Animal Behavior Test #2 Flashcards
Sensory Receptors
nerve endings that respond to stimuli…transmit info via neurons…or convert stimulus energy into chemical energy
Neurons
nerve cells that receive and transfer electrical and chemical signals
Action Potential
signals that travel to CNS…a wave of membrane depolarization flowing along nerve cell membrane
Synapse
with other neurons on their way to CNS…release of neurotransmitter at synapses
Dendrites
detect a stimulus
Cell Body
where information is integrated
Axon
conducts an electrical signal to the axon terminal where it can be transmitted to another neuron, organ or muscle
Neurotransmitters
electrical signals are transformed into chemical signals that move across the synapse
Chemoreception
occurs when a chemical molecule binds to a receptor on the surface of a sensory neuron
Gustation
the detection of dissolved chemicals, often within the mouth
Olfaction
the detection of airborne chemical stimuli
Pheromones
volatile, species-specific organic compounds produced by individuals, that elicit responses in conspecifics (members of their own species)
Sensillia
here chemoreception occurs…has 3 sensory neurons (one sensitive to CO2, one sensitive to octanol, and one sensitive to phenols (in sweat)
Olfaction in Male Polyphemus Moths
antennae (hair-like olfactory receptors) allows for smell in moths…use their large antennae to locate newly emerged females (identified by their pheromones (sex hormones) at distances up to half a mile
Olfaction in Mosquitoes
chemoreception occurs at maxillary palps that have olfactory sensilla…detect CO2 with sensory receptors to find humans
Tongue flicking in snakes
use tongue to taste and smell
Sensory receptors responsible for the perception of sweet and umami tastes in rodents
used knockout method that lacked DNA sequences for one of three receptors (KO-1, KO-2, and KO-3)…measured neural activity and rate of licking at water spout…concluded that T1R1 and T1R3 are required to detect amino acids (Umami), while T1R2 and T1R3 are required to detect sweet tastes
Olfactory cues and breeding aggregations of cuddle-fish
measured behavioral response to new eggs or seawaters in a Y-shaped maze…individuals responded most strongly to the odor of new eggs…concluded that cuttlefish can detect the odor of new eggs finding a breeding aggregation
Sensory Filtering
the process of receiving only certain stimuli among the many stimuli impinging
Electromagnetic Spectrum
spans an enormous range of wavelengths and frequencies (in order of decreasing wavelength and increasing energy and frequency)
Optical Window
optical portion of EM spectrum that passes through the atmosphere to the ground
Photoreception
detect light and color…through photoreceptors that contain proteins that change shape when struck by light
Opsins
-light-sensitive proteins (in cones)
-that are struck by light and change shape, they change -the permeability of the photoreceptor neurons, and they generate action potentials
variation in opsin structure confers sensitivity to different wavelengths of light
Cones
most color perception
Rods
wide spectrum, at low light levels
Tapetum Lucidum
a retroreflector, lying immediately behind the retina (reflects visible light back through the retina, increasing the light available to the photoreceptors )
Thermoreception
heat detection
Thermorecepring Pits
sensitive to infrared radiation
Narrow-leaved Arnica nectar guides visible to UV-enabled insects
presents itself to UV-enabled insects with a developed UV pattern
Monarch butterflies color discrimination
butterflies can discriminate different colors
Bird Vision
have higher proportion of cones to rods than human eyes, and cones are complex
inner segment contains a colored oil droplet beside the base of the outer segment, which filter light before it can reach the visual pigment (oil droplets are either clear or colored by a variety of carotenoids)
UV-reflecting plumage in male pied flycatcher and female mate choice
female mate choice is affected by male plumage: females prefer males with high amounts of UV plumage
UV perception in Reindeer
adapted to see UV, urine (predators or potential mates), lichens (food source for reindeers) absorb UV light, making them appear black in contract to the UV-reflecting snow
UV reflexing fur in Platypus and Flying Squirrels
mammal fur glowed/fluoresced under UV light…absorbs short-wavelength light (UV) and re-emits it as longer wavelength (in the visible spectrum) that humans can see
Cat low-light vision
have 44% greater sensitivity than human vision, under low light conditions…many of these animals are nocturnal (contributed to by tapetum lucidum)
Thermoreception in pit vipers
allows for vipers to see body heat of prey (sensitive to infrared radiation) heat-sensing pit organ located between the eye and nostril on either side of the head
Crotaline versus non-crotaline snakes detection of infrared radiation
crotaline snakes detect and respond to warm objects (they perceive infrared wavelengths); non-crotaline snakes cannot…used warm and hot balloons snakes would strike at them
Cat sensory perception
cats don’t see far away…but whiskers move forward to help sensory
Mechanoreceptor
detect sound and vibration via mechanical waves…can be found on hair, thorax, wings, or legs
Pinnae
external ears that funnel sound, thus amplifying hearing sensitivity
Hair Cells
sensory receptors of the auditory and vestibular system in ears
Cochlea
spiral cavity in the inner ear (produces nerve impulses in response to sound vibrations)
Middle-ear ossicles
connect the tympanic membrane to the inner ear allowing for the transmission of sound waves
Basilar Membrane
its vibration patterns have the effect of separating incoming sound into its component frequencies that activate different cochlear regions
Males moth ultrasonic pulses and attracting females
male ultrasonic pulses are an important aspect of female mating behavior…used deafened and hearing females…hearing females mated quicker
Elephants and infrasound to maintain contact over long distances
elephants use infrasound’s (low frequencies) to maintain contact up to 1km and can detect unfamiliar groups up to 1.5km away
Snake hearing
have an auditory pathway that uses a simplified version of the system we have, and have a “somatic” pathway by which vibration of the body wall can be relayed to the brain
Vabrissae
whiskers on seals that follow the hydrodynamic trails of other seals
