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Predators exert a powerful selective force, however, predator avoidance can conflict with other important activities such as attracting mates. Decisions over whether to court mates versus avoiding predators are vital to fitness, yet the mechanistic underpinnings of how animals manage such tradeoffs are poorly understood. Here, we investigate the flexibility of behaviour and gene regulation in response to a tradeoff between avoiding predators (survival) and courting potential mates (reproduction) in three-spined stickleback (Gasterosteus aculeatus). We compared behavioural and transcriptomic responses of male sticklebacks faced with a courtship opportunity and cues of a predator simultaneously with the responses of males faced with a courtship opportunity or cues of a predator alone, and found that males behaviourally compromised courtship in favour of predator avoidance when faced with a tradeoff between them. The need to manage this tradeoff elicited dynamic changes in brain gene expression, and sets of functionally connected genes were organized into discrete modules based on co-expression. Additionally, we found that behavioural flexibility in response to tradeoffs corresponded to flexibility in gene regulatory network structure. Combined, these results uncover the coordinated response by the brain to a fundamental ecological tradeoff, providing insight into the structure and function of genetic networks underpinning how animals make fitness-influencing decisions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Identifying a suitable mating partner is an ancient and critical biological problem. How a fruit fly distinguishes a fly of the same species from flies of innumerable related species remains unclear. We analyze the Ir52 receptors, expressed in taste neurons on the fly legs and encoded by a cluster of genes. We find that the cluster shows dynamic evolution, rapidly expanding and contracting over evolutionary time. We develop a novel in vivo expression system and find that Ir52 receptors respond differently to pheromone extracts of different fly species. The receptors are activated by some compounds and inhibited by others, with different receptors showing distinct response profiles. Circuit mapping shows that Ir52 neurons are pre-synaptic to sexually dimorphic neurons that overlap with neurons acting in courtship behavior. Our results support a model in which Ir52 receptors detect information about the species of a potential mating partner. • The Ir52 gene cluster has undergone rapid evolutionary expansion and contraction • Ir52s confer responses to pheromone extracts in a novel in vivo expression system • Ir52s respond differently to extracts of different fly species • Circuit mapping supports a model in which Ir52s contribute to mate choice Luo et al. show that Ir52 receptors respond to pheromone extracts in a novel in vivo expression system, respond differently to extracts from different species, and have evolved rapidly. Ir52 receptors are excited by some compounds and inhibited by others. Circuit mapping supports a role in mate recognition and the promotion of courtship behavior. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Men are reported to prioritise physical attractiveness in potential intimate partners, while women focus on the abilities of potential partners to provide resources. Yet previous research has suggested that these traditional gender differences vary according to national levels of gender equality. Here, we used priming material to manipulate participants' perceptions of gender equality and examined the effects on self-reported partner preferences, and we also investigated the association between participants' gender role attitudes and partner preferences. In Study 1 and 2 (n = 224 and 380), participants were presented with priming material that focused on either inequality between the genders in the present day (Inequality Condition) or recent improvements in gender equality (Equality Condition). Contrary to our predictions, the importance that participants placed on the physical traits and resource-gaining potential of partners did not differ between conditions in either study. However, on average, men placed greater emphasis on physical traits and preferred younger partners, and women placed greater emphasis on resource-gaining characteristics and preferred older partners, in line with previous research. In addition, men who reported more positive feminist attitudes placed less emphasis on physical traits, and women who reported more positive feminist attitudes placed greater emphasis on kindness, compared to same-gender participants who scored lower on feminist attitudes. This research suggests that self-reported partner preferences are related to an individual's feminist attitudes and highlight the challenges of exploring these associations with forced-choice and experimental priming designs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The hoary fox, Lycalopex vetulus, is a small insectivorous canid endemic to grasslands of Central Brazil. Herein we characterize hoary fox social behavior, based on qualitative and quantitative differences in intraspecific communication among males, females, and subadults. A family group, two reproductive pairs and three other adult individuals of unidentified social status were directly observed from 1995 to 2001, for the continuous recording of all occurrences of behavioral events. Hoary fox exhibited behaviors related to communication and food consumption. A total of 4,240 behavioral events were recorded, most in the categories 'Consumption' (58%) and 'Olfactory' (23%). The frequencies of signaling types varied among individuals according to sex, age, and socioecological phase. Olfactory signalings were more frequent in adult males, and during the Mating and Dispersal phases. Acoustic signalings were more frequent in adult females and individuals rearing the young. 'Consumption' and 'Tactile' behaviors were more frequent in subadults. The hoary fox intraspecific communication is characteristic of solitary canids, but during mating season and rearing period, individuals become more 'socialized.' Data on courtship and mating, partnership dissolution phase, and the breakup of the family group until young dispersal, are necessary for a better understanding of intraspecific communication of the hoary fox. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article rediscovers the importance of food gifts in navigating the process of courtship in England during the long eighteenth century. Studies of courtship and gift-exchange to date have demonstrated how courting couples exchanged a wide range of gifts to produce and intensify feelings of love and advance their relationships toward the altar, from garters and gloves to ribbons, rings, portrait miniatures and locks of hair. Yet the edible gift has remained conspicuously absent from this picture. The article reinserts edible tokens into the historiography of love and marriage, revealing how they operated as an indispensable and unique part of the 'gift mode' during courtship. It demonstrates how courting couples exchanged a wide range of foodstuffs from cakes and sweetmeats to game, fowl, fish, exotic fruits and home-grown produce. In doing so, the article advances the burgeoning field of emotions and material culture by demonstrating how organic or perishable items could function as powerful emotional objects, able to nourish the human body, provide a source of sensual and gustatory pleasure and elicit feelings of joy, delight, love and desire. In turn, these gifts show courtship made everyday, transacted between couples and their families, and situated in gardens and squares, shops, theatres and around a family's tea table. