Display courtship

One well-analysed chemosignal system is that of the Red-bellied Newt (Cynops pyrrhogaster). Males of this species produce from the abdominal gland a semiochemical protein (sodefrin) with marked VNO activity as a female attractant (Kikuyama et al., 1997). Courtship displays of newts often contain tail-waving bouts, which direct cloacal or other secretions from the male toward female recipients (Fig. 3.1). A large stable molecule like sodefrin, alone or as part of a VNPr complex, is presumably suitable for such local transference. 

One of the earliest records of pheromones in spiders was made by Lendl (1887— 88), who described an odor emanating from female Geolycosa vultuosa (as Trochosa infemalis) (Lycosidae), which attracted males. Subsequent work by Bristowe and Locket (1926) described male lycosid courtship displays (in the absence of the females) in response to contact chemical stimuli. Kaston (1936) demonstrated that female appendages released courtship in males, and that the activity was lost after extraction with ether. These observations were confirmed for several other species by various authors (reviews Leborgne, 1981 Tietjen and Rovner, 1982 Pollard etal., 1987 Stewart, 1988). 

Seelinger, G. and Schuderer, B. (1985). Release of male courtship display in Periplaneta americana evidence for female contact sex pheromone. Animal Behaviour 33 599-607. 

Males of neotropical euglossine bees (Apidae), called orchid bees, collect odoriferous substances from flowers of orchids and other plants. The floral scents of these species display relatively simple chemical compositions dominated by one or two major components, mostly terpenoids and aromatic compounds such as cr-pinene, 1,8-cineol, eugenol, -dimethoxybenzene (35), 2,3-epoxygeranyl acetate (36), nerolidol, 4-methoxycinnamaldehyde (37), and benzyl benzoate.113 Since the orchid bees have odor preferences, their collection of fragrances leads to specialized pollination of particular plant species. Male bees absorb the floral volatiles with their tarsal hairs, form species-specific bouquets, and finally accumulate them in their hind tibial pouches. These bouquets have potential roles in courtship displays and marking territories.114 115... 

Kamio M, Reidenbach MA, Derby CD (2008) To paddle or not context dependent courtship display by male blue crabs, Callinectes sapidus. J Exp Biol 211 1243-1248... 

Hebets EA (2005) Attention-altering interaction in the multimodal courtship display of the wolf spider Schizocosa uetzi. Behav Ecol 16 75-82... 

Hebets EA, Uetz GW (2000) Female responses to isolated signals from multimodal male courtship displays in the wolf spider genus Schizocosa (Araneae Lycosidae). Anim Behav 57 865-872... 

In addition to the ability to differentiate between sexual behaviors (e.g., courtship display) and signals (e.g., food attractants), it is important to employ a receiver that is physiologically and hormonally receptive to a sender s pheromone (Hayden et al. 2007). Most animals live in complex chemical environments and an individual simultaneously detects multiple chemical signals from a variety of sources (Hazlett 1999, this volume), such as living and dead conspecifics, predators, competitors,... 

Wood DE, Derby CD (1996) Distribution of dopamine-like immunoreactivity suggests a role for dopamine in the courtship display behavior of the blue crab, Callinectes sapidus. Cell Tissue Res 285 321-330... 

What is the function of courtship display and courtship stationary paddling It is probably a multimodal signal to females. It probably contains a visual signal, since sexually receptive females respond to a model of a male crab in the stationary posture of courtship display (Teytaud 1971) and the red color on the female claws can induce courtship by males (Baldwin and Johnsen 2009). The dynamic component of the display, paddling, probably also provides a characteristic and conspicuous visual stimulus, though this has not been experimentally tested. The water current generated... 

Periplanones A-D act, in contrast to long-range pheromones, as close proximity sex-excitants They arc found in the alimentary tract and excreta of the female American cockroach Periplaneta americana, and cause the males to run and to perform the courtship display. Periplanones A and B, occurring in a ratio of 10 1, arc 100 times more active than C and D. 

Jackson, C.G. J.D. Davis. 1972. Courtship display behavior of Chrysemys concinna suwanniensis. Copeia 1972 385-387. 

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