Risks and rewards: balancing costs and benefits of predator avoidance in a fiddler crab

Jodie Gruber; Andrew Kahn; Patricia R.Y. Backwell

doi:10.1016/j.anbehav.2019.09.014

Risks and rewards: balancing costs and benefits of predator avoidance in a fiddler crab

Jodie Gruber^*, Andrew Kahn, Patricia R.Y. Backwell

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

4 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

The decision to take risks in the presence of a predator involves complex trade-offs between immediate survival and future reproduction. Individuals may gain fitness advantages if they are able to optimally alter their risk-taking strategies depending on the differential costs and benefits of risky behaviours across contexts. Male fiddler crabs (Austruca mjoebergi) exhibited a higher propensity to take risks in the presence of a female compared with conspecifics that were not presented with a female during both mating and nonmating periods. Contrary to predictions, however, risk-taking behaviour did not differ between mating and nonmating periods.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	9-13
Number of pages	5
Journal	Animal Behaviour
Volume	158
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.anbehav.2019.09.014
Publication status	Published - Dec 2019

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10.1016/j.anbehav.2019.09.014

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abstract = "The decision to take risks in the presence of a predator involves complex trade-offs between immediate survival and future reproduction. Individuals may gain fitness advantages if they are able to optimally alter their risk-taking strategies depending on the differential costs and benefits of risky behaviours across contexts. Male fiddler crabs (Austruca mjoebergi) exhibited a higher propensity to take risks in the presence of a female compared with conspecifics that were not presented with a female during both mating and nonmating periods. Contrary to predictions, however, risk-taking behaviour did not differ between mating and nonmating periods.",

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AB - The decision to take risks in the presence of a predator involves complex trade-offs between immediate survival and future reproduction. Individuals may gain fitness advantages if they are able to optimally alter their risk-taking strategies depending on the differential costs and benefits of risky behaviours across contexts. Male fiddler crabs (Austruca mjoebergi) exhibited a higher propensity to take risks in the presence of a female compared with conspecifics that were not presented with a female during both mating and nonmating periods. Contrary to predictions, however, risk-taking behaviour did not differ between mating and nonmating periods.

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KW - risk taking

KW - waiting game

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JO - Animal Behaviour

JF - Animal Behaviour

ER -

Risks and rewards: balancing costs and benefits of predator avoidance in a fiddler crab

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