, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia

Key Words: angiosperm, flower, honeybee, foragers, pollination

Honeybee foragers may visit many types of flowers a day and must quickly learn rewarding types to efficiently collect nectar. But how do newly emerged foragers achieve this? We tested whether naïve honeybee foragers, who have never been exposed to flowers, could learn to differentiate between images of two different flower species, and how important flower configuration and contrast was to the visual problem. A hive was maintained inside a sealed greenhouse without access to flowers. Three groups of bees (normal contrast achromatic images; high contrast achromatic images; normal contrast scrambled achromatic images) were trained to differentiate between two respective flower types. Bees exposed to normal flower images quickly acquired the ability to learn a target flower, whilst both high contrast and scrambled images disrupted the capacity of bees to rapidly learn. We show that bees’ innate preferences for spatial configurations are tuned to enable the rapid learning of flowers.

ASSAB 2018 Abstract Booklet

Visual acuity in the coral reef fish Rhinecanthus aculeatus: are chromatic and achromatic signals processed differently?

Jemma Hudson1 and Karen L. Cheney1,2

1School of Biological Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072 Australia 2Queensland Brain Institute, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072 Australia

Key Words: visual acuity, triggerfish, colour patterns

Animal colour patterns play a major role in communication and camouflage; therefore, it is important to understand the ability of animals to detect the patterns of conspecifics, predators and prey. In coral reef fish, bright colour patterns are common and highly variable, and the visual acuities of these fish also vary widely. While work has been done on achromatic acuity in animals, little is known about the detection of chromatic patterns. The triggerfish, Rhinecanthus aculeatus, lives in shallow reef environments, and is easy to train as it is highly food motivated. Because of this, I will be able to use behavioural experiments to determine how the visual acuity of triggerfish differs for chromatic and achromatic stimuli.

ASSAB 2018 Abstract Booklet

The thermal landscape as a predictor of wood turtle (Glyptemys insculpta) movements at the home range scale

Geoffrey N. Hughes1,2, Jacqueline D. Litzgus1

1Laurentian University - [email protected] 2University of New England

Key Words: thermal spatial ecology, turtle

Turtles living in seasonally cold climates experience limited thermal resources during certain times of the year, and because they are ectotherms, individuals may be forced to navigate a heterogeneous thermal landscape to acquire the specific resources required for activity. We examined location selection at the home range scale to determine if and how much temperature influences this spatial behaviour in North American wood turtles (Glyptemys insculpta) near their northern range limit in Ontario, Canada. We radio-tracked 15 wood turtles through their home ranges and measured the temperatures they used. We deployed an array of thermal models (n = 48) to record available ambient temperatures throughout the study site. We examined turtle carapace temperatures and thermoregulation efficiency (Db), and compared them to the temperatures in their available surroundings at the home range scale, as recorded by the thermal models. Wood turtles did not show strong thermal landscape navigation at the home range scale; some evidence emerged that wood turtles do navigate a thermal landscape at smaller habitat scales however, that would still facilitate a reliable strategy for individuals in their environment.

ASSAB 2018 Abstract Booklet

Optimising behavioural strategies between competing agents: using the soccer penalty as a model system

Andrew H Hunter1, Michael J Angilletta Jnr2, Theodore Pavlic3, Glen Lichtwark4, Robbie S Wilson5

1 School of Biological Sciences, The University of Queensland, [email protected] 2 School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, U.S.A 3 School of Computing, Informatics, and Decision Systems Engineering, School of Sustainability, Arizona State University, U.S.A 4 School of Human Movement and Nutritional Sciences, The University of Queensland 5 School of Biological Sciences, The University of Queensland

Key Words: Optimisation, competition, trade-offs, speed, accuracy

Whether its fighting a conspecific, or predator/prey interaction, success in complex activities relies on an individual’s motor performance. Because motor function is constrained by various biomechanical trade-offs – such as movement speed versus accuracy –individuals must balance these competing demands for success. For example, when running along a narrow branch, lower speeds allow animals to avoid slips that could be catastrophic mistakes. Furthermore, when competing against opponents, success relies on balancing biomechanical constraints and selecting the best strategy for the opponent. One way to study how biomechanical trade-offs affect the optimal strategy between competing agents in a controlled setting is to use humans in a sporting contest. Here, using soccer penalty shots as a system, we develop an optimality model that predicts the likelihood of success for different shooting strategies, accounting for the biomechanical trade-offs that constrain individuals. Penalty shots are a controlled contest between a shooter and goal-keeper. Each player has a range of strategies available to them, and their performance is affected by trade-offs between speed, accuracy, and predictability. We have quantified these trade-offs and determined how the strategies of each player interact to affect the outcome. With this, we developed a model that predicts the probability of success for all available shooting strategies, identifying the strategy with the best chance of success. By measuring the shooting attributes of shooters and behaviour of goal-keepers, this model can be used to identify the optimal strategy at the individual level, making this a highly useful tool for soccer players and coaches.

ASSAB 2018 Abstract Booklet

Behavioural activity levels of parasite-infected and uninfected young sheep

Seer Jonathan Ikurior1, Bill Pomroy1, Ian Scott1, Rene Corner-Thomas1,2

1 School of Veterinary Science, Massey University, New Zealand, [email protected] 2 School of Agriculture and Environment, Massey University, New Zealand

Key Words: Sheep, Activity levels, Internal parasites, Accelerometers

The principal penalties of infection with gastrointestinal nematodes (GIN) in ruminants are a reduction in feed intake and a disturbance on protein and energy budgetary allocation. An energy budget is required to exert any behaviour, which is estimated by measures of energy expenditure. One proxy for measuring energy expenditure is acceleration. Triaxial accelerometers measure body movement in terms of acceleration, which can then be used to estimate physical activity over time. The total activity levels of two groups of crossbred Romney and Suffolk ram lambs were monitored over a period of four days using triaxial accelerometer technology. One group (n=12) were treated with anthelmintics every two weeks to suppress GIN infections whilst the second group (n=12) was trigger-treated based on faecal egg counts (>500 eggs per gram) or loss of body weight (>5% from one week to the next). Activity level calculated as vectorial dynamic body acceleration was subjected to an ANCOVA model and showed a significant difference (P=0.037) between the trigger and suppressively treated groups. Since energy translates to movement, it is plausible that animals suffering even modest burdens of GIN infection are channeling energy resources to other behaviours and expending less on movement behaviour. The result suggests that animal behavioural activity levels measured by accelerometers have the potential to serve as an early indicator for GIN infection in sheep.

ASSAB 2018 Abstract Booklet

You aren’t my real mum! detection dogs’ responses to a change of handler

La Toya J. Jamieson1, Greg S. Baxter2, Peter J. Murray3

1 The University of Queensland, Faculty of Science, Wildlife Science Unit, [email protected] 2, 3 The University of Queensland, Faculty of Science, Wildlife Science Unit

Key Words: Detection dogs, handlers, working behaviour

Working dogs and their handlers share a unique relationship that directly impacts their working performance. Changing a dog’s handler may generate conflict, cause behaviour changes and thereby reduce working performance. Here I will explore the behavioural and performance impact of having detection dogs handled by multiple handlers. Nine detection dogs were accuracy tested with two handlers. Both handlers were female with similar dog handling experience. Handler 1 was also the dogs’ trainer. The detection dogs were accuracy tested using 144 target, non-target and control samples total, with each handler. Testing occurred over two days. After a rest day, the dogs were tested with the other handler. The dogs’ sensitivity, specificity, Positive Predictive Power and Negative Predictive Power (NPP) were calculated. Testing sessions were filmed and the dogs’ behaviours were coded.

The dogs had significantly higher sensitivity (p = 0.045) and NPP (p = 0.041) scores when handled by Handler 1. The dogs performed more stress related behaviours with Handler 2 (unfamiliar handler), such as tail lowering (p = 0.035), and were distracted for a higher proportion of time (p = 0.012). The dogs’ performances did not improve over the four testing sessions with Handler 2 (p = 0.553), but did improve with Handler 1 (p = 0.017). These findings suggest that a detection dog’s performance is reduced when handled by another handler, and stress related behaviours and distraction levels increase. This may challenge working dogs being transferred to, and used by, multiple handlers.

ASSAB 2018 Abstract Booklet

How do roads influence the movements of birds in Brisbane?

Christopher Johnson

Environmental Futures Research Institute, Griffith University

Key Words: Forest dependent, road crossing, habitat connectivity

Roads provide humans with a means of mobility between destinations, be it for transportation of goods and services or as a means of connecting with others. However, roads can have quite profound impacts on the natural environment, from changes in animal and vegetation communities (e.g. habitat destruction and fragmentation) to altered landscape processes (e.g. river hydrology and run-off). Surprisingly, although numerous studies have previously investigated the impacts of roads on nearby fauna movements, birds have largely escaped the attention of such studies. This can likely be attributed to the widely held assumption that their ability to fly enables them to easily navigate fragmented landscapes and thus avoid the associated impacts. However, recent studies have demonstrated that the movements of many birds – particularly forest dependent species – are fairly susceptible to the effects of roads. This presentation will draw on key findings from a recent study to explore the implications of roads as barriers to bird movements within a peri-urban environment.

ASSAB 2018 Abstract Booklet

The administration of chemical weaponry from the stick insect Candovia pallida

Braxton R. Jones1, Matthew W. Bulbert2

1Braxton R. Jones, [email protected] 2Matthew W. Bulbert, [email protected]

Key Words: predation sequence, chemical spray, defence, stick insect

During the predation sequence of insects, tactics that have high cost are thought to come as a last resort. These defensive tactics are known as secondary defences and will most likely be used as the predator interacts with its prey. One well studied secondary defence among insects is that of chemical sprays. Given past studies of chemical sprays in phasmids, a very brief understanding for the timing at which these defensive tactics are deployed is known. But through research into the chemical spray of the Candovia pallida phasmid, it is hoped that experiments will show the point in the predation sequence it is likely to secrete. Supplementary to this, chemical sprays across all insects are used to produce varying results. Thus, it is further anticipated this study will provide a comparison of predator targets between C. pallida and Megacrania batesii through the use of their sprays.

ASSAB 2018 Abstract Booklet

Does feeding change the behaviour of garden birds?

Darryl N. Jones

Environmental Futures Research Institute, Griffith University

Key Words: Bird feeding, migration, foraging behavior

Although highly controversial in Australia, the feeding of wild birds in gardens is extremely popular throughout the developed world. Indeed, around 35-55% of households – including those from Australia - in these countries regularly and intentionally provision birds. Although this practice is widespread, remarkably little information has been conducted on the influence on the consumption of anthropogenic birdseed on the behavior of the birds involved in suburban environments. There has been, however, considerable experimental work conducted on the effect on supplementary foods in wild populations of feeder-utilising species. These studies have discerned a number of significant changes in the behavior of the birds, most noticeably with respect to breeding parameters. For example, the provision of even relatively small amounts of food can lead to earlier starts to the nesting cycle, increased breeding attempts and greatly improved survival of young through winter. In virtually all cases, supplementary feeding results in significantly enhanced productivity. This presentation will apply these findings to the urban landscape and explore the implications of bird feeding on bird behavior.

ASSAB 2018 Abstract Booklet

Tri-axial accelerometers classify fine-scale behaviours in the Port Jackson shark

Julianna P Kadar1, Monique Ladds1, Culum Brown1

1 Department of Biological Sciences, Macquarie University, Macquarie Park, 2113, New South Wales, Australia, [email protected]

Key Words: Port Jackson shark, accelerometer, machine learning, classification tree

Movement ecology has traditionally focused on the course movements of animals over large time scales, but with advancements in technology the focus can become increasingly fine-scale, examining specific behaviours and environmental factors that influence them. We used fine- scale tri-axial accelerometers (10Hz) to quantify four behaviours (resting, swimming, swimming vertically, and chewing) in Port Jackson sharks Heterodontus portusjacksoni. To validate the accelerometer data we identified shark behaviours from multi-angle, high definition video that was time matched to the accelerometry output. We calculated summary statistics from the tri-axial acceleration data to find signature features that allowed for differentiation between the four behaviours. Two testing sets were created: one and two second epochs consisting of 10 and 20 samples from each behaviour event, respectively. Predictor variables from the x, y, and z raw axes were assessed for relative importance and standard deviation was identified as the most important characteristic. The decision tree with a longer time epoch (2 seconds) classified the four behaviours more accurately (87.82%) than the 1- second epoch (82.13%). The interpretable framework of the classification tree allowed for identification of the signature features responsible for separation of the four behaviour classes. Thus we were able to show that tri-axial accelerometers are an effective tool for classifying fine-scale Port Jackson shark behavior. The decision guidelines developed here can be applied to classify behaviour in free-ranging sharks that are unable to be observed directly.

ASSAB 2018 Abstract Booklet

Behavioural plasticity in nesting city dragons may be helping embryos to beat the heat

Nicola E Kent1, Romane Cristescu1, Carme Piza-Roca1, Bethan Littleford-Colquhoun1, Strickland Kasha1, Celine H Frere1

1University of the Sunshine Coast, [email protected]

Key Words: Urbanisation, Temperature-dependent sex determination, nesting behavior, maternal behavior, behavioural plasticity, eastern water dragon

Cities present some of the greatest challenges to species. This is particularly true for species which exhibit thermally sensitive traits, such as temperature-dependent sex determination (TSD). This is because cities not only present species with entirely novel ecosystems, but they also experience greater than average temperatures. These temperatures may result not only in offspring mortality, but also skewed population sex ratios. Therefore, urban dwellers with TSD need to actively manage the temperature of the nesting environment. Here, we investigated the nesting ecology of a long-lived, urban dwelling reptile, the eastern water dragon (Intellegama lesueurii), to better understand the ways in which TSD species respond to city life. Based on data collected from 78 nests over two nesting seasons, our results indicated that female city dragons can exhibit nesting behavioural plasticity, a trait that most likely contributes to their ability to inhabit novel city environments. Female city dragons not only dug significantly deeper nests than previously observed across their native riparian habitat, but were also found to nest in novel substrates. Furthermore, we observed variation in maternal investment in response to nest micro-habitat.

ASSAB 2018 Abstract Booklet

Gene expression and plasma carotenoids underly plumage ornamentation in the red-backed fairywren

Khalil1, Joseph F. Welklin2, Kevin J. McGraw3, Michael S. Webster2, Jordan Karubian1

1Tulane University, New Orleans, LA, USA - [email protected] 2Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA 3Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, USA

Key Words: Sexual signaling, carotenoids, sexual selection, behavior, evolution

Carotenoid-based signaling is thought to be a classic example of honest signaling, in that acquiring and metabolizing carotenoids likely imposes costs, such that individuals expressing the most carotenoid rich signals should be in the best condition. Yet the proximate mechanisms of carotenoid production remain poorly resolved, which limits our understanding of the evolutionary constraints and physiological costs associated with this widespread signaling modality. The red-backed fairywren (Malurus melanocephalus) provides a useful context in which to examine mechanisms underlying expression of carotenoid-based ornamentation: males within a single population exhibit flexible reproductive phenotypes, with some males expressing red/black plumage and others exhibiting female-like brown plumage. To better understand how individuals regulate signal expression, we asked if circulating carotenoid levels and gene expression of a carotenoid ketolase gene (CYP2J19) differ as a function of sex and male phenotype. As predicted, red/black males had higher concentrations of circulating carotenoids than either brown males and females. In addition, red/black males had higher expression of CYP2J19 than females. However, unexpectedly, brown males had higher expression of CYP2J19 than females, even though they do not express any red plumage. This work highlights the complex ways in which carotenoids may be used to signal quality, and raises important questions concerning the physiological costs and proximate mechanisms associated with production of carotenoid based signals.

ASSAB 2018 Abstract Booklet

Sexual dimorphic blue bands function as intra-sexual aposematic signal in the pond damselfly

Md Kawsar Khan1, Marie E. Herberstein1

Department of Biological Science, Macquarie University, NSW-2109, Australia

Key Words: sexual dimorphism, animal signaling, aposematism, sexual conflict, visual modelling

Sexually dimorphic traits in males are thought to evolve via female preference. However, in species without overt male displays or female mate choice, dimorphic colouration may function as a warning signal to conspecific males thereby avoiding costly harassment. We tested this idea in the damselfly Xanthagrion erythroneurum where males, but not females carry conspicuous blue bands on the tip of the abdomen. We abolished male blue bands by painting black over blue and measured the female preferences between the manipulated and the control males. We did not find any difference in mating success between the control and manipulated male thereby rejected the female preference hypothesis for the function of blue bands in this damselfly. To test whether the blue bands function as a warning signal, we manipulated the females by painting male-like blue bands on their abdominal segments and measured the male reaction to those females relative to control females. Females with artificial blue bands on the terminal abdomen were mated with less frequently than control females. However, when we painted blue bands on the anterior abdominal segments the males did not discriminate between control and painted females. We conclude that the blue bands in male damselflies function as a position-specific aposematic signal towards other males to avoid intra-sexual harassment.

ASSAB 2018 Abstract Booklet

Transgenerational effects of stress on song learning

Fanny-Linn H. Kraft 1, Ondi L. Crino 1, Andy T. D. Bennett 1, Katherine L. Buchanan 1

1 Centre for Integrative Ecology, Deakin University, Australia [email protected]

Key Words: zebra finch, vocal learning, sexual signals, cognition, developmental stress

Environments animals experience during development can have sustained effects on their morphology, physiology, behaviour, and fitness. These effects can last into adulthood, and even across generations. The direct effects of developmental stress on song learning are well documented in a range of species, but whether vocal learning is also detrimentally affected in subsequent generations remains to be tested. Our project is the first to examine whether developmental stress can have transgenerational effects on song memory. We used the zebra finch (Taeniopygia guttata), an iconic Australian songbird, and exposed nestlings to either a corticosterone treatment or control (peanut oil). Allowing these birds (F1) to develop and breed, we quantified the effects of parental stress on their F2 offspring in terms of growth, development and behaviour. In order to test the effects of parental stress experience on vocal learning and song copy accuracy, we compared the songs of all F1 males with their F2 male offspring. Here, we present data showing whether effects of developmental stress on song learning in F1 birds persist across generations into the F2 birds. We will show how vocal behaviour is affected by parental stress treatment, and how well the songs of F2 males match their father's song. We also discuss the impact of parental stress on offspring morphology and development. Together, our work addresses the long-term implications of early life stress, not only for cognitive functions but also for individual physiological condition.

ASSAB 2018 Abstract Booklet

Colour pattern phenotypic divergence can be predicted by the light environment

Alexandrea M. Kranz1*, Gemma L. Cole1, Priti Singh 1 and John A. Endler1

1 Centre for Integrative Ecology, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Deakin University, Geelong, VIC 3216, Australia.

Key Words: Guppies, colour patterns, evolution experiment, light environment, visual system

The sensory drive hypothesis predicts that across different light environments sexually selected color patterns will change to increase an animal’s visual communication efficiency within different habitats. This is because individuals with more efficient signal components are likely to have more successful matings and hence produce more offspring. However, how color pattern signals change over multiple generations under different light environmental conditions has not been tested experimentally. Here we manipulated colour pattern signal efficiency by providing different ambient light environments over multiple generations to examine if male color pattern components change within large replicated populations of guppies (Poecilia reticulata). We report that color patches change within populations over time and are phenotypically different among our three different light environments. Visual modeling suggests that the majority of these changes can be understood by considering the chroma, hue and luminance of each color patch as seen by female guppies under each light environment. Taken together our results support the hypothesis that different environmental conditions during signal reception can directly or indirectly drive the phenotypic diversification of visual signals within species.

ASSAB 2018 Abstract Booklet

Nest-site selection and polymorphism of the little eagle Hieraaetus morphnoides near Armidale, NSW

Candice J Larkin1, Paul G. McDonald2, Stephen J. Debus3

1 Honours Candidate, Zoology, Centre for Behavioural and Physiological Ecology, University of New England, [email protected] 2 Associate Professor, Zoology, Centre for Behavioural and Physiological Ecology, University of New England 3Adjunct Lecturer, Zoology, Centre for Behavioural and Physiological Ecology, University of New England

Key Words: habitat selection, predator, polymorphism, conservation

The primary threat to woodland bird populations is the intensification and expansion of habitat modification, which has been linked to bird declines world-wide. The Little Eagle Hieraaetus morphnoides, is an endemic, apex, woodland predator found across mainland Australia that exhibits large home ranges and a high nest-site fidelity. The species is currently experiencing declines across its range and may therefore be a suitable umbrella species for investigating decline in all Australian woodland birds. The aim of the study was to define the nest-site characteristics of the Little Eagle, establishing minimum habitat requirements for future conservation effort. Reproductive output, sex ratios and polymorphism were also recorded, to provide baseline data for future behavioral and population ecology studies. From July 2017- January 2018 seventeen nests were located and 27 habitat variables measured using field methods and ArcGIS software. Little Eagles selected for tall, emergent trees close to heterogeneous edges, suitable for foraging. Little Eagles nested further from sealed roads than smaller thoroughfares such as tracks, although a degree of plasticity in terms of tolerance to humans was exhibited, with one pair nesting 40 meters from a residence. Plumage colour of offspring appears to be inherited from the female parent and may be linked to immune defence or foraging strategies. This study addressed some gaps in the knowledge of nesting requirements of Little Eagles, however long-term surveys, banding and satellite telemetry may further assist in providing information on landscape use by the species, as well as providing evidence of long- term population trends and declines.

