Latitudinal cline of death-feigning behaviour in a beetle (Tribolium castaneum).

ABSTRACT: Death-feigning behaviour is a phenomenon in which a prey is rendered motionless due to stimulation or threat from a predator. This anti-predator defence mechanism has been observed across numerous animal taxa and is considered adaptive in nature. However, longer durations of death feigning can result in decreased opportunities for feeding and reproduction, and therefore is often associated with fitness costs as compared to environments without predators. Differences have also been observed in the frequencies and durations of death feigning within populations, and these differences are thought to be influenced by the balance between survival and other fitness costs. Furthermore, this balance is predicted to vary in response to changes in environmental conditions. In this study, we examined

SUBMITTER: Matsumura K 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10050934 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature