Publication details
Death feigning in the face of sexual cannibalism
| Authors | |
|---|---|
| Year of publication | 2006 |
| Type | Article in Periodical |
| Magazine / Source | Biology Letters |
| MU Faculty or unit | |
| Citation | |
| Field | Zoology |
| Keywords | sexual cannibalism; sexual conflict;cannibalism avoidance; thanatosis |
| Description | Precopulatory sexual cannibalism by females affects male and female reproductive success in profoundly different ways, with the females benefiting from a meal and the male facing the risk of not reproducing at all. This sexual conflict predicts evolution of traits to avoid cannibalism and ensure male reproductive success. We show that males of the nuptial giftgiving spider Pisaura mirabilis display a remarkable death feigning behaviour thanatosis as part of the courtship prior to mating with potentially cannibalistic females. Thanatosis is a widespread antipredator strategy; however, it is exceptional in the context of sexual selection. When the female approached a giftdisplaying male, she usually showed interest in the gift but would sometimes attack the male, and at this potentially dangerous moment the male could drop dead. |
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