ASSAB 2018 Abstract Booklet

Do male house mice adapt sperm sex ratio based on social conditions?

Misha D. Lavoie1, Francisco Garcia-Gonzalez1,2, Jamie N. Tedeschi 1, Renée C. Firman1

1Centre of Evolutionary Biology, University of Western Australia, [email protected] 2Doñana Biological Station, Spanish Research Council CSIC

Key Words: adaptive sex allocation, house mice, sperm quality, sperm sex ratio

Mammals may adjust the sex ratio of their offspring in order to maximize their fitness according to conditions within their local environment. Based on the availability of resources and local competition for mates, under high female density conditions male offspring are expected to have higher fitness compared to female offspring. Research into sex allocation has primarily focused on maternal influences, however evidence that males may also contribute to offspring sex ratios is accumulating. As the mammalian heterogametic sex, it is feasible that males have evolved mechanisms to influence offspring sex ratios by alterations of the sperm sex ratio. Whether males are able to adaptively alter the sperm sex ratio based on different social conditions is yet to be determined. Here, we reared males from weaning until sexual maturity in high-male or high-female density conditions and measured sperm sex ratios (i.e., X-chromosome:Y-chromosome bearing sperm), sperm number, and sperm quality. We also monitored changes in body size, a pre-mating trait that is important for fighting ability and dominance status in this species. Our preliminary analyses have revealed a significant increase in body size in the high male density treatment compared to the female treatment. An established qPCR was optimized to quantify the proportion of X- and Y- chromosome bearing sperm, and sperm sex ratio analyses are underway. We will also quantify serum testosterone levels (using ELISA) among the experimental males that experienced different social environments to help identify the underlying mechanism of any changes in sperm sex ratios.

ASSAB 2018 Abstract Booklet

Movement strategies in a prey species

Stephan T. Leu1, Keith, E.A. Leggett2, Simon C. Griffith1,2

1 Department of Biological Sciences, Macquarie University, [email protected] 2 School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of New South Wales

Key Words: movement ecology, mammals, predator-prey interactions, environmental factors, landscape characteristics

Understanding individual space use and the factors that drive movement behaviour remain a major challenge in evolutionary ecology as they have implications for population processes such as species interactions, which ultimately affect fitness. For instance, movement behaviour determines interaction rates within species, which affects competition regimes, information and disease transmission. Furthermore, movement also determines interaction rates between species, including between prey and predators, affecting survival and fitness in a very direct way. We investigated movement behaviour in a large mammal, the Merino sheep, in the Australian rangelands. Paddocks are vast, sheep are free-ranging, and face very similar challenges as wildlife species in these same areas. One particular challenge is predation. In prey species, natural selection should favour movement characteristics that align with the wind direction, as olfactory and auditory cues travel further with wind, allowing earlier predator detection, thereby increasing survival probabilities. To investigate this hypothesis, as well as alternative drivers of movement direction, such as landscape characteristics, we equipped 28 sheep with high frequency GPS collars that recorded each sheep’s location every two minutes over a period of six weeks. We found that sheep frequently moved along the North-South axis, which is also the predominant wind direction, as well as the direction of three ridge lines in this area. We discuss these alternative factors and provide important new knowledge on movement strategies in prey species.

ASSAB 2018 Abstract Booklet

Dolphins keep their friends close but their enemies closer

Alexis L Levengood1, Lisa Singh2, Janet Mann3, Celine H Frere1

1 Genecology Research Centre, FoSHEE, University of the Sunshine Coast [email protected] 2 Department of Biology and Psychology, Georgetown University 3 Department of Computer Science, Georgetown University

Key Words: Shared Preferences, Shared Avoidances, Social Behavior, Friends, Enemies

Shared relationships (i.e. shared friendships and enemies) have been studied in humans and through online realms (e,g. online gaming), but hardly ever investigated among animal societies. In animal societies, the closest equivalent has been the recent investigation into structural balance theory, examining the stable and unstable relationships of triads. Using a simulation based method to isolate dyadic social relationships in a population of bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops aduncus) in Shark Bay, Western Australia, we investigated whether preference (i.e. friend) and/or avoidance (i.e. enemy) relationships were shared among friends. We identified that not only do friends share other friends, but they also share enemies. Specifically, preferential dyads are significant predictors of the proportion of shared preferences and avoidances among pairs. Interestingly, however, sharing a large proportion of friends does not correlate to sharing a high proportion of enemies and vice versa. To our knowledge, this is the first study to examine shared relationships among bottlenose dolphins, let alone any animal species. What is more, our results align with those of structural balance theory suggesting that the relationship between two individuals is not only determined by them, but also can and is influenced by their relationships with others.

ASSAB 2018 Abstract Booklet

Reproductive behaviour and changes in body patterns across the lifespan of Sepia plangon.

Alejandra Lopez Galan1,2, Wen-Sung Chung1, N. Justin Marshall1

1 Queensland Brain Institute, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. [email protected] 2 Queensland Brain Institute, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.

Key Words: cephalopods, communication, mating, colouration, patterns

The mourning cuttlefish Sepia plangon possess high-resolution polarisation vision, which can potentially be used as an alternative source of contrast information for body patterning. Additionally, cuttlefish can reflect polarised (PL) light from the iridophores located under the skin. Several studies have proposed PL vision and PL patterns of cephalopods may function as intraspecific communication pathway. We analysed the body patterns that S. plangon display for courtship and mating under different light condition (polarised and unpolarised). Furthermore, we investigated the ontogenetic changes on the body patterning of S. plangon, from late embryos (stage 24) to adults. Late embryos (stage 29 and 30) displayed 3 body patterns, whereas hatchlings (0 – 7 days after hatchling) showed 4 patterns. Early juveniles (1 to 6 weeks old) exhibited up to 7 body patterns, while late juveniles (>7 weeks age) showed 11 body patterns. However, mature cuttlefish had a total of 15 patterns. Males S. plangon started the courtship, which can last up to 35 minutes. Mating was very short (less than 15 seconds). The sequence of body patterns for courtship was not influenced by the light conditions. However, polarisation signals from the arms stripes were essential elements of males courtship displays.

ASSAB 2018 Abstract Booklet

Multifaceted deception in the North Island lichen moth, Declana atronivea: A morphological and behavioural investigation

Cassandra Jane Mark-Chan1, Greg Holwell2, James O’Hanlon3

1 The University of Auckland, [email protected] 2 The University of Auckland 3The University of New England

Key Words: Camouflage, Moth, Anti-predator, Colouration

Predation places significant selection pressures on prey taxa, and many species have evolved various behavioural, chemical, and/or morphological defensive mechanisms in response to these pressures. While some mechanisms, such as secondary chemical defences and aposematism are important for post-detection survival, other defences, such as camouflage, allow prey to avoid being detected or recognized in the first place. Camouflage can be achieved through several different mechanisms, including background matching, disruptive colouration, and masquerade. The former two encompass strategies that prevent detection: in background matching, the colouration and patterning of the animal are indistinguishable from the background, allowing it to blend in and remain undetected by predators; disruptive colouration, on the other hand, utilises high-contrast markings to obscure the animals outline, preventing predators from detecting its true shape. Conversely, the purpose of masquerade is not to prevent detection but rather inhibit recognition through misclassification as an object of no value. The North Island lichen moth, Declana atronivea, presents a fascinating system for investigating camouflage as a defensive mechanism. The adults possess forewing colouration and patterning that allows them to be disguised amongst the lichen which they rest on, and the caterpillars exhibit morphology and behaviour that allow them to be misclassified as twigs or bird droppings. These descriptions are based only on human observations however, and there is no current scientific evidence that validates the value of such traits as anti-predation strategies. I therefore aim to investigate the adaptive significance of the apparent multi-faceted camouflage in this species using a combination of image analysis, predation experiments, behavioural observations, and computer modelling.

ASSAB 2018 Abstract Booklet

Doubling the sensitive period: ducklings begin imprinting up to nine days before hatching

Antone Martinho1, Laura Hindley2, Alex Kacelnik3

1University of Oxford, [email protected] 2University of Oxford 3University of Oxford

Key Words: Prenatal, learning, Anas platyrhynchos, imprinting, critical period

Filial imprinting, by which newly hatched nidifugous birds learn to recognize and follow a protective parent, is a critical adaptation for neonatal fowl. The phenomenon has been extensively studied in hatchlings, but embryonic imprinting has received little attention. We investigated whether yet un-hatched mallard ducklings imprint on arbitrary sounds. Eggs were exposed to one of four different human vocalisations in an irregular pattern for four hours per day during days 19-25 of incubation. Following hatching on day 28, ducklings were tested for preference between the pre-exposed and a novel stimulus, and preferred to follow the source of the prenatally exposed sound. Our results show that ducklings’ imprinting is a protracted, complex phenomenon starting at least three days, and possibly up to nine days, prior to hatching. Our results highlight the continuity of cognitive development across the hatching boundary, and the complexity of imprinting.

ASSAB 2018 Abstract Booklet

Behaviour in motion: An R package for animal trajectory analysis

Jim McLean1, Marta A. Skowron Volponi2,3

1Department of Biological Sciences, Macquarie University, [email protected]; 2Department of Molecular Biology, Faculty of Biology, University of Gdansk, Poland; 3ClearWing Foundation for Biodiversity, Warsaw, Poland

Key Words: behaviour, tortuosity, speed, locomotor mimicry, navigation

The paths followed by moving animals – their trajectories – reveal much about their behaviour and relationship with the environment. Quantitative characterisation of trajectories is used in many studies, from population ecology, foraging theory and resource exploitation, through to conservation biology and mimicry. Trajectories have been characterised in many different ways, however methods are often complicated and difficult to calculate. We created the R package trajr to help biologists analyse animal paths, from the trails of simple unicellular organisms to the routes of large migrating vertebrates. The package simplifies calculation of a variety of indices used to characterise trajectories, such as tortuosity (or conversely, straightness), speed and acceleration, and changes in direction. trajr is open-source, to encourage open and reproducible research, and provides building blocks which may be used for the creation of additional trajectory analysis methods. As an R package, it allows the full statistical and analytic power of R to be brought to bear on trajectory analysis. To demonstrate some of its capabilities, we present an assessment of behavioural similarity between arthropod mimics and their models, and analyse the behaviour of migrating humpback whales. Our package simplifies the characterisation of animal trajectories, making sophisticated trajectory analysis more widely accessible to biological researchers.

ASSAB 2018 Abstract Booklet

The advantages of mating once, many times or not at all: A study of facultative parthenogenesis in female stick insects (Phasmatodea)

Morgane E. Merien1, Greg I. Holwell2

1 University of Auckland / [email protected] 2 University of Auckland

Key Words: Sex, Asexuality, Facultative Parthenogenesis, Entomology

Facultative parthenogenesis is a mode of reproduction whereby females can reproduce either sexually or asexually through parthenogenesis. Species that are known facultative parthenogens represent important models to explore the costs and benefits of different reproductive modes. Sexual and asexual reproduction can incur both relative costs and benefits. Moreover, the number of mates or of copulations can have direct and indirect effects on female fitness. This study investigates the relative costs and benefits of parthenogenesis, monoandry and polyandry in a New Zealand facultative parthenogenetic species, the common stick insect Clitarchus hookeri. The specific aims were to assess whether mating had an effect on survival and reproductive output. I compared female C. hookeri who mated once, three times or not at all. Overall, mating treatment had an effect on the lifespan of females and the average number of eggs laid.

ASSAB 2018 Abstract Booklet

Geographic Variation in Calls of the Noisy Miners Reveal Underlying Selection Mechanisms

Jarrod E Mesken1, Paul McDonald 2

1 Zoology, Centre for Behavioural and Physiological Ecology, University of New England, Armidale. Email: [email protected] 2 Zoology, Centre for Behavioural and Physiological Ecology, University of New England, Armidale

Key Words: Bird signals, geographic variation, Noisy Miners

Broadly speaking, birds have two kinds of vocal signal; songs and calls. Song is highly studied, and is known to be associated with courtship or competition for mates. Calls, meanwhile, can serve many different functions but have by comparison to songs been largely overlooked. Studies on both have shown that they can vary geographically, but few studies have examined how the function of a call affects this variation. By recording Noisy Miner calls at different points along a transect and comparing how calls from each location differed, we were able to identify the ways in which three kinds of call differed between locations. We found that call variation was not well explained by distance, and varied in both magnitude and direction between call types, with social calls varying more than an alarm call. This pattern suggest that neither distance or environment plays an important role in determining geographic variation in Noisy Miner calls, but that sexual selection may cause of much of the variation. This is intuitive, as Noisy Miners are show low extra-pair paternity rates, and colonies are heavily sex- biased towards males; consequently females would have much to gain from being very picky in their choice of mate, but further studies are need to confirm this. Overall, this study demonstrates that bird calls can be an excellent way to study avian communication and what it can reveal, and hence more studies should focus on calls rather than song.

ASSAB 2018 Abstract Booklet

Triggerfish uses chromaticity and lightness for object segregation

Laurie J. L. Mitchell1 2, Karen L. Cheney1, Fabio Cortesi2, N. Justin Marshall2, and Misha Vorobyev3

1 School of Biological Sciences, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Email contact: [email protected] 2 Queensland Brain Institute, University of Queensland, Brisbane 3 School of Optometry and Vision Science, University of Auckland, New Zealand

Key Words: Colour vision, generalization, chromatic cues, visual segregation, reef fish

Humans group components of visual patterns primarily by colour (chromaticity), and perceive colour separately from shape. This property of human visual perception is most clearly demonstrated by the Ishihara test for colour deficiency, where an observer must detect a pattern of similarly coloured dots with variable lightness (achromaticity) from a background of dots with different colour(s) and lightness. To find out if fish use colour for object segregation in a similar manner to humans, we trained triggerfish (Rhinecanthus aculeatus) to detect stimuli inspired by the Ishihara test. Fish were trained to detect a cross constructed from similarly coloured dots against various backgrounds. It was found that fish could detect this cross even when camouflaged using either achromatic or chromatic noise, but relied more on chromatic cues for shape segregation. Fish were also able to generalize between stimuli of different colours, suggesting that colour and shape are processed by fish independently.

ASSAB 2018 Abstract Booklet

Male-male competition and species interactions

Rebecca J Moss1, Conrad Hoskin2, Megan Higgie2

1 James Cook University, Email: [email protected] 2 James Cook University

Key Words: plasticity, sexual selection, character displacement, pheromones, Drosophila

Displaying individuals need to stand out from a crowd, not just within their own species but also from sympatric species with similar display traits. There are many ways an individual can stand apart from similar species, from plastically changing their displays when other species are present to evolving character displacement to avoid reproductive interference all together. Reproductive character displacement (RCD) has been demonstrated in Drosophila serrata, with populations sympatric to D. birchii presenting different compositions of cuticular hydrocarbons (CHCs) than allopatric populations. These CHCs act as contact pheromones and, in addition to species recognition, are involved in sexual selection via female choice. However, their role in male-male competition is not well known. We experimentally manipulated male- male competition to investigate its potential role in pheromone plasticity in Drosophila serrata males, and also looked for plasticity in response to heterospecific males in a reproductive interference context. Within-species male competition did not result in detectable plastic changes in male CHCs. However, males plastically changed their CHCs in response to the presence of heterospecific males, with allopatric individuals (who have no evolutionary history of interaction with D. birchii) altering their display in the same way as sympatric individuals. It is intriguing that we didn’t detect an effect of within-species competition on male display but the presence of a male of another species did evoke a change in display. The function of this change does not appear to be related to reproductive interference and RCD, and therefore further research is required to understand its role.

ASSAB 2018 Abstract Booklet

Ant navigation in a reconstructed visual environment

Trevor Murray1, Zoltan Kocsi2, Jochen Zeil3

1Australian National University [email protected] 2Australian National University 3Australian National University

Key Words: Navigation, vision, neuroethology, learning

Navigation is necessary for all mobile life. While we know much about what visually navigating animals do when travelling along routes and pinpointing home, we know less about how they do it. We developed a Reconstructed Reality Arena (RRA) allows tethered bull ants to navigate a 3D recreation of the environment around their nest. The panoramic display supports their visual system, while the air-cushioned trackball allows us record their decision- making.

We used outdoor trackball displacement experiments to demonstrate that tethering ants still allows them to navigate. We also performed virtual displacements within the RRA as a proof of concept. We find that ants maintain a constant heading direction, towards either their nest or foraging tree, from both familiar and unfamiliar displacement locations. However, when positioned over the nest, tethered ant behaviour is distinct: they perform search movements by frequently changing their heading direction. Unexpectedly, ants only operate on the information they currently have and do not monitor their progress. Their walking speed is highest at familiar locations, perhaps reflecting an effect of familiarity. In the RRA, some ants respond appropriately to digitally reconstructed scenes by heading in the direction of the nest or foraging tree, and by adjusting their heading direction to match panorama rotations.

The ability to project views of an animal’s natural navigation environment in closed loop offers unique opportunities to investigate the cues driving navigational decisions, the strategies of cue-conflict resolution and eventually also the neural mechanisms of visual navigation in insects.

ASSAB 2018 Abstract Booklet

The colours of octopus

Luis Nahmad1, Yusuf Qureshi2, Misha Vorobyev3

1Institute of Marine Science, University of Auckland – [email protected] 2Institute of Marine Science, University of Auckland 3Optometry and Vision Science, University of Auckland

Key Words: Octopus; camouflage; spectrometry; colour matching

Octopus possesses an extraordinary ability to camouflage, allowing it to hide in almost every environment thanks to its highly malleable skin. For human eye, octopus often matches both colour and lightness of the background. This is achieved by expansion and contraction of differently coloured chromatophores in its skin. However, according to the studies of the eye, octopus is colour-blind as it has only one spectral type of photoreceptor. Thus, its chromatophores are likely to expand and contract in response to changes in brightness rather than chromaticity. Does octopus match colour of background despite being colour-blind, or do we mistakenly assume a colour match when octopus matches only brightness? To answer this question, we measured the reflectance spectra of Octopus tetricus using a SpectraScan PR 655 spectrometer and took coloured photographs. We compared spectra and colours of octopus with those of typical backgrounds - green and brown algae, sea grass, sponges, and rocks. We show that octopus changes both chromaticity and lightness, which gives it a potential to be effectively camouflaged against many backgrounds. However, the colours of octopus do not generally reach the saturation of certain background objects. It is important to note that octopus kept in captivity often does not match colours of background in favour of a more conspicuous appearance. Therefore it remains uncertain whether octopus is able to correctly estimate colours of backgrounds and match them.

ASSAB 2018 Abstract Booklet

Modular vision in jumping spiders

Ximena J. Nelson, Lauren Scott, Yinnon Dolev

University of Canterbury, School of Biological Sciences, New Zealand

For over a century it has been known that jumping spiders (Salticidae) use vision to a level unprecedented in other groups of spiders, and the visual system and associated visual behaviour of salticids has, since this time, been of considerable interest to researchers. Like other spiders, salticids have eyes that fall into two anatomically and ontogenetically distinct categories: primary and secondary. Classic work on the salticid visual system has focused primarily on the unique characteristics of their primary eyes. Using a specialised eye-tracker which recorded the response of the primary eye retinae, we examined the information-processing role of both the primary and the secondary eyes. In one set of experiments, computer-generated stimuli were presented to the primary eyes and the tracks were examined for different species. These results showed clear edge detection and a ‘preference’ for salticid-like stimuli. In a second experiment, the secondary eyes were primed with a stimulus (circle or bar) that either matched or mismatched a stimulus later presented to the primary eyes. Analyses of the scanning patterns and scanning activity of the primary eyes indicates that visual priming is occurring within the salticid visual system. This is the first evidence of visual priming happening within the distributed visual system of a salticid. By facilitating the scanning patterns of the primary eyes, priming from the secondary eyes is likely to cause salticids to make faster and more accurate decisions in nature.

ASSAB 2018 Abstract Booklet

Fact or fiction?

Amanda C Niehaus1

1School of Biological Sciences, The University of Queensland; [email protected]

Key Words: ecology, science communication, behaviour

Most of the science we do is communicated to the world via academic journals, nonfiction or journalism. These modes are effective at transmitting information to our colleagues and to particular members of the community, but we miss a large number of people—those without access to these materials or who, if you asked them, aren’t “into” science or non-fiction or would never buy a New Scientist or Cosmos.

Over the last five years, I’ve begun to experiment with new forms of science communication that use narrative and metaphor to convey information to readers. Alongside my reasonably sterile scientific papers, I write fiction and personal essays that set science right up against the things most people care about—love, health, family, respect, legacy. The field of animal behaviour has so much potential to connect in this way to readers that might be otherwise lost. In this talk, I will highlight some of the ways we as scientists can cultivate curiosity and wonder in a more diverse readership.

ASSAB 2018 Abstract Booklet

The demography and movement patterns of an isolated population of macropods.

Jackson G Owens

Griffith University, School of Environment & Science

Key Words: Macropod, demography, movement patterns

In Australia, a large proportion of road ecology research has been focussed on mammalian species, specifically the Macropodidae family. This can be attributed to macropods generally being larger-sized species, of significance to ecosystem processes, and being the most significant taxa associated with vehicle strikes. Although macropods are found in a diverse array of habitats, road ecology studies in an urban landscape are somewhat lacking, which leaves the effect of these tumultuous road systems poorly understood. However, recent work investigated the effect of road system elements upon the demography and movement patterns of a spatially constrained macropod community in western Brisbane. These populations of semi-urban macropods showed that the road network had an influence on a number of biological and behavioural traits. For instance, during the night the road allowed for higher levels of macropod movement and dispersal, as this is when there was the least vehicular disruption and danger displayed by the road, and hence macropods, were attracted to the road system. This presentation will discuss the implications of a semi-urban road system on macropod’s biological traits and behavioural adaptions.

ASSAB 2018 Abstract Booklet

Higher mating success but no survival cost to being large in the New Zealand giraffe weevil

Christina J Painting1, Rebecca Le Grice2, Gabriela Tezanos-Pinto3, Pierre de Villemeruil4, Greg Holwell5

1 University of Auckland, [email protected] 2 University of Auckland 3Massey University 4 University of Auckland 5 University of Auckland

Key Words: sexual selection, giraffe weevil, mating success, alternative reproductive tactics

Animals with large body size and weaponry typically enjoy higher reproductive success due to greater mating opportunities. However, the benefits of being large can come at the cost of lower survival due to increased levels of predation, parasitism or mortality. Therefore, selection studies that incorporate measures of survival are useful for understanding lifetime reproductive success. The New Zealand giraffe weevil (Lasiorhynchus barbicornis) shows remarkable sexual dimorphism, mostly due to the extreme elongation of the male’s head, which is used as a weapon during fights for females. There is also large size variation within both sexes resulting in a six-fold difference between the smallest and largest individuals. We measured selection on body size in a wild population by tracking individual male and females daily over two 30-day periods to measure long-term mating success. We also measured survival and recapture probabilities for males and females in relation to body size using capture-mark-recapture data collected over two breeding seasons. Contrary to a previous study, we found direction selection on body size in both sexes indicating that larger individuals have a higher average mating success. Furthermore, bigger bodied individuals had a higher daily survival rate suggesting an accumulation of mating success benefits to larger individuals over their lifetime.

ASSAB 2018 Abstract Booklet

Increased conspicuousness of a movement-based signal in the presence of a predator

Richard Peters, Katy Weller

1Department of Ecology, Environment & Evolution, La Trobe University, Melbourne [email protected] 2Department of Ecology, Environment & Evolution, La Trobe University, Melbourne

Key Words: Animal communication, sensory drive, motion signal, Jacky lizard, kookaburra

Consideration of factors that affect signal structure have highlighted the importance of receiver sensory systems and the ecological constraints imposed by transmission channel properties, which alters signal structure or contains noise that affects reliable detection. Signallers also must avoid eavesdropping by predators. When predator pressure is high, signals are often more cryptic, while more elaborate and conspicuous signals evolve if predators are rare. Recent studies on movement-based signals have highlighted the important role of environmental conditions at the time of signalling, however, there has been little consideration of the role of predators. Consequently, we examined whether Amphibolurus muricatus are influenced by the threat of predation when responding to a conspecific intruder. First, we simulated a predator rich environment using a gliding model kookaburra. We compared display structure after exposure to a simulated predator and in the absence of the predator; however, we did not detect any change in signal structure. It is possible that lizards did not regard the flyovers as a sufficient threat, so in a follow-up experiment, a perching taxidermy kookaburra remained in view as the intruder was revealed. Lizards were clearly affected by the presence of the predator and changed signal structure. Surprisingly, lizard displays were more conspicuous in the presence of predators in a manner comparable to how they change signals in motion noise. We suggest modifying signals in this way ensures reliable detection by distracted receivers, and that they can afford to do so because the specific movements do not compromise their ability to escape.

ASSAB 2018 Abstract Booklet

Effects of ovarian fluid on sperm traits and its implications on cryptic female choice in zebrafish

Federica Poli1, Simone Immler 2, Clelia Gasparini 1

1 Centre for Evolutionary Biology, School of Biological Sciences, University of Western Australia, Crawley, Australia [email protected] 2 School of Biological Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich, United Kingdom

Key Words: sexual selection, cryptic female choice, zebrafish, ovarian fluid, sperm performance

When females mate with multiple males, opportunities exist for females to bias fertilization success after mating. This process, defined as cryptic female choice, occurs both in internal and external fertilizers, at different stages of the fertilization process and through different mechanisms. In particular, female reproductive fluids (FRF, the fluid surroundings the eggs also known as ovarian fluid), have been shown to affect sperm performance and mediate sperm choice. Here, we studied the role of FRF in postcopulatory sexual selection using the zebrafish (Danio rerio), an increasingly growing model in behavioural ecology and evolutionary biology studies. We first investigated to what extent FRF affects sperm motility and longevity, important determinants of competitive fertilization success in many species, particularly in fishes. We then used a North Carolina II design to explore female, male, and female x male effects by testing sperm motility of two males in the FRF of two females (i.e. 2x2 blocks, N=11 blocks completed). Results indicate that FRF affects both sperm motility traits and longevity. Moreover, results from the NCII design provided evidence that FRF differentially affects sperm performance according to the identity of males, thus suggesting the potential for cryptic female choice mediated by FRF in this species.

ASSAB 2018 Abstract Booklet

Physiological costs of bearing weaponry in New Zealand harvestmen (Arachnida, Opiliones)

Erin C Powell1, Christina Painting1, Gregory Holwell1, Anthony Hickey1

1 School of Biological Sciences, University of Auckland, [email protected]

Key Words: animal weapons, metabolism, sexual selection, polymorphism, allometry

Across animal taxa, many males brandish exaggerated structures which are used in male-male competition to secure access to mates. Within a single species, male weapons may exhibit variation in size and shape. To explain the evolution and maintenance of weapon polymorphism, studies have focused on exploring the morphological and behavioural fitness costs and compensatory traits that allow males to bear the most extreme weapons, yet few have attempted to quantify the costs of bearing exaggerated weaponry utilizing a physiological approach. We predicted that differences in metabolic processes (indicating aerobic or anaerobic respiration) would reflect morphological differences and accompanying behavioural strategies (fighting style). Males of the harvestmen Forsteropsalis pureora bear exaggerated chelicerae which vary in size and shape, forming three discrete morphs. Using this uniquely trimorphic species, we tested for differences between male morphs using multiple physiological approaches. A combination of respirometry, assays of metabolic enzyme activity, and treadmill performance have provided insight into the relative physiological costs involved with bearing extreme weapons. Our comprehensive approach reveals physiological costs of bearing weaponry rarely considered in the pursuit to understand the evolution of exaggerated structures.

ASSAB 2018 Abstract Booklet

Selection for male aggression enhances female aggression in the Siamese fighting fish Betta splendens

Andreia Ramos1 and David Gonçalves1

Institute of Science and Environment, University of Saint Joseph, Macao, China. [email protected]

Key Words: Domestication, aggressive behavior, Betta splendens

Across Southeast Asia, males of the Siamese fighting fish Betta splendens have been selected for “cock-like” fighting contests. This process is thought to have been going on for over 600 years, resulting in strains of short-fin aggressive fighters. This strong directional selection for aggression has presumably increased the frequency of alleles that promote aggressive behavior in males and may have driven new gene forms linked to aggression. In populations of wildtypes, females are thought to be much less aggressive than males but it is unclear if the selection for male aggression has also driven female aggression. Here we compared the aggressive behavior of male and female B. splendens from a fighter and wildtype strain. Fish were tested against their mirror image and with a conspecific behind a clear partition. As expected, fighter males were more aggressive than wildtypes in both tests, with a higher frequency of all measured behaviors. Notoriously, the frequency of surface air breathing, a measure of metabolic activity, was much higher in fighter males. Males of the two strains showed different fighting modes, with significant differences in aggression matrices. Also as expected, males of both strains were more aggressive than females in the two tests but this difference was more significant for fighters. Female wildtype and fighters also differed in aggressive displays and in the frequency of surface air breathing, with fighters being more aggressive. Because females of the fighter strain are not selected for fights, our results suggest the possibility for intralocus sexual conflict, with alleles enhancing aggression in males also driving, albeit to a lesser extent, female aggression. The results also suggest that male and female aggressive behavior share common genetic and physiological mechanisms in this species.

ASSAB 2018 Abstract Booklet

Novel problem-solving and exploratory behaviors, regarding human socialization, in the family Canidae

Abigail M. Reid1,2 and Alan Tousignant3

1Pawling High School, Pawling, NY 12564 [email protected] 2University in the High School Program, SUNY Albany, Albany, NY 12222 3Millbrook’s Trevor Zoo, Millbrook, NY 12545

Key Words: novel problem-solving, sensory behaviors, human socialization, exploratory behaviors, family Canidae

In the Canidae family, canids use sensory behaviors to interact with and gain information about their environment. As habitat destruction leaves many species endangered, it is relevant to better understand captive management practices and their effects on the animals. This research examined the relationship between problem-solving behaviors towards a novel stimulus and human socialization. We presented puzzle-boxes to canine subjects (genera Canis, Vulpes, and Chrysocyon) while recording the exhibited behaviors in an ethogram. Chi-squared tests determined the significance of the observed results. Corticosterone concentrations were measured from fecal collections before and after the trials to analyze the benefits of the apparatus as cognitive and sensory enrichment. The results suggest a correlation between a canid’s approach to a novel problem in the environment and the amount of human interaction received, and that the puzzle-box represented a “good stressor” and is therefore a beneficial type of enrichment.

ASSAB 2018 Abstract Booklet

Sexual dimorphism of the New Zealand bellbird syrinx: the potential influence of syrinx size on frequency range and song complexity

M. Roper 1, Wesley H. Webb1, Dianne H. Brunton1

1Institute of Natural and Mathematical Sciences, Massey University, Auckland, New Zealand [email protected]

Key Words: Birdsong, complexity, passerine, sexual dimorphism, syrinx

Current research on sexual dimorphism of the songbird syrinx (one study with female song absent, the other present) hypothesises that syrinx size could contribute to differences in vocal frequency range, and singing behaviour. We examined the syrinx of the New Zealand bellbird (Anthornis melanura) to explore this relationship between sexual dimorphism and song complexity. Both sexes of the NZ bellbird sing complex songs; thus we predicted comparable levels of sexual dimorphism for the NZ bellbird with the study on common starlings (Sturnus vulgaris), where females sing. We used Micro-Computed Tomography to create three- dimensional images of the syrinx for one adult male and female. The length and width of the tympanum was 30% larger in the male. However, surface area and maximum length of the bronchial half-rings (1-3) was up to two times larger in the male, with all half-rings being larger than the female, unlike in starlings with a 5-23% difference between sexes. While the left side of the bellbird syrinx tended to have fewer half-rings, the first three half-rings were larger in surface area and length in both sexes. The male syllable repertoire was more diverse with 30% more syllable types, but females still sing a wide variety of syllables and sing more than males in the breeding season. Males, however, sing a wider range of frequencies (150-10270 Hz) than females (407-6136 Hz). Together, these results suggest syrinx size could explain the reduced frequency range of female song but to a lesser extent on aspects of song complexity.

ASSAB 2018 Abstract Booklet

Does variation in background hue and saturation (chromatic noise) influence colour discrimination?

Vivien Rothenberger1, Naomi F. Green2, Justin N. Marshall3, D. Osorio4, J. Endler5, M. Vorobyev6, Karen L. Cheney2, Sara Stieb3, Walter Salzburger2

1 Zoological Institute, University of Basel, Switzerland, [email protected] 2 School of Biological Sciences, University of Queensland, Australia 3 Queensland Brain Institute, QBI, University of Queensland, Australia 4 University of Sussex, UK 5 School of Life & Env. Sciences, Deakin University, Australia 6 University of Auckland, New Zealand

Key Words: vision, discrimination, threshold, chromatic noise

Animals use a wide variety of colour signals in order to communicate. The way the receiver perceives and interprets colour is influenced by the spectral sensitivities of the photoreceptors, the illumination and the colour of the object. However, the influence of background colouration on colour perception in non-human animals is poorly understood. Colours in natural scenes vary in hue, saturation, for example, in the different nuances of green leaves on a tree in terrestrial habitats or variation in coloured algae, sponges and coral on the ocean floor. This variation in hue and saturation is referred to as chromatic noise. To date, little research has investigated the influence of chromatic noise on colour perception, however we hypothesise that chromatic noise will affect colour discrimination, impairing the distinction of small colour differences and therefore raising the discrimination threshold.

This study investigates the effect of chromatic noise on discrimination thresholds in a coral reef fish, Rhinecanthus aculeatus. Using a newly developed method, which utilises stimuli similar to Ishihara plates, fish are taught to peck on a target spot which differs from an array of background spots. Previous experiments using this method were based on a background which differed only in luminance to prevent fish identifying the target spot using brightness cues. Here, we modify the background spots to vary in either hue, saturation or both. This will provide a first estimate of the effect of chromatic noise on discrimination thresholds. We hypothesise that i) chromatic noise increases discrimination thresholds and ii) variation along one colour channel (blue yellow or red-green) will only affect discrimination along the relevant axis. Our results will provide important insights regarding the role of chromatic noise and background colouration in the perception of colour and improve the accuracy of ecologically relevant colour discrimination thresholds which will impact the efficacy of camouflage and detectability of warning and sexual signals.

ASSAB 2018 Abstract Booklet

Bold doesn’t mean smart: personality and cognition in the fawn-footed mosaic-tailed rat

Tasmin L. Rymer1,2, Heather Brown1,2

1 College of Science and Engineering, James Cook University, P. O. Box 6811, Cairns, QLD 4870; [email protected] 2 Centre for Tropical Environmental and Sustainability Sciences, James Cook University, P. O. Box 6811, Cairns, QLD 4870

Key Words: Associative learning; Behavioural syndrome; Individual variation

Behaviour is governed by complex interactions between the underlying genotype and prevailing environment. These interactions also influence an individual’s personality and cognition. While personality studies are relatively common, the relationship between personality and cognition has only recently received attention. Therefore, we investigated this relationship in the fawn-footed mosaic-tailed rat Melomys cervinipes, an Australian tropical rainforest rodent. To assess personality, we used a modified open field, and measured exploration and boldness. To assess cognition, individuals engaged in a simple associative learning task, where they learned to associate a visual cue with a food reward. Bolder individuals were more active, and reared more than shy individuals. Similarly, more exploratory individuals retrieved the food, and consumed it, faster than less exploratory individuals. However, boldness was not correlated with exploration, suggesting decoupling of personality traits. We also found that some individuals learned faster than others, while others had a higher aptitude. However, the rate at which individuals learned was not correlated with an individual’s aptitude, indicating decoupling of cognitive traits. Interestingly, personality and cognition were not correlated along any axes (exploration, boldness, speed of learning and aptitude), suggesting that personality and cognition are also decoupled. This is the first study to explore the relationship between personality and cognition in an Australian rodent. The lack of relationship between personality and cognitive traits, and the considerable behavioural variation between individuals, suggests that M. cervinipes may be behaviourally and cognitively flexible to cope with spatial and temporal unpredictability of resources in its complex tropical rainforest environment.

ASSAB 2018 Abstract Booklet

Colour perception in a coral reef fish: examining the detectability of suprathreshold colours

Carl Santiago1, Naomi F. Green1, Karen L. Cheney1,2

1School of Biological Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072 Australia 2Queensland Brain Institute, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072 Australia

Key Words: colour perception, Rhinecanthus aculeatus, receptor noise-limited model, discrimination threshold, conspicuousness

Colour signals in animals are often conspicuous in order to convey information about toxicity to potential predators, sexual fitness, or territorial boundaries. In order to quantify the conspicuousness of colours from the perspective of a signal receiver, theoretical vision models such as the Receptor Noise Limited (RNL) model are regularly used. Conspicuousness is often quantified using a scale of Just Noticeable Differences (JND). However, the model was initially designed to measure the minimum perceivable difference between colours – known as the discrimination threshold (a JND value of 1). Consequently, the accuracy of using the model to quantify conspicuousness is ambiguous, and remains untested with behavioural studies. My project aims to investigate the accuracy of such practices by conducting behavioural experiments using novel methodology with a coral reef fish, Rhinecanthus aculeatus, with a specific focus on evaluating the JND scale as a measure of conspicuousness past the discrimination threshold (suprathreshold colours).

ASSAB 2018 Abstract Booklet

Comparison of courtship displays in squid and octopus

Gabriella Scata1, Wen-Sung Chung1, Justin Marshall1

1Queensland Brain Institute, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland 4072, Australia.

Key Words: mating system, courtship, cephalopod, dominance, body patterns, displays, visual signalling

Sexual selection is often driven by intrasexual competition for mates and intersexual mate choice, selecting for individual quality. In solitary species, where both sexes are dispersed, competitive mate searching overrides male contests and mate choice may be reduced. In gregarious species, stronger mate choice and physical competition for mates lead to enhanced diversity and distinctiveness of secondary sexual traits. Cephalopods have short lifespan, however their strategies to secure mates remain largely unknown. Octopuses are solitary and males maximise their reproductive success by longer copulations, whereas squid spawning aggregations and competition for different mates are alternative adaptations. Cephalopods use dynamic body patterns for communication during competition and courtship. Here we start investigating whether the courtship displays predict mate conquest. By visually exposing a female to two males which cannot see each other, and recording her approaches, we will test i) which displays are used by courting males with only visual access to females and ii) whether some of these displays can predict female choice. Then the males will be allowed to view each other, then to engage in physical contests, to assess iii) which body patterns are used in male- male contests, iv) how these predict contest winning and hence dominance, and iv) whether these agonistic patterns or dominance change the female original preference. We will compare the results from both squid and octopus and analyse whether the complexity of courtship display components is vital to win the mate.

ASSAB 2018 Abstract Booklet

Viewing colours with dorsal and ventral retinas and its effects on spectral sensitivity

Adélaïde, M, C, Sibeaux1., Madison, L, Keser1. & John, A, Endler1.

1Centre for Integrative Ecology, School of Life & Environmental Sciences, Deakin University, Waurn Ponds VIC 3216, Australia. [email protected]

Key Words: Vision, Spectral sensitivity, Foraging, Mate choice, Guppy

Colours are used for species recognition, aposematic signals, camouflage, and mate choice. In aquatic environments, coloured cues can be viewed from above or below individuals. For small fishes, such as guppies (Poecilia reticulata), food is usually found either at the water surface or on the stream bed. These two locations have very different visual backgrounds. Moreover, during courtship, the male generally displays in front of or slightly below the female. Those differences in behaviours may be related to differential expression of opsin genes in the dorsal and ventral retina and between females and males. We tested the spectral sensitivity of guppy males and females with stimuli viewed from below and above the body axes. Twelve different wavelengths, collectively stimulating all of the guppy cones, were tested. Our preliminary results show sexual differences in behaviour toward the moving stimuli and data analysis will be completed by the time we present this study.

ASSAB 2018 Abstract Booklet

Safety in numbers: sex differences and among-individual variation in the social plasticity of water dragons

Kasha Strickland1, Céline H Frère1

1University of the Sunshine Coast, Sippy Downs, Maroochydore DC, QLD, Australia

Key Words: social plasticity, social competence, water dragons, behavioural reaction norms

Individuals should alter if, when and how they are social in order to avoid potentially costly interactions. However, although this is thought to be an important performance trait in maximising individual fitness, little is known about the dynamic nature of such social plasticity. Here, we investigate whether individual eastern water dragons (Intellegama lesueurii) plastically adjust their social interactions according to the dynamics of the social and biophysical environment. Furthermore, we test for among-individual variation in social plasticity. Using a behavioural reaction-norm framework, we present hitherto unknown complexities in the social plasticity of a wild vertebrate. In particular, we provide novel evidence to show that individuals can dynamically alter when they are social according to the perceived levels of conflict and competition in the social environment. More strikingly, however, we show that the sexes differ in how they differed from each other in their social plasticity: males were significantly different from each other whereas females were not. Our results therefore provide important information necessary for the determining whether social plasticity is indeed a performance trait.

ASSAB 2018 Abstract Booklet

Fluctuating asymmetry and structural laterality: divergent functions of patterns of facial asymmetry

Danielle Sulikowski1

1 School of Psychology, Charles Sturt University, [email protected] 2 School of Psychology, Charles Sturt University

Key Words: laterality, fluctuating asymmetry, face perception, attractiveness

Highly symmetrical faces are frequently perceived as more attractive than less symmetrical faces. This has been attributed to fluctuating asymmetry being perceived as a sign of developmental instability. Some studies, however, have failed to find a relationship between facial asymmetry and actual health, casting doubt over this interpretation. Previous investigations, however, have failed to properly differentiate between fluctuating facial asymmetry and the systematic structural laterality seen in the human face. Patterns of facial laterality differ systematically between the sexes, as well as between individuals, and likely serve their own signaling purposes, unrelated to developmental stability. Across three studies, facial asymmetry was manipulated in a variety of ways and the resulting faces rated for attractiveness and trustworthiness. Judgements of both attractiveness and trustworthiness peaked when faces exhibited average levels of structural laterality and no fluctuating asymmetry.

ASSAB 2018 Abstract Booklet

Mental template matching as a cultural transmission mechanism

Alex H. Taylor1, Sarah A. Jelbert1,2, Richard J. Hosking3 & Russell D Gray1,4,5

1School of Psychology, University of Auckland, 1010, New Zealand 2Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge, CB2 3EB, UK 3Center for e-Research, University of Auckland, 1010, New Zealand 4Max Planck Institute for the Science of Human History, Jena, 07745, Germany 5Research School of the Social Sciences, Australian National University, Canberra, 2601, Australia

Key Words: cumulative cultural evolution, tool use, tool manufacture, mental representation, New Caledonian crow

The human capacity to cumulatively evolve technologies and traditions is thought to depend on a unique suite of cognitive abilities, including teaching, language and imitation. Arguably, non-human animals, lacking this suite of abilities, cannot possess cumulative cultures. However, it remains possible that less elaborate cognitive mechanisms might offer some alternative routes towards cumulative cultural evolution in other species. Tool-making New Caledonian crows manufacture a variety of hook tools in the wild and appear to possess a material culture that has incorporated incremental changes over time. These crows do not appear to imitate, teach or possess language; however, their varied tool designs could be culturally transmitted through a process of mental template matching. That is, individuals may use or observe the products of tool manufacture, form a mental template of a particular tool design, and then reproduce this in their own manufacture – a process analogous to birdsong learning. I will discuss recent evidence from our lab suggesting that New Caledonian crows may have the cognitive machinery for mental template matching, a mechanism that could support the cumulative evolution of material cultures.

ASSAB 2018 Abstract Booklet

The effect of climatic variables and host group size on egg size investment of the parasitic Horsfield’s bronze-cuckoo

Claire J. Taylor & Naomi E. Langmore

Division of Ecology & Evolution, Research School of Biology, The Australian National University

Key Words: Egg size, parasitic cuckoo, maternal investment

Parasitic cuckoos lay their eggs in the nests of other birds and thereafter abandon their young to the care of the host. Thus all maternal investment is restricted to investment in the egg and optimal investment at this stage is likely to have a large impact on maternal reproductive success. However, relatively few cues are available to cuckoos to facilitate optimal investment. It is unknown how potential cues such as climatic variables and group size of the host influence the egg size of cuckoos. We aim to test if Horsfield’s bronze-cuckoos Chalcites basalis modify the size of their eggs in relation to climatic variables or the group size of their host, superb fairy-wrens Malurus cynaneus. Furthermore, we will test if large eggs of Horsfield’s bronze- cuckoos are beneficial for chick survival and if egg size is more influential on chick survival in hot weather. Superb fairy-wrens have been found to vary their egg size in relation to temperature and presence of helpers. As Horsfield’s bronze-cuckoos experience the same climatic environment as superb fairy-wrens we predict they will lay larger eggs in hot conditions to buffer chicks against harsh conditions and cuckoo chicks that hatch from larger eggs will have higher rates of survival than those from smaller eggs, particularly in hotter conditions. In addition if Horsfield’s bronze-cuckoos adapt their egg size with the group size of their host we predict they will lay smaller eggs if their host group has helpers. A long term data set of Horsfield’s bronze-cuckoo egg measurements from Campbell Park between 2000 and 2017 will be used to investigate these predictions.

ASSAB 2018 Abstract Booklet

Bioacoustics, behaviour and black-cockatoos: a new approach to conservation

Teixeira, D.1, Roe, P.2, Maron, M.3 and van Rensburg, B.1

1 School of Biological Sciences, The University of Queensland 2 Science and Engineering Faculty, Queensland University of Technology 3 School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, The University of Queensland

Bioacoustics has much to offer threatened species conservation. Monitoring programs are increasingly applying the technology to estimate metrics such as species composition and population densities. However, the uptake of bioacoustics by animal behaviourists working in conservation has been relatively slow. Given that many threatened species are vocally conspicuous and that, for some species, a lot is known about the behavioural contexts of their vocalisations, I argue that bioacoustics is potentially useful for monitoring behavioural states that are relevant to conservation. In this project, I am investigating how the vocal behaviour of black-cockatoos at nests may be informative for conservation. Specifically, this work concerns two endangered populations of black-cockatoos (the south-eastern subspecies of red-tailed black-cockatoo, Calytorhynchus banksii graptogyne, and the Kangaroo Island subspecies of glossy black-cockatoo, C. lathami halmaturinus) for which measures of breeding success are difficult to attain. Breeding success is considered a key limiting factor in the recovery of these populations, however existing methods for monitoring nests requires enormous efforts by human observers. Using behavioural observations and acoustic recordings from active nests, I am describing how nest-associated vocal behaviours can provide proxies of breeding success. If successful, the method could be applied on a larger scale to monitor breeding in these populations. Moreover, I am investigating how important vocalisations can be reliably classified from recordings in a manner that is easy for managers.

ASSAB 2018 Abstract Booklet

Ontogenetic changes of feeding behaviour in spotted unicornfish (Naso brevirostris) and their histological and molecular relationships

Valerio Tettamanti1, Fanny De Busserolles1, Fabio Cortesi1, Justin Marshall1

1Queensland Brain Institute, [email protected]

Key Words: ontogenetic, visual ecology, retinal mapping, RNA expression

Surgeonfishes (Acanthuridae) represent some of the most common herbivorous fishes on tropical coral reefs and both their ecology and behaviour contribute substantially to the health of corals by e.g. limiting algal overgrowth. The spotted unicornfish, Naso brevirostris, is a highly abundant surgeonfish which is known to undergo changes in diet from algae to zooplankton and habitat from coral-associated to pelagic when transitioning from juvenile to adult stages. My Master’s thesis will investigate, at the cellular and gene-expression level, whether an ontogenetic shift is evident in the visual system of wild-caught specimens and whether this putative shift correlates with changes in diet and/or habitat of this species. We hypothesize that there will be a change in the specialization of the visual system which correlates with changes in feeding modes, e.g. a red to UV shifted visual system as diet changes from red-reflecting algae to UV-absorbing plankton. One of the main goals of this study is to characterize if the change in feeding behavior is correlated to ontogenetic changes in DNA expression such as opsin expression and photoreceptor distribution. In my investigation, I will use a variety of approaches such as retinal mapping, high-throughput RNA sequencing (RNAseq), in-situ hybridization, Microspectrophotometry (MSP), and histology.

ASSAB 2018 Abstract Booklet

Pathways of ocular entrainment in Marpissa marina (Araneae, Salticidae)

Pariya Tork

[email protected]

Key Words: Pathways of ocular, entrainment, Marpissa, jumping spiders, eye covering

Spiders have camera-type eyes. In terms of functional and anatomical grounds, eyes in salticids are divided in two groups: the principal and the secondary eyes. I used Marpissa marina as my test subjects. My aim was to determine which pair of eyes is responsible for entrainment. Revealing this, the eyes must be covered to prevent entry of light to the photoreceptors. To cover the eyes, I used an opaque elastic paste and spider activity level over 8 days with a 6 hour phase shift of the L:D cycle was considered. My results showed that the rhythm of locomotory activity in jumping spiders is robust and circadian and not just a response to the absence of illumination due to the covering of multiple pairs of eyes. The spiders showed no entrainment with just Principal eyes uncovered, suggesting that there are no circadian photoreceptor (s) in them. However, all pairs of secondary eyes were capable of entrainment.

ASSAB 2018 Abstract Booklet

Quantity discrimination in sharks incubated under climate warming

Catarina Vila Pouca1*, Connor Gervais1, Joshua Reed1, Jade Michard2, Culum Brown1

1 Department of Biological Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney 2109, Australia; [email protected] 2 AgroParisTech, 16 Rue Claude Bernard, F-75231 Paris, France

Key Words: Numerical abilities; animal cognition; thermal stress; climate change; elasmobranchs

Thermal stress during embryonic and juvenile development can induce physiological and behavioural in teleosts and elasmobranchs. Under predicted end-of-century thermal conditions, hatchling sharks show impaired survival and body condition, yet to date there is no information on the possible effects of elevated incubation temperature on cognitive skills in elasmobranchs. In this study, Port Jackson shark (Heterodontus portusjacksoni) eggs were incubated and reared at current and projected end-of-century temperatures (20.6 and 23.6 ºC). We tested hatchlings’ learning ability with a quantity discrimination task. Here we show, for the first time, that sharks can discriminate between two quantities. We found that individuals incubated at elevated temperature participated in the task at a higher rate and performed better compared to sharks incubated at current temperatures. Studies have shown that sharks reared at elevated temperature have higher metabolic and ventilatory costs, thus it is possible that the greater learning performance in our elevated temperature group was a result of stronger energetic needs and increased feeding motivation. This study provides further evidence that elasmobranchs are susceptible to the effects of future ocean warming, though behavioural and cognitive mechanisms might allow animals to compensate some of the challenges imposed by climate change.

ASSAB 2018 Abstract Booklet

48 Shades of Grey - Detection and Discrimination Thresholds in Fish

Cedric P. van den Berg1,2, Laurie J. L. Mitchell1,2, Erin Watson1, N. Justin Marshall2, Karen L. Cheney1,2

1 School of Biological Sciences, University of Queensland, Brisbane, 2 Queensland Brain Institute, University of Queensland, Brisbane email contact: [email protected]

It is crucial to understand an animal’s ability to detect and discriminate visual signals such as prey or conspecifics against their natural backgrounds when investigating the function, design and evolution of animal colouration. The use of achromatic (luminance) information is the fundamental channel of information in visual systems to capture spatial information such as object boundaries, fine scale patterns and motion. However, while luminance detection and discrimination thresholds are known for some terrestrial animals such as birds, we currently lack detailed knowledge for any model organism in marine ecosystems. The difference between luminance detection and discrimination remains poorly quantified and these terms are often used interchangeably when discussing the function and evolution of visual signals. Furthermore, an increasing number of studies are using the receptor noise limited model (RNL) to quantify luminance contrast in terms of just noticeable differences (JNDs) perceived by ecologically relevant viewers. However, the use of the RNL for luminance discrimination and detection modelling is poorly supported by empirical work. We investigated the achromatic luminance detection and discrimination thresholds of a well-studied model organism in visual ecology, the triggerfish Rhinecanthus aculeatus using behavioural experiments. We also assessed the suitability of the RNL model to express luminance discrimination and detection in JNDs. Our findings quantify the context sensitivity of both luminance detection and discrimination thresholds while providing empirical evidence for the suitability of the RNL model for modelling both luminance detection and discrimination.

