Plasticity in extended phenotype increases offspring defence despite individual variation in web structure and behaviour.

ABSTRACT: Many animals actively defend their offspring using a range of behaviours from calling and mobbing in birds, to physical grappling in crustaceans, and the expression of these behaviours positively scale with offspring value. While this role of behaviour in defence is well studied, very little is known about how other traits, specifically the structure of architectural constructions such as webs and nests, contribute to offspring defence. Additionally, although some tax a show consistent individual differences in offspring defence behaviour, it is completely unknown whether individuals also differ in defensive structures. We addressed these questions in the redback spider, Latrodectus hasselti, by measuring how a female laying an eggcase influences female behaviour and web structure,

SUBMITTER: DiRienzo N 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6197064 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature