Biomimetic robots reveal flexible adjustment of sexual signalling in a wild invertebrate

Abstract

Sexual signals are often structured in bouts, which can be adjusted in response to changes in the signaller’s physical and social environment. For example, we might expect individuals to adjust their own signalling behaviour in response to changes in the signalling behaviour of rivals, because this can affect their relative attractiveness to potential mates. In this study, we used a biomimetic robot to experimentally manipulate rival waving behaviour in a wild population of fiddler crabs ( Afruca tangeri ), and investigated whether this leads to changes in the activity and waving behaviour of a focal male. Analysing the focal male’s behaviour using hidden Markov models and linear hurdle models, we found no evidence that the focal male’s waving rate changed in response to changes in the behaviour of the robotic rival. However, bouts of waving lasted longer when the robotic rival was waving at a fast rate. Focal males were also less likely to enter their burrow when the robotic rival was waving, and spent less time in their burrow if they did enter. These results reveal tactical adjustment of behaviour by competing signallers, and highlight the flexible nature of bout-structured sexual displays.