ASSAB 2018 Abstract Booklet

Investigating the effects of environmental change on sexual behaviour, conflict, and female fitness in seed beetles

Alan M. Vincent, Maider Iglesias-Carrasco, Michael D. Jennions, Megan L. Head

Division of Ecology and Evolution, Research School of Biology. The Australian National University. (A.M. Vincent, M. Iglesias-Carrasco, M.D. Jennions, M.L. Head) [email protected]

Key Words: Callosobruchus maculatus, Sexual Conflict, Fitness, Environment, Behaviour

Sexual conflict results from the differing reproductive interests of the sexes, and is an intrinsic component of sexual selection. Mating can be a costly activity, and each sex has to optimise the costs and benefits of mating. Sexual characteristics (both physiological and behavioural) develop in an attempt to maximise individual reproductive success. These adaptations can potentially be at the expense of opposite sex, resulting in both sexual conflict and a co- evolutionary response. For example, in seed beetles (C. maculatus) we know that males wound the female during copulation, and that females use water transferred in male ejaculate to their benefit. But do these costs and benefits differ between environments? If so, can this influence sexual conflict? By independently manipulating the amount of water available to adult male and female seed beetles, we aim to determine whether the amount of water in the environment influences how much water males transfer water to females in their ejaculates, how this influences female fitness and whether differences in the provision of water in the environment mediate sexual conflict. This work can aid our understanding of how animals adapt to new environments.

ASSAB 2018 Abstract Booklet

NEURONAL PATHWAYS OF THE LATERAL PROTOCEREBRUM OF MANTIS SHRIMPS

Hong Diem Vo1, Hanne Thoen1, Miriam Henze1, Justin Marshall1

1 Queensland Brain Institute The University of Queensland Brisbane, St. Lucia [email protected]

Key Words: Stomatopod, neuroanatomy, lateral protocerebrum, connectivity, optic neuropils

Stomatopods (mantis shrimps) are a good study model to understand how a simple brain is used to process a complex visual system. Similar to most other eumalacostracans, a stomatopod eyestalk contains a lamina, medulla, lobula, and a collection of smaller neuropils termed the lateral protocerebrum (LP). Mass fills using Dextran Texas Red fluorescent dyes have been applied to understand how the lamina, medulla, lobula, and the central brain are connected to the LP, and this information will be used to create a neuronal road map of the extensive network in the LP. Initial results revealed numerous tracks between the LP and the central brain. The majority of the tracks are confined to the center of the LP, except for a prominent axon bundle which passes the medulla and branches off into the hemiellipsoid body, a prominent neuropil in the LP, and notable smaller bundles that feed into the lobula.

ASSAB 2018 Abstract Booklet

Koe: open-source software to segment, manage and classify birdsong syllables

Wesley Webb1, Yukio Fukuzawa1, Dianne Brunton1, Michelle Roper1, Andrew Gilman1

1Institute of Natural and Mathematical Sciences, Massey University, Albany, Auckland 0632, New Zealand. [email protected]

Key Words: software, vocalisation, classification, catalogue, repertoire

Classifying acoustic units (e.g. birdsong syllables) into types is a fundamental step in determining meaning, repertoire size, and syntax in animal communication studies. Manual classification by eye and ear remains the primary and most reliable method, but is hindered by a lack of tools, especially for large and diverse datasets. Here we introduce Koe (Japanese for 'voice'), an open-source, audio database application for personal and collaborative use. Koe allows segmentation and rapid classification of acoustic units by eye and ear, featuring playback, visualisation, sorting algorithms, data filtering and bulk labelling. We showcase the capabilities and streamlined workflow of Koe with a dataset of 22,000 song syllables of New Zealand bellbirds (Anthornis melanura), alongside other bird and non-avian datasets to demonstrate the broad applicability of the program. By facilitating the labelling and management of acoustic units, Koe makes large-scale classification practicable and expands the possibilities for bioacoustic research.

ASSAB 2018 Abstract Booklet

Alpine weta forage their way to winter

Priscilla M Wehi1, Keith King2

1 Te Punaha Matatini, Manaaki Whenua Landcare Research [email protected] 2 University of Otago

Key Words: alpine, diet, foraging, metabolic rate, Orthoptera

Animals may be exposed to subzero temperatures in many alpine and subalpine environments, and slow growth and a large body can help individuals survive. The Otago stone weta Hemideina maori is the world’s largest freeze tolerant invertebrate (adults c.4-6 g), inhabiting rock tors from <1000m -1450 m on many mountain ranges in southern New Zealand. It lives for several years as an adult, and is also the most omnivorous of the species in its genus. During winter, these weta tolerate a degree of ice formation, and their tissues continue to metabolise, but it is unknown how their metabolic rate changes in response to these cold conditions. In this study, we present initial data on metabolic rate for adult males and females from two populations of Otago stone weta in southern New Zealand, estimating metabolic rate by measuring oxygen consumption and carbon dioxide production with a field respirometer. We also investigate whether animals are mobilising carbohydrate, protein or lipids for energy use by determining the respiratory quotient of these two gases. We consider how dietary data might integrate with physiological data in these populations. Determining seasonal patterns of metabolic substrate use will provide insights into their annual life cycle, foraging behaviour, and interspecific interactions in the ecosystems in which they live.

ASSAB 2018 Abstract Booklet

Optimum escape strategy depends on both relative performance and habitat characteristics

Rebecca Wheatley1, Theodore P Pavlic2, Ofir Levy3, Robbie S Wilson4

1 School of Biological Sciences, The University of Queensland, Australia, [email protected] 2 School of Computing, Informatics, and Decision Systems Engineering, Arizona State University, U.S.A 3 School of Zoology, Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Israel 4 School of Biological Sciences, The University of Queensland, Australia

Key Words: escape, game, habitat, performance, predation

Intuitively, we expect the fastest prey will be the best at escaping from predators. But what should the prey do when the predator can run faster than it can? In this case, simply running away at top speed is likely to result in a swift demise. Rather than trying to outrun predators using speed alone, prey often exploit the biomechanical trade-off between speed and agility to outmaneuver predators. Habitat structures, such as trees, rocks, and fallen logs, could potentially assist with this escape strategy by constraining the pursuit path of faster but less agile predators. Optimum escape strategy is therefore likely to depend on the combination of the predator and the prey’s relative speeds and agilities, and the complexity of the habitat. To examine this hypothesis, we constructed an agent-based model to simulate terrestrial predator- prey pursuits in different habitats. We found that, in open habitats, prey had the lowest chance of escape against faster predators with relatively low agility. However, in complex habitats, prey had the highest chance of escape against these same predators. This supports our hypothesis that complex habitats can assist small, agile prey by constraining a faster predator’s pursuit path, allowing the prey to easily exploit escape strategies that utilize turning gambits. We aim to use our model to help answer questions about the escape capabilities of native species against introduced predators, and the influence of habitat modification on predator- prey interactions.

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ASSAB 2018 Abstract Booklet

Comparing colours using visual models

Thomas E. White1, Rafael Maia2

1School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, 2006, Australia. [email protected] 2Department of Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Biology, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027, USA.

Key Words: vision, dimorphism, polymorphism, mimicry, crypsis, multivariate statistics

Color in nature presents a striking dimension of variation, though understanding its function and evolution largely depends on our ability to capture the perspective of relevant viewers. This goal has been radically advanced by the development and widespread adoption of color spaces, which allow for the viewer-subjective estimation of color appearance. Most studies of color in camouflage, aposematism, sexual selection, and other signaling contexts draw on these models, with the shared analytical objective of estimating how similar (or dissimilar) color samples are to a given viewer. We summarize popular approaches for estimating the separation of samples in color space and use a simulation-based approach to test their efficacy with common data structures. We show that these methods largely fail to estimate the separation of color samples by neglecting 1) the statistical distribution and within-group variation of the data and/or 2) the discriminability of groups relative to the observer’s visual capabilities. Instead, we formalize the 2 questions that must be answered to establish both the statistical presence and theoretical magnitude of color differences, and propose a two-step, permutation-based approach that achieves this goal. Unlike previous methods, our suggested approach accounts for the multidimensional nature of visual model data and is robust against common color-data features such as heterogeneity and outliers. We demonstrate the pitfalls of current methods and the flexibility of our suggested framework using an example from the literature, with recommendations for future inquiry.

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ASSAB 2018 Abstract Booklet

Sensory cues and their role in recognition in Australian sea lions

Kaja Wierucka1, Benjamin J. Pitcher2, Isabelle Charrier3, Robert G. Harcourt4

1 Department of Biological Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia; Institut des Neurosciences Paris-Saclay, Université Paris-Saclay, CNRS (UMR 9197), Université Paris-Sud, Orsay, France [email protected] 2 Department of Biological Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia; Taronga Conservation Society Australia, Mosman, NSW, Australia 3 Department of Biological Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia 4 Institut des Neurosciences Paris-Saclay, Université Paris-Saclay, CNRS (UMR 9197), Université Paris-Sud, Orsay, France

Key Words: Multimodal communication, mother-offspring, individual recognition, pinniped, sensory cues.

Recognition plays an important role in communication systems in many animals. While sea lion mother-pup reunion is known to be multimodal, we lack information about the relative contribution of acoustic, visual and olfactory cues. In a wild population of Australian sea lions (Neophoca cinerea), we conducted a series of experiments to determine how simultaneous presentations of multiple cues influence the behavioural response of females, and to assess the relative importance of acoustic and olfactory cues. We found that the presence of olfactory cues and congruency of acoustic cues was critical for mothers during the identification process. We showed that despite each sensory cue accurately conveying identity information when presented in isolation, when combined their importance, function or role may change. The exact way in which it changed seems to be driven by the costs and benefits of obtaining information resulting from the constraints imposed by the active space of cues.

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ASSAB 2018 Abstract Booklet

Using pheromones to understand Australia’s cryptic lizard diversity

Stephen M Zozaya1, Megan Higgie2, Craig Moritz3 & Conrad J Hoskin2

1College of Science and Engineering, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD Email: [email protected] 2College of Science and Engineering, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD 3Research School of Biology, The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT

Key Words: pheromones, gas chromatography, cryptic species, species discrimination, geckos

With nearly 800 lizard species currently described, Australia hosts 12% of global lizard diversity — more than any other country in the world. But even this figure underestimates Australia’s true lizard diversity. Genetic studies indicate that many of what we regard as single species are actually complexes of several morphologically similar species, referred to as ‘cryptic species’. Cryptic species appear visually identical yet are often reproductively isolated in areas of overlap. How they maintain reproductive isolation is unclear because the mating signals of lizards are largely unknown; hence, our understanding of mate choice and speciation in lizards is poorly understood. Considering that these cryptic lizard species are, by definition, visually similar, we hypothesise that pheromones serve as a mating signal in many cryptic lizard taxa. To test this, we first used gas chromatography to characterise putative pheromones from genetically divergent lineages of the Bynoe’s gecko (Heteronotia binoei) species complex in northern Australia. Multivariate analyses reveal that pheromone blends are lineage-specific and have diverged substantially more than body size or body shape. We then performed behavioural assays to assess the influence of putative pheromones on species discrimination in the contexts of female choice and male-male interactions. I will present the results of these experiments and discuss the difficulties associated with assessing mate choice in lizards.

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ASSAB 2018 Abstract Booklet

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