Colour and motion affect a dune wasp’s ability to detect its cryptic spider predators

Abstract Ambush predators depend on cryptic body colouration, stillness and a suitable hunting location to optimise the probability of prey capture. Detection of cryptic predators, such as crab spiders, by flower seeking wasps may also be hindered by wind induced movement of the flowers themselves....

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Autores principales:	Dulce Rodríguez-Morales, Horacio Tapia-McClung, Luis E. Robledo-Ospina, Dinesh Rao
Formato:	article
Lenguaje:	EN
Publicado:	Nature Portfolio 2021
Materias:	Medicine R Science Q
Acceso en línea:	https://doaj.org/article/6521b0e72cbf456483749cbd5f590050
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spelling	oai:doaj.org-article:6521b0e72cbf456483749cbd5f5900502021-12-02T16:23:43ZColour and motion affect a dune wasp’s ability to detect its cryptic spider predators10.1038/s41598-021-94926-72045-2322https://doaj.org/article/6521b0e72cbf456483749cbd5f5900502021-07-01T00:00:00Zhttps://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-94926-7https://doaj.org/toc/2045-2322Abstract Ambush predators depend on cryptic body colouration, stillness and a suitable hunting location to optimise the probability of prey capture. Detection of cryptic predators, such as crab spiders, by flower seeking wasps may also be hindered by wind induced movement of the flowers themselves. In a beach dune habitat, Microbembex nigrifrons wasps approaching flowerheads of the Palafoxia lindenii plant need to evaluate the flowers to avoid spider attack. Wasps may detect spiders through colour and movement cues. We tracked the flight trajectories of dune wasps as they approached occupied and unoccupied flowers under two movement conditions; when the flowers were still or moving. We simulated the appearance of the spider and the flower using psychophysical visual modelling techniques and related it to the decisions made by the wasp to land or avoid the flower. Wasps could discriