Mate recognition responses

The multifaceted function of cuticular hydrocarbons necessitates further theoretical as well as empirical clarification. For example, their use as both fertility signals and nest-mate recognition pheromones may seem contradictory, since the first function requires within-nest idiosyncrasy, i.e., for discriminating fertile from sterile individuals, while the second function requires within-colony odor uniformity. The response threshold hypothesis (Le Conte and Hefetz, 2008) attempts to resolve this apparent conflict in function, as well as to provide a suitable framework for future experiments to test specific parts of the hypothesis. 

Behavioral responses to light have long been of interest to aquatic scientists, both freshwater and marine. Light-mediated behaviors such as mate recognition, visual foraging, and especially vertical migration are the focus of numerous studies spanning a wide diversity of taxa [1-3]. However, the role of UVR in these and other behaviors has only recently been more closely examined. 

Experiments using individuals in different sexual and molting states have eliminated textural cues such as a soft postmolt cuticle or visual cues in sex attraction and recognition. For example, Bauer (1979 // sitchensis) and Caskey and Bauer (2005 P. pugio) performed experiments in which males showed no mating response toward recently molted (soft) males and only a slight or no response to recently molted nonparturial females. Copulatory response was elicited only by newly molted females and only upon antennal or pereopod contact by the male. 

It has been known for many decades that odors influence animal behavior, including foraging, predator avoidance, alarm response, social dominance, cohort recognition, and courtship. Darwin (1871) initially proposed chemical signals as a key mechanism in mate choice by which sexual selection is promoted. However, it was not until the discovery of the silkworm moth pheromone bombykol by Butenandt et al. (1959)... 

In both the mate choice studies (where mating is prevented) and the habituation-dishabituation test, investigation of an odour source is measured as the behavioural response. However, little attention is usually paid to the functional meaning of investigation in these contexts. We believe that investigation is of limited value in studies of individual recognition, because it is not a specific functional response. 

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