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: The transcription product of tramtrack (ttk) is an important transcription factor which plays many roles in the regulation of the development, differentiation and chromosome recombination of organisms. Few studies have been reported on the specific functions of ttk in other insects except Drosophila melanogaster. Our aims are to reveal the ttk effects on development and courtship of male rice pest brown planthopper (BPH), Nilaparvata lugens. RESULTS: In this study, we first assayed spatiotemporal expression of ttk in BPH, then treated the fourth nymphs of BPH with dsttk. We found most individuals died before emerging to adults, the adult eclosion rate was only 18.89%. No courtship behavior was found in individuals injected with dsttk. Further research showed that the main frequency of courtship vibration signal (CVS) 431.3 Hz in the individuals injected with dsttk was significantly higher than 223 Hz in the individuals injected with dsGFP, and female adults nearly had no response to the 431.3 Hz CVS. CONCLUSION: We found that about 81% of the 4‐instar nymphs of BPH treated with dsttk died before they emerged as adults, the successfully emerged adults emitted the 431.3 Hz CVS to which female adults did not respond and lost the ability of courtship. This was first finding about the functions of ttk in rice planthopper and illustrated the potential of ttk as target for RNAi to control rice planthopper. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The optimal timing of sexual behaviours across a daily cycle can form a key component of mating and reproductive success. However, few studies have explored circadian rhythms in mating behaviour within the context of sexual selection and sexual conflict. Here we characterized circadian patterns in female receptivity to mating and the frequency of male mating and courtship behaviours in freely interacting captive groups of red junglefowl, Gallus gallus , in outdoor enclosures. We showed that patterns of male sexual behaviour and female resistance to mating attempts differ between the morning and evening during a 10-day mating trial. Females progressively reduced their level of resistance to male mating attempts during the early hours of the morning and progressively increased their resistance in the evening. Males did not match their mating frequencies to female receptivity and initiated mating attempts more often in the evening, but tended to perform more courtship displays in the morning. The pattern of male behaviour was associated with social status, such that dominant males courted females more often than subordinates, particularly in the morning. However, we did not find strong evidence that male social status was associated with different timing strategies. These results demonstrate circadian patterns in multiple sexual behaviours in red junglefowl, with potential consequences for sexual selection in this species and welfare management in domestic populations of closely related fowl. • Sexual selection may target individual variation in circadian behaviour. • Sex differences in the optimal timing of behaviours can drive sexual conflict. • We quantified circadian patterns in sexual behaviour in a polygynandrous bird. • Males courted more in the morning and female resistance was highest in the evening. • Male social status was not associated with different timing strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Display courts are fundamental to the sexual displays of many species of bird; however, the ecology of display courts is poorly understood, representing an important gap in our understanding of the function and evolution of complex animal displays. Here, we describe the biophysical attributes (‘ecology’) of the display courts of male Albert’s Lyrebirds, a ground-dwelling rainforest species that performs a spectacular song and dance display on set courts, known as ‘display platforms’, that are composed of vines or fallen branches. Males rhythmically move these vegetative structures while singing, forming a unique ‘stage shaking’ component of their sexual display. We investigated whether display platforms differed from random locations within a male’s territory in terms of the number of vines or other vegetative structures, area of ground clearing, vegetation density, and canopy cover measurements. We primarily found that platforms had a larger number of vines or other vegetative structures. Platforms also tended to be in areas with more canopy openings. We suggest that platform features amplify the movement of the dancing male, and that male Albert’s Lyrebirds choose platforms in locations that increase their conspicuousness to female receivers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Little is known about the reproductive biology of the leopard seal (Hydrurga leptonyx), a Southern Ocean predator. Here we observed sexual behavior in wild leopard seals in Laguna San Rafael, Chile during a 2 h courtship interaction between a female and male. The female was hauled out on ice, mostly lying still (69% of the time) or moving (19%). The male was mostly under water (87%) or at the water's surface (11%). The female made seven in-air calls (i.e., thump pulse, noseblast, blast, growl). The male produced 65 underwater calls (i.e., low- and high-double trills, unidentified trills). The underwater calls appeared to be directed toward the female. After the primary male vocalized for an hour, one or two unidentified leopard seals briefly swam near the female. After leaving the area, we heard underwater calls for another 8 h. The next day, the primary male was hauled out on ice with a swollen genital opening. The male was bleeding from a laceration caudal to the preputial opening, suggesting the male attempted to mate and that the female, or another seal, was responsible for the injury. Together, we find that leopard seal courtship involves a suite of behavioral and acoustic behaviors by both sexes, both in air and under water. This is the first description of leopard seal sexual behavior in the wild. Our study also provides the first evidence that leopard seals mate in South America. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Describing vocalisations of species in the wild is an important step to understanding their function. A wild-living population of mountain gazelles (Gazella gazella) was monitored in Israel, using camera traps, thereby providing a first detailed description of the acoustic repertoire. We described six acoustical signals that were either reported by previous authors or that were hitherto not reported. Acoustic signals were categorised according to behavioural context as alarm calls, courtship calls or threat calls and — if possible — characterised by four acoustic variables, i.e., duration, maximum amplitude frequency, three power quartiles and fundamental frequency. Vocalisations were illustrated as spectrograms supplemented by full video sequences to show the acoustical signal in its environmental, social, and behavioural context. Given the rather inconspicuous character of many acoustic signals, we proposed further in-depth studies of vocalisation in mountain gazelles and other Antilopine species to unravel new insights into their behaviour and social organisation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: This study investigated the behavioral asymmetries and mating success of Alphitobius diaperinus (Panzer) (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae) under sublethal exposures to α-cypermethrin. Control males exhibited a right-side bias, which increased the likelihood of successful copulation, especially when head butts preceded mounting. A similar pattern was observed for LC10-exposed males, though their success rate slightly declined. In females, the right-side approach also enhanced copulation success. The direction of approach and mounting influenced the time required for key mating behaviors like mate detection and mounting. Males exposed to LC30 of α-cypermethrin needed a longer time for mate detection compared to control and LC10, especially when approaching from the back or front side. Females of the LC30 group were also influenced, with shorter copulation times when approaching from the right. These findings demonstrate that α-cypermethrin affects both mating success and the duration of related behaviors. Sublethal exposure to insecticides can adversely impact various biological and behavioral characteristics of insects. Although α-cypermethrin has been previously tested for its effects on control of Alphitobius diaperinus, there is no knowledge about the effect of this