Lateral Line System
helps detect changes in water pressure created by other individuals (homologous to human ears)
Neuromast Organs
small epithelial receptor organs that are composed of sensory hair cells
Electroreception
detect weak electric fields
Ampullae of Lorenzini
sensitive electroreceptors
Magnetoreception
detect the Earth’s magnetic field
Harbor seals following hydrodynamic trails
seals can’t follow if nylon stocking is placed over their whiskers, but if put over their eyes; seals can follow the wake of a fish for up to 35s after the fish has passed…whiskers help seals follow the hydrodynamic trails of other seals
Lateral line system in fish
lateral line contains mechanoreceptors that can detect changes in water pressure created by other individuals
Antlion larvae using mechanoreception to capture prey
antlion larvae build sand pits to capture their ant prey…antlions detect substrate-borne vibrations in their prey in their sand pit and then attack
Electroreception in platypuses
can close eyes and sweep rostrum around (metal detector) that detects vibrations of prey when foraging
Integration of sensory information in Sharks
salt water has high conductivity…have pore filled with electrically conductivity gel that helps detect muscle activity of prey and navigate earth’s geomagnetic field
Electroreception in hammer-head sharks versus sand sharks
no evidence that hammerhead sharks have greater electro detection capability than sandbar sharks…moved toward/or bit active dipole, never attacked an inactive dipole
Communication
a process in which a specialized signal produced by one individual (a signaler) affects the behavior of another (signal receiver)
Signaler
provides information to a receiver
Receiver
subject that receives information that will affect their behavior
Modes of Communication
visual, auditory, olfactory, tactical, seismic, electro, auto communication, thermal
Effects of Environment on Communication
a set of constraints (propagation through an environment changes a signal
Sound Windows
certain frequencies do better that other frequencies
Chemical Signals
relatively, long lasting and can travel great distances, but cannot be modified once transmitted
Visual Signals
can move rapidly through the environment, but require adequate light levels and can be blocked by objects
Auditory Signals
can travel around objects and can be turned on and off quickly, but attenuate (lose intensity) as they travel through the environment
Foraging ants and pheromone trails
surface temperature affects chemical pheromone persistence…may explain why social foraging ants do not forage at high temperatures
Blue versus yellow Telmatherina fish males and habitat
blue morphs had higher success in beach habitat/yellow morph had higher success in root habitat…color signal efficiency was affected by light environment
Habitat structure and Satin Bowerbird vocal signals
predicted that since higher frequencies attenuate more rapidly in dense vegetation, then call frequency should be lower in more densely vegetated habitats…habitat structure favors vocal signals that minimize attenuation
Purposes of Communication
ownership/territorial, alarm calls, mate attraction
Vibration Communication
common in insects; most used in mate advertisement and courtship
Autocommunication and Echolocation in bats
helps with navigation and sourcing food in the dark (emit high frequencies through their mouth or nose and listen to the echo)
Firefly communication
fireflies have species-specific flash patterns…males fly and flash, females respond from the ground when they see a male flashing the correct pattern
Katydid communication
closely-related species often have different courtship signals (Katydids)…clicker or rattler
Co-evolutionary “arms race” between bats and prey insects
back-and-forth process of adaptation in one species favoring counteradaptation in another (Ex. Many flying insects drop rapidly before being attacked by a bat, but deafened mantids that cannot detect ultrasonic pulses escape fewer attacks)
Acoustic aposematism in distasteful moths to avoid bat predation
sounds produced by noxious moths (associated w/ distastefulness) reduce their predation risk
Vervet Monkey Alarm Calls
produce different alarm calls for different predator species
Predator-specific alarm calls in Titmice
titmice produce different alarm call that result in different behaviors (D notes w/ high-risk predators; mobbing behavior w/ smaller raptors
Startle responses in caterpillars
caterpillar whistles are defensive and function as acoustic “eye spots” to startle predators
Recruitment Trails in Ants and Termites
leave pheromone trails when foraging recruiting, etc.
Waggle Dance in Honey Bees
conveys information on location of food (direction relative to sun indicates direction; duration indicates distance)
Signals as accurate indicators
conditions that favor the evolution of signals as accurate, or “honest” indicators
Conditions that favor the evolution of signals as
fitness interests of signaler and receiver are similar, signals will be accurate when they cannot be faked, signals will be accurate indicators when they are costly to produce or maintain
Aposematic Coloration
brightly colored morphology in a species that stands out from the environment and is associated with noxious chemicals or poisons that make them unpalatable or dangerous
Aggressive Displays
aggressive behaviors often involves energetic displays before more intense fighting occurs
Amplexus
the mating position of frogs and toads
Mullerian Mimicry
when two poisonous or unpalatable animals have similar coloration and patterns
Good Decision Rule
fight when the odds are good
Bad Decision Rule
fight no matter what
Why are dendrobatid frogs brightly colored?
bright coloration is an aposematic signal to predators that prey are unpalatable (created red and brown clay models and recorded predation attacks)
Croak pitch and body size in European toads (Bufo bufo)
rivals attacked pairs with small males more frequently but small males were left alone more when defended by low croaks
Barking Geckos body size and call frequency
geckos that charged the speaker (playback) had significantly lower dominant call frequencies and smaller relative throat patches than those that did not charge (dishonest signal)
Antler Flies
antler size correlated with body size; smaller males give up
Roe Deer
antler size correlated with body size
