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Personality in the Brush-legged Wolf Spider: Behavioral Syndromes and their Effects on Mating Success in Schizocosa ocreata

Walls, Trinity
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ucin1544101158248781

Abstract Details

2018, MS, University of Cincinnati, Arts and Sciences: Biological Sciences.
Recent studies have shown that animal “personality” demonstrates consistent behavioral variation at the individual level that persists across lifestages and contexts. The most commonly measured behavioral syndrome involves a “bold” to “shy” continuum, in which individuals are evaluated based on their willingness or latency to engage in risk-taking behaviors. I examined bold-shy behavioral syndromes in the brush-legged wolf spider, Schizocosa ocreata. Spiders were repeatedly given open field tests and later exposed to simulated predator stimuli. All spiders were tested as juveniles and adults. Results of open field tests showed individual S. ocreata exhibit consistent behavioral patterns associated with either end of the continuum of bold (exploratory) to shy (freeze) behavioral syndromes. These differences persisted across contexts, as well as lifestages (juvenile, adult). Bold spiders exhibited shorter latency to explore in an open field and to resume exploration after a simulated predator than did their shy counterparts, but also showed more variation in latency to resume exploration after a simulated predator. After reaching maturity, females were given a two-choice test using video playback of male courtship to analyze differences in mate choice, while males were exposed to female cues to assess courtship vigor. While open field behaviors and responses to simulated predators were correlated, personality type did not show significant effects on male courtship in the presence of female cues or female mate preference in the context of video playback. Males and females of differing personality types were also paired in a two-by-two factorial design to assess the effect of personality on overall mating success. No differences in mating success were found, suggesting that personality type measured using bold-shy attributes may affect somatic traits but not reproductive traits in this study.
George Uetz, Ph.D. (Committee Chair)
Elke Buschbeck, Ph.D. (Committee Member)
Nathan Morehouse (Committee Member)
69 p.
Behavioral Sciences
animal personality; behavioral syndromes; animal behavior; sexual selection; wolf spiders

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Walls, T. (2018). Personality in the Brush-legged Wolf Spider: Behavioral Syndromes and their Effects on Mating Success in Schizocosa ocreata [Master's thesis, University of Cincinnati]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ucin1544101158248781

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Walls, Trinity. Personality in the Brush-legged Wolf Spider: Behavioral Syndromes and their Effects on Mating Success in Schizocosa ocreata. 2018. University of Cincinnati, Master's thesis. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ucin1544101158248781.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Walls, Trinity. "Personality in the Brush-legged Wolf Spider: Behavioral Syndromes and their Effects on Mating Success in Schizocosa ocreata." Master's thesis, University of Cincinnati, 2018. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ucin1544101158248781

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

ucin1544101158248781
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This open access ETD is published by University of Cincinnati and OhioLINK.