insecticide on its behavioral asymmetries and mating success. Μales at all exposures (control, LC10, and LC30), that first approached their mate, showed right-biased tendency (approached their mate from their right side) in mate recognition. Females, however, showed variation in this behavior between the three exposures. Right-biased tendency of males in all treatment scenarios led to a higher percentage of successful copulations compared to the three other directions. For males that first approached their mate, the insecticide did not affect their lateralization of the first approach but did affect their copulation success. The duration of copulation time was reduced after the exposure to the insecticide, with the longest duration noted in the control females (63.0 s) and the lowest in the α-cypermethrin LC30 females (46.9 s). Moreover, at the α-cypermethrin LC10 exposure, mate recognition time was reduced, as opposed to α-cypermethrin LC30 exposure where mate recognition time was increased. These results can be further utilized to uncover the behavioral impacts of insecticides, enhancing the effectiveness of pest management in warehouses and poultry production facilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Same-sex sexual behavior (SSB) is widespread among animals and is often treated as an evolutionary anomaly or mistake. An alternative view is that SSB occurs because individuals have broader or more permissive "mating filters." A broader filter means directing courtship toward anything that resembles a potential mate, while a narrower filter means having stricter criteria about when to court. Broader filters help ensure animals do not miss out on mating opportunities. However, it may be advantageous for individuals to narrow their mating filters under some conditions, such as when the costs of courtship increase because courting individuals are in poor condition. We examined whether mating filters, and the expression of SSB, is condition dependent in the Pacific field cricket (Teleogryllus oceanicus). When males were in poor condition (because they were reared on a poor diet), they courted other males less. However, condition did not influence courtship toward females. This finding provides evidence that animals can decrease their expression of SSB by flexibly narrowing their mating filters when in poor condition. Our results demonstrate the benefits of a mating filters approach to studying SSB--rather than being a mistake or an anomaly in need of special explanation, SSB may be better viewed as a consequence of flexible, condition-dependent changes in mating behavior. Such an approach can be applied to other contexts where behavior is directed toward unintended targets. We emphasize that our results, like other studies of SSB in nonhuman animals, tell us nothing about sexual identities in humans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Basking sharks (Cetorhinus maximus) seasonally aggregate in coastal surface waters of the North Atlantic, providing opportunities for visual observation. While putative courtship displays have been observed, actual copulation has not been documented. Here we examine video collected by an unmanned aerial vehicle ("drone") of novel behavioral interactions between basking sharks in Cape Cod Bay, Massachusetts in May 2021. The behaviors, including close following and tight concentric circling, are consistent with pre‐copulatory behavior observed in other shark species. These observations provide new insights into the pre‐copulatory behavior of basking sharks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article examines the emotional landscape of courtship and engagements in seventeenth-century Sweden. By using a framework by Illouz, understanding courtship as a cultural technique aimed at creating certainty in socially risky situations, the courtship of two women by one student is examined. The analysis moves from the intimate interactions of the couple to the family, the community and lastly the ecclesiastical and university authorities. The article shows that the main sources of uncertainty in the courtship process stemmed from procedural and ontological uncertainty—the order of courtship, the rituals of engagements and the significance of exchanged gifts were not clear, causing confusion and disruption in the courtship process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Evolutionary changes and interspecific diversity in sexual coercion and autonomy are often linked to indirect selection on mate preferences. Yet, this approach overlooks the small fraction of indirect selection in total selection on mate choice and assumes unnecessarily specific conditions in the recent ‘autonomy-enhancing’ risk-reduction model. This paper proposes a more parsimonious approach based on direct selection and basic signalling theory, incorporating ecological variables to better explain sexual biodiversity. Particularly, the spatial dimensionality of mating environments is emphasized for its role in enhancing sexual freedom through both diminishing monopolization and elevating escape potential from sexual coercion. Empirical evidence, ranging from waterfowl to humans, seems to better align with this ecologically constrained signalling perspective. Furthermore, it suggests that choosers keep coercion risk at ecological baseline by leveraging their escape potential. This repositions intriguing protective elements like bowerbirds' constructions as courtship features that have been bargained to respect sexual autonomy rather than enhancing it through indirect selection. It implies that courtship induced risks, such as reduced mobility, may in principle increase substantially precisely because they are offset by protective measures. Future research could reveal the prevalence of such risk-balancing strategies, advancing our understanding of mating dynamics. This work suggests new theoretical and empirical research avenues within the ecology of mating dynamics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Ayer: Revista de Historia Contemporánea is the property of Asociacion de Historia Contemporanea and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

In Northanger Abbey Austen presents the evolution and devolution of a romantic relationship that reveals what is lost when shame brings two non-heteronormative partners into a conventional social contract: the witty conversations and imaginative flights of fancy that Catherine Morland and Henry Tilney sustain in their courtship fade and finally disappear as they take their places in the symbolic order. Both experience a turning point in their development when Henry realizes and seemingly rebukes Catherine for suspecting that his father was responsible for his mother's death. That critical moment changes everything for them, as they surrender their fluidity and pursue a more generic path to marriage that Austen's metaleptic narrator cagily challenges as the novel concludes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Animals plastically adjust their physiological and behavioural phenotypes to conform to their social environment—social niche conformance. The degree of sexual competition is a critical part of the social environment to which animals adjust their phenotypes, but the underlying genetic mechanisms are poorly understood. We conducted a study to investigate how differences in sperm competition risk affect the gene expression profiles of the testes and two brain areas (posterior pallium and optic tectum) in breeding male zebra finches (Taeniopygia castanotis). In this pre-registered study, we investigated a large sample of 59 individual transcriptomes. We compared two experimental groups: males held in single breeding pairs (low sexual competition) versus those held in two pairs (elevated sexual competition) per breeding cage. Using weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA), we observed significant effects of the social treatment in all three tissues. However, only the treatment effects found in the pallium were confirmed by an additional randomisation test for statistical robustness. Likewise, the differential gene expression analysis revealed treatment effects only in the posterior pallium (ten genes) and optic tectum (six genes). No treatment effects were found in the testis at the single gene level. Thus, our experiments do not provide strong evidence for transcriptomic adjustment specific to manipulated sperm competition risk. However, we did observe transcriptomic adjustments to the manipulated social environment in the posterior pallium. These effects were polygenic rather than based on few individual genes with strong effects. Our findings are discussed in relation to an accompanying paper using the same animals, which reports behavioural results consistent with the results presented here.

The Dark Triad (DT) is a set of personality traits consisting of subclinical psychopathy, narcissism, and Machiavellianism. Separately, The Red Pill (TRP) is a seduction community part of an online men's movement that advocates incorporating DT traits and behaviors in romantic or sexual relationships with women. This study investigates the potential presence of DT influences in relationships with TRP‐affiliated men as described by former romantic partners. Using a directed content analysis of six semi‐structured interviews, four thematic categories emerged: relationship development, coaxing, outward appearances, and DT‐associated Internet behaviors. TRP men consistently displayed self‐interest and willingness to use manipulation to meet their needs, portraying themselves to their partners and the world as successful while callously disregarding partners' emotions in their pursuit of sex or social desirability. Participants' experiences of TRP men's behaviors aligned with prior knowledge regarding DT‐associated romantic and sexual relationships. This research may be used to inform future research connecting DT personalities and maladaptive social groups, as well as generating prevention strategies among relationship‐based practitioners. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sexual selection through female choice has driven the evolution of some of the most elaborate signalling behaviours in animals. These displays often require specialized morphological adaptations and may incorporate signals in multiple sensory modalities. Visual and acoustic signals are often precisely choreographed in temporally structured courtship performances, though the precise mechanics of such signalling behaviours are often enigmatic. We find that riflebirds (genus Ptiloris)—a bird of paradise clade—achieve their remarkable display postures by hyperextending the wrist joint, vastly exceeding the maximal wrist extension capabilities of any other known bird. Using video collected in the field, we then show that this hypermobility is required for a sonation unique to riflebirds, and find that the yellow interior of the mouth is displayed in the dynamic phase of display. As this sonation cannot be produced when the mouth is exposed, it represents a mechanical constraint to signal design. Finally, we used a large morphometric dataset to describe patterns of sexual dimorphism in wing length across diverse bird of paradise species, and find evidence of sexual selection for large and structurally modified wings used in riflebird displays. Our study highlights nuanced choreographic differences in the display behaviours of different riflebird species, and sheds light on the intricate design features of sexual signals in this fascinating taxon. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The features of the physical environment set the stage upon which sexual selection operates, and consequently can have a significant impact on variation in realized individual fitness, and influence a population's evolutionary trajectory. This phenomenon has been explored empirically in several studies using fruit flies (Drosophila melanogaster) which have found that changing the spatial complexity of the mating environment influenced male–female interaction dynamics, (re)mating rates, and realized female fecundities. However, these studies did not explore mating patterns, which can dramatically alter the genetic composition of the next generation, and frequently only compared a single, small "simple" environment to a single larger "complex" environment. While these studies have shown that broadly changing the characteristics of the environment can have big effects on reproductive dynamics, the plasticity of this outcome to more subtle changes has not been extensively explored. Our study set out to compare patterns of mating and courtship between large- and small-bodied males and females, and female fecundities in both a simple environment and 2 distinctly different spatially complex environments. We found that realized offspring production patterns differed dramatically between all 3 environments, indicating that the effects of increasing spatial complexity on mating outcomes are sensitive to the specific type of environmental complexity. Furthermore, we observed female fecundities were higher for flies in both complex environments compared those in the simple environment, supporting its role as a mediator of sexual conflict. Together, these results show that the union of gametes within a population can be greatly influenced by the specific spatial features of the environment and that while some outcomes of increased environmental complexity are likely generalizable, other phenomena such as mating patterns and courtship rates may vary from one complex environment to another. Graphical Abstract [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sexual selection is an important evolutionary force and despite extensive research, understanding mate choice on naturally occurring trait variation remains an intriguing area of study. The correlation between mass, a trait associated with courter viability and common target for mate choice, and signals is particularly noteworthy. This study focuses on Schizocosa mccooki, the largest member of a wolf spider genus renowned for its diverse complex male courtship. Our objective was to understand the relationship of male mass and other courtship signals on female choice within this species. We conducted lab experiments involving random pairings of field caught males and females, recording vibratory courtship and its outcomes. Our findings revealed that S. mccooki courtship consisted of vibratory signals with two major components, thumps and raps. Male mass, overall courtship vigor, and thump duration were found to predict mating success. Interestingly, we found no correlation between temporal traits and mass suggesting independent information and an absence of trade‐offs between mass, courtship vigor, and signal component rates/durations. Instead, we found that heavier males tend to produce thumps with lower frequencies. The finding that male mass predicts mating success contrasts with patterns observed in other species in this well‐studied genus. By uncovering the mate choice patterns of S. mccooki, this study underscores the importance of comparative studies to understand the ways in which sexual selection drives diversification, even among closely related taxa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Changes in the animals' environment often impact on their behavior and the way they communicate. Particularly in spiders, living on webs or not is a determining factor. While the Lycosidae family predominantly comprises wandering spiders, only a few species inhabit webs. Aglaoctenus oblongus (C.L. Koch 1847) challenges this norm, as it has been found both in webs and wandering, suggesting a previously undocumented mixed strategy. This study aims to: (1) describe the sexual behavior of A. oblongus under laboratory conditions and (2) utilize phenological data to elucidate when and where mating occurs. Sexual encounters were observed within and outside webs, with minimal differences noted between them. Courtship was characterized by groping and leg shaking performed by the males. Copulation was lengthy (near to seven hours), featuring an irregular pattern of palpal insertions, and culminating in a backward dismount. Individuals showed a mixed life history, with the spiders most often found in webs being females with eggs. Both sexes were found throughout the year, with a peak in autumn. We compare the sexual characteristics of this species with that of A. lagotis (also belonging to the Sosippinae subfamily), the only other wolf spider studied to date that exclusively inhabits webs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Why do animals display sexual ornaments – to attract mates, to compete for access to them, or both? In the broad-nosed pipefish (Syngnathus typhle), ornamented females commonly compete for access to males, whereas choosy males provide uniparental care. During courtship, females show a dynamic ornament, consisting of a row of dark B-shaped signs along the sides of their trunk. Here, we focus on the social context of female ornamentation and mating success (egg transfer) under experimentally female and male biased adult sex ratios. We found that the duration of female B-sign displays was not explained by adult sex ratios alone, but rather by sex ratios in combination with female body length and the number of female interactions. In detail, duration of B-sign display increased more steeply with the number of female-female interactions under the male biased adult sex ratio: that is, when more mating opportunities were available. Similarly, display duration increased with female body length, but only under the male biased adult sex ratio. In addition, successful egg transfer occurred more often in the male biased treatment and correlated significantly with female display duration in the same treatment. Taken together, these results suggest that in the context of the broad-nosed pipefish, the ornamental B-signs in females primarily serve as a sexually selected attractive signal. Our results highlight the importance of an interactive mating environment, male availability, and female size. Significance: In this study, we examine the importance of the social context for a female ornamental display. In the broad-nosed pipefish (Syngnathus typhle), females display a temporary ornament. For trios of females, we manipulated the number of males to create male and female biased adult sex ratios. Our results highlight the importance of an interactive mating environment, male availability, and female body length, for both females' ornamental display time and their transfer of eggs to the male brood pouch. In contrast, there was no support for a strong role of temporarily biased adult sex ratios on their own. We conclude that females display their temporary ornaments mainly to attract matings, presumably by signalling their quality as mates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Adab Al-Kufa is the property of Republic of Iraq Ministry of Higher Education & Scientific Research (MOHESR) and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Endemic to only three known provinces in South Central Vietnam, Cuora picturata have faced extensive collection pressures for the food, medicinal, and pet trades. Further exacerbating their decline is the lack of protected areas where wild populations exist, with only one known population occurring within a protected area. With threats to wild populations persisting, the development of an assurance colony has been prioritized for C. picturata. The Asian Turtle Program of Indo‐Myanmar Conservation has been operating the Turtle Conservation Center (TCC) in Cuc Phuong National Park since 1998. From 2020 to 2022, 24 C. picturata were acquired by the TCC from the illegal trade. With no ideal repatriation plan, these animals provided an opportunity for developing a captive assurance colony at the TCC to safeguard the species from extinction. As semi‐aquatic species, box turtles in the genus Cuora are a unique group that shows variations in habitat use and behavior between species. Herein, we documented some specific courtship behaviors not yet described for C. picturata, providing insight into the unique reproductive behaviors of this species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mate choice is posited to explain the evolution and maintenance of numerous secondary sexual traits, including ornamentation. This study explores the role of ornamentation in the mating success of two sister-species of wolf spider with divergent ornamentation. Mature male Schizocosa crassipalpata lack ornamentation while males of its closest living relative, S. bilineata, express both dark pigmentation and foreleg brushes. Following phenotypic manipulations of foreleg ornamentation - i.e. adding ornamentation in the form of dark pigment to non-ornamented males (S. crassipalpata, Aim 1) and removing ornamentation in varying degrees from highly ornamented males (S. bilineata, Aim 2 - shaving brushes; Aim 3 - shaving brushes and painting over dark pigment in vibration present/absent environments) - we found no evidence that ornamentation alone improves male mating success in either species, regardless of the vibratory signaling environment. In both S. bilineata experiments, however, higher courtship rates resulted in higher mating success, suggesting selection for courtship performance. Furthermore, females were more likely to turn, a presumed receptivity display, in response to males that courted at a higher rate. Also, similar to findings in another relative (S. stridulans), we found indications that ornamentation may function to ease a male's reliance on courtship performance - i.e., at low courtship rates, only ornamented males can secure a mating. Our phenotypic manipulations also influenced courtship behavior in S. bilineata. Shaved males began courting earlier and courted more often over a longer time than intact males, yet ultimately acquired similar matings. This increased courtship effort likely compensated for reduced ornamentation. Finally, the vibratory environment appears crucial for female-male dialogue in S. bilineata, as vibratory absent environments resulted in increased female attacks and decreased male courtship rates. Together, our data suggest that S. crassipalpata females do not possess a preference for ornamentation and that S. bilineata females do not use ornamentation alone in mating decisions. Instead, our results are consistent with a hypothesis that ornamentation in Schizocosa evolved, and is likely maintained, due to its interactions with dynamic movement displays (i.e. leg movements), which can themselves be plastically altered based on the signaler's phenotype as well as the signaling environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mate choice is a key trait that determines fitness for most sexually reproducing organisms, with females often being the choosy sex. Female preference often results in strong selection on male traits that can drive rapid divergence of traits and preferences between lineages, leading to reproductive isolation. Despite this fundamental property of female mate choice, very few loci have been identified that contribute to mate choice and reproductive isolation. We used a combination of population genetics, quantitative complementation tests, and behavioural assays to demonstrate that alan shepard and Neuroglian contribute to female mate choice, and could contribute to partial reproductive isolation between populations of Drosophila melanogaster. Our study is among the first to identify genes that contribute to female mate preference in this historically important system, where female preference is an active premating barrier to reproduction. The identification of loci that are primarily known for their roles in neurodevelopment provides intriguing questions of how female mate preference evolves in populations via changes in sensory system and higher learning brain centres. Graphical Abstract [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many animals display numerous colors that can range from red, green, blue, and orange to ultraviolet, whereas others are dull or have a uniform coloration. The reason for this variation in coloration remains unknown. It has been hypothesized that different colors represent multiple signals that either reflect different components, redundant information, or simply no longer provide reliable information regarding body quality. Here, we analyzed the highly diverse coloration of male golden pheasants (Chrysolophus pictus) using an avian visual model from the avian visual system and related the different components of coloration to several phenotypic traits of body quality. We found that different components of plumage color correlated with the length of the body, tail, spur, and beak, suggesting that the multiple colors in male golden pheasants signal different components of body quality. In particular, tail length was correlated with many aspects of coloration, especially the green and orange colors of neck plumage, which are particularly important because male golden pheasants spread their neck plumage and show it to females during their courtship display. Therefore, these findings reveal that the plumage colors of male golden pheasants encode multiple signals that reflect their body condition during courtship displays. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Continued use and development of new insecticides are seen as a necessary part of modern agriculture, but insecticides, even at sublethal levels, may also affect beneficial non‐target species, such as pollinators, predators, and parasitic wasps. Here, we studied sublethal effects of four insecticides – acetamiprid, dimethoate, flupyradifurone, and sulfoxaflor – all targeting cholinergic neurons in insects, on sexual communication and olfactory host finding in the parasitic wasp Lariophagus distinguendus (Förster) (Hymenoptera: Pteromalidae). We found that all four insecticides reduced, at least at one of the tested sublethal doses, pheromone‐mediated courtship behaviour (wing fanning) in males and the mating frequency of treated wasps. Treated females no longer preferred host‐associated kairomones. This suggests that the olfactory sense of the wasps is hampered by sublethal insecticide doses. The lowest bioactive doses tested in the bioassays were 0.021 ng for sulfoxaflor and 0.105 ng for acetamiprid, dimethoate, and flupyradifurone. These low amounts are field realistic and might be taken up by the wasps, e.g., by feeding contaminated plant nectar. Exposure to these compounds likely compromises the important ecosystem service provided by parasitic wasps as natural enemies in terrestrial ecosystems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sex pheromones are considered to play critical roles in partner communication of most parasitic Hymenoptera. However, the identification of sex pheromone components remains limited to a few families of parasitoid wasps. In this study, we functionally characterized a candidate sex pheromone component in Microplitis mediator (Hymenoptera: Braconidae), a solitary parasitoid of Noctuidae insects. We found that the body surface extract from female wasps could significantly stimulate courtship behavior of males. Gas chromatography‐electroantennographic detection (GC‐EAD) analysis revealed that a candidate semiochemical from extract triggered significant electrophysiological response of antennae of males. By performing gas chromatography‐mass spectrometer (GC‐MS) measurement, GC‐EAD active compound was identified as n‐octyl acrylate, a candidate sex pheromone component in female M. mediator. In electroantennogram (EAG) tests, antennae of male wasps showed significantly higher electrophysiological responses to n‐octyl acrylate than those of females. Y‐tube olfactometer assays indicated that male wasps significantly chose n‐octyl acrylate compared with the control. Furthermore, male wasps showed a remarkable preference for n‐octyl acrylate in a simulated field condition behavioral trial; simultaneously, n‐octyl acrylate standard could also trigger significant courtship behavior in males. We propose that n‐octyl acrylate, as a candidate vital sex pheromone component, could be utilized to design behavioral regulators of M. mediator to implement the protection and utilization of natural enemies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Animals that live in human‐impacted landscapes experience an onslaught of novel stimuli that may interfere with natural communication pathways. During mating, this interference may alter the criteria deployed to assess potential mates as males and females find they must shift their focus and emphasize alternative sensory modalities. The wolf spider, Tigrosa helluo (Araneae, Lycosidae) is common in agricultural fields where commercial formulations of herbicides with glyphosate as the active ingredient are regularly applied. With the development of genetically resistant crops, glyphosate‐based herbicides have become among the most widely used and heavily applied agricultural chemicals in the world. In a laboratory experiment, we explored the effects of this herbicide on male—female interactions during courtship, mating, and sexual cannibalism. We expected that it might impact assessment such that there was a shift in the features that were important to the outcome of mating interactions. When herbicide was present, female body condition, an indication of recent feeding success, became important to mating success. This result was, in part, due to higher rates of sexual cannibalism in parings of males and females with low body condition values. The leg raises and pedipalp waves that males perform in courtship were not affected by herbicide nor were they related to mating success but, across all treatments, they were negatively correlated with lytic activity of females as measured just prior to pairing. This result indicates that males detected this aspect of the female's physiology and that a strong immune response made the female less attractive, possibly because it indicated a current or recent infection. Taken together, these results verify that a common herbicide shifts mating criteria used by an agribiont spider and, separate from the herbicide, the immune status of females affects the reactions of courting males. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Competition over resources is often decided via aggressive interactions, which may or may not escalate to all-out fights. Weapons and body size play important roles in such interactions, as they often provide reliable cues of an individual's fighting ability. In contrast, traits like nonfunctional display "weapons" may dishonestly exaggerate fighting ability in order to intimidate opponents into retreating. Signals used in the context of aggressive interactions potentially evolve via very different mechanisms than courtship signals, but have received far less theoretical attention. Here, we contrast the evolution of honest and dishonest signals of fighting ability using a game-theoretic model. Contests are assumed to consist of three discrete stages: display from a distance, low-intensity physical contact, and fighting. At each stage, contestants evaluate the fighting ability of their opponents in comparison to their own based on body size and an aggressive signal. After making this evaluation, contestants decide whether to escalate the interaction or cede to their opponent. Our model predicts that both honest and dishonest aggressive signals can exaggerate far beyond their ecological optima, but that exaggeration is more pronounced for honest signals. Equilibrium levels of aggressiveness—as measured by individuals' propensity to escalate aggressive interactions to the next stage—are independent of the honesty of signals. We additionally develop a novel approach, based on causal inference theory, to understand how changes in underlying parameters shape the coevolution of multiple traits. We use this approach to study how aggression coevolves with body and signal size in response to changes in the cost of losing a fight. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the 1980s, groundbreaking theoretical studies showed that ornaments displayed during courtship can coevolve with preferences for such ornaments, leading to extreme exaggeration of both traits. Later models cast doubt on such "runaway" sexual selection, showing that even a small cost of preferences can prevent exaggerated ornaments from persisting long-term. It was subsequently shown that if mutations acting on the ornament are biased—tending to produce smaller rather than larger ornaments—then exaggeration can persist even in the presence of preference costs, seemingly vindicating the original models. Here, we unpack an implicit assumption of these "biased mutation" models: Mutations are assumed to lead, on average, to both smaller and less costly ornaments. Biased mutation consequently generates both a fitness cost (due to reduced mating success) and a fitness benefit (due to increased survival). We lift this assumption by separating an individual's investment in an ornament from their efficiency in converting such investment into ornament size. We assume that biased mutation acts only on efficiency but not on investment, and discuss the plausibility of this alternative assumption. Our model predicts that exaggerated ornaments and preferences can persist stably once they arise, but that strong initial preferences are needed to kick-start the runaway process. Consequently, biased mutation alone may not always be sufficient to save runaway sexual selection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Genesis 3:16b has traditionally been interpreted as proof of woman's inferiority, her nefarious powers of seduction, and as a license for men to rule and master her. Such an interpretation seems to have a much greater affinity with the Hellenistic context from which it arose than with its immediate Hebraic and Ancient Near Eastern context. If we are to remain faithful to this context—where woman was held in high esteem—we need more than ever to approach Genesis 3:16b with a lens that does not do violence to the woman. This article seeks to offer a new exegetical lens on Genesis 3:16b, as a redemptive rather than a punitive moment. This will entail that the two key concepts "rule" (mashal) and "loving intention" (teshuqah) be re-interpreted, in the light of its Ancient Near Eastern context, as containing vestiges of the sacred marriage trope figuring in Sumerian cultic texts, notably the Courtship of Inanna and Dumuzi. The parallels between our story and the Courtship will reveal some stunning parallels, enabling us to illuminate a radically new understanding of Genesis 3:16b as a sacred marriage scene, with the woman enabling the uplifting of man, inaugurating his reign as the king of the land, rather than finding herself dominated by him and a victim of his power over her. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Copyright of Revista Latinoamericana de Estudios sobre Cuerpos, Emociones y Sociedad is the property of Revista Latinoamericana de Estudios sobre Cuerpos, Emociones y Sociedad and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Mating experience impacts the physiology and behavior of animals. Although mating effects of female Drosophila melanogaster have been studied extensively, the behavioral changes of males following copulation have not been fully understood. In this study, we characterized the mating-dependent behavioral changes of male flies, especially focusing on fly-to-fly interaction, and their dependence on rearing conditions. Our data demonstrate that male flies quiesce their courtship toward both females and males, as well as their locomotor activity. This post-copulatory quiescence appears to be contingent upon the presence of a peer, as minimal variation is noted in locomotion when the male is measured in isolation. Interestingly, copulated males influence a paired male without successful copulation to reduce his locomotion. Our findings point to a conditional behavioral quiescence following copulation, influenced by the presence of other flies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Acoustic communication is widespread in beetles, is often sexually dimorphic, and plays a significant role in behaviours such as premating recognition, courtship, and copulation. However, the factors that determine the presence or absence of acoustic signalling in a given species remain unclear. We examined acoustic communication in bark beetles (Scolytinae) and pinhole borers (Platypodinae), which are two speciose groups with widespread sound production capabilities. We show that body size along with the sequence of host colonisation predict the presence of acoustic communication, and report, for the first time in the animal kingdom, a size limit—1.9 mm—below which acoustic signalling ceases to be present. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article explores the representation of suicide committed for love in English popular print in the seventeenth and early eighteenth centuries. It shows how, within ballads and pamphlets, suicide resulting from failed courtship was often portrayed as romantic and an expression of devotion. Within this literature, however, young women often bore the blame for male suicide, influenced by early modern ideas about the innate characteristics of men and women. This examination interrogates a context in which suicide, rather than being condemned, was consistently depicted sympathetically. It also sheds crucial light on the representation and performance of masculinity and femininity in courtship and matters of love. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Natalisin (NTL) is a conserved neuropeptide, only present in insects, that has been reported to regulate their sexual activity. In this study, we investigated the involvement of NTL in the reproductive behaviors of a major invasive pest, Spodoptera frugiperda. We identified NTL precursor-encoded transcripts, and evaluated their transcript levels in different stages and tissues of S. frugiperda. The results showed that the NTL transcript level was expressed in both male and female pupae and both male and female adults in the later stage. It was highly expressed in male pupae, 3-day-old male and female adults, and 5-day-old male adults. In different tissues, the expression level is higher in the male and female adult brain and male testis. Immunohistochemical staining of the brain of S. frugiperda female and male adults revealed that three pairs of brain neurons of S. frugiperda adults of both sexes secreted and expressed NTL. To study the role of NTL in reproductive behaviors, NTL was silenced in S. frugiperda male and female adults by RNA interference (RNAi) technology, the results showed that silencing NTL could significantly affect the sexual activity behavior of the adults, reducing the calling rate of females, the courtship rate of males, and the mating rate. In summary, this study emphasizes the important role of NTL in regulating the mating behavior and sexual activity of S. frugiperda in both male and female adults, potentially laying a foundation to employ NTL as a new insect-specific target to control populations of pest insects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the emergence and evolution of the courtship novel in eighteenth-century England. Within the context of societal upheaval and growing feminist consciousness, the courtship novel served as a platform for women to explore their roles and wishes within the restraints of patriarchal society. By examining the socio-historical background, key authors and works, the paper analyses how the genre evolved from idealised romantic narratives to more complex reflections of women's experiences and ambitions. It particularly highlights the courage of pivotal female authors, such as Frances Burney, Jane Austen, and Maria Edgeworth, in shaping this subgenre and contributing to the ongoing discourse on women's rights and duties. This article concludes that the courtship novel served as a significant tool in the continuing struggle for female empowerment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We examined the role of lycosid eye rows and the pairs of eyes within each row in prey detection and mate recognition by Schizocosa ocreata (Hentz, 1844) using two approaches: (1) occluding anterior or posterior eye rows; and (2) occluding all but a single eye pair. In response to live prey, females took longer to orient and approach crickets when the posterior eye row was occluded; responses were intermediate when the anterior eye row was occluded. With six of eight eyes occluded, spiders that could see with posterior lateral eyes (PLE-only) detected the cricket as quickly as the fully sighted spiders (controls), while spiders limited to seeing from other eye pairs took longer to orient towards prey. Orientation distance varied significantly as well, with Control, ALE-only, PME-only and PLE-only spiders responding at greater distances than AME-only spiders. To analyze the functions of the eye rows involved in mate preference in S. ocreata, we conducted an additional study with presentation of video playback of a courting male to females with different eye rows occluded. Females with their posterior eyes occluded took longer to orient and respond compared to controls and anterior eye row occlusion. The sum of female receptivity displays was also significantly reduced when posterior eyes were occluded, suggesting the posterior eyes may be involved in mate recognition. Taken together, these data suggest that the posterior (secondary) eyes may have an important role in detection and identification of both prey and courting males. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: The butterfly Byasa hedistus exhibits strong volatiles but shows no significant differences in color and shape. We analyzed the volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and tested the visual and olfactory behavioral responses of B. hedistus during foraging and courtship. The effects of colors and VOCs on the foraging and courtship of B. hedistus are discussed. This study enhances our understanding of how male and female butterflies of similar coloration use different signals for foraging and courtship. Color and odor are crucial cues for butterflies during foraging and courtship. While most sexual dimorphic butterflies rely more on vision, our understanding of how butterflies with similar coloration use different signals remains limited. This study investigated the visual and olfactory behavioral responses of the similarly colored butterfly Byasa hedistus during foraging and courtship. While visiting artificial flowers of different colors, we found that B. hedistus exhibits an innate color preference, with a sequence of preferences for red, purple, and blue. The frequency of flower visits by B. hedistus significantly increased when honey water was sprayed on the artificial flowers, but it hardly visited apetalous branches with honey water. This proves that locating nectar sources by odor alone is difficult in the absence of floral color guides. During courtship, males are active while females hardly chase; only two models were observed: males chasing males and males chasing females. The courtship process includes four behaviors: slowing approach, straight chasing, hovering, and spinning. B. hedistus cannot distinguish between sexes based on color, as there is no significant difference in color and shape between them. Twenty-three VOCs (>1%) were identified in B. hedistus, with 21 shared by both sexes, while ketones are specific to males. These VOCs are principally represented by cineole, β-pinene, and linalool. When cineole was added to butterfly mimics, many butterflies were attracted to them, but the butterflies did not seem to distinguish between males and females. This suggests that cineole may be the feature VOC for identifying conspecific groups. Adding β-pinene and linalool to mimics induced numerous butterflies to chase, hover, spin around, and attempt to mate with them. This suggests that β-pinene and linalool are crucial cues indicating the presence of females. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Kinkajous are one of the most widely distributed Neotropical mammals, nonetheless, their nocturnal habits have posed challenges on the study of their ecology and behavior. Here, we used arboreal camera trapping in a pristine Amazonian forest in Ecuador, and ad libitum data from direct encounters in a lowland and a highland forest in Colombia to describe their activity patterns and describe anecdotal data on their diet and reproductive behaviors. As expected, kinkajous are strictly nocturnal and seem to be active throughout the entire night, although in our study there was less activity towards the beginning and the end of the night. Kinkajous were observed to be mostly solitary, rarely in groups of two to three adult individuals. Although their diet has not been described in detail, fruits from Moraceae and Urticaceae appear to be important components of their diet. Their reproductive behavior involves an isolated pair of kinkajous, and may be interrupted by other males. Pairs seem to meet for reproductive purposes and range together for several hours, during which courtship may take place, ending in copulation, which lasts for approximately 3 min. After copulation, the male and female appear to separate and return to their solitary habits. The results of this study complement the scarce information on the elusive kinkajous in the Neotropical forests. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Music plays an important, and heretofore unrecognized, role in contemporary Burmese courtship. This article lays out the pattern of courtship adhered to by middle-class city dwellers in Burma/Myanmar. It also provides an analysis of the music that is implicated in courtship. Burmese men sing pop songs to women, songs that men and women generally refer to as "love songs." I argue that these courtship songs are rightly understood as love songs because the words of the songs reflect the attributes of romantic love identified by scholars of romance who have done research in other parts of the world. The article therefore contributes to the literature on Burmese popular music, on music and courtship in Southeast Asia, and on romantic discourse around the world. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Variation in sex pheromones is regarded as one of the causes of reproductive isolation and speciation. We recently identified 51 male- and female-specific compounds – many of which function as sex pheromones – in 99 drosophilid species [1]. Here, we report that despite many of these compounds being shared between species, their quantities differ significantly. For example, although 34 drosophilid species share the male-specific compound cis-vaccenyl acetate (cVA), which plays a critical role in regulating various social and sexual behaviors, the amount of cVA can differ by up to 600-fold between different species. Additionally, we found 7-tricosene, the cuticular hydrocarbon pheromone, present in 35 Drosophila species. Our findings indicate that 7-tricosene is equally present in both sexes of 14 species, more abundant in males of 14 species, and more abundant in females of 7 species. We provide raw data on the concentration of potential pheromone components in the 99 drosophilids, which can provide important insights for further research on the behavior and evolution of these species. Quantitative variations highlight species-specific patterns, suggesting an additional mechanism for reproductive isolation built on specific combinations of compounds at set concentrations.

Understanding sexual communication requires assessing the behaviour of both the sender and the receiver. Receiver responses to sexual displays carry relevant information, but such signals or cues may be subtle and therefore technically challenging to investigate. Here, we focus on receiver body movements in response to high-intensity courtship in spotted bowerbirds (Ptilonorhynchus maculatus). Male bowerbirds perform a vigorous courtship choreography on dedicated display structures—bowers. Bower owners tolerate other non-territorial males at their bowers, yet the courtship displays of these so-called ‘subordinate’ males rarely result in successful copulations. Males that display at high intensity are preferred by females in this species, yet excessively aggressive displays may be threatening, hence scaring prospective mates away. In this study, we hypothesized that bower owners are better able to exhibit high-intensity movements without startling their audience compared with subordinate males. To address this question, we used a combination of behavioural coding and AI-based tracking of body movements, which allows precise spatial and temporal resolution for the study of subtle behavioural responses. Contrary to our predictions, we found that bower owners evoked stronger startle responses than subordinate males. We discuss these unexpected results and suggest further experimental approaches for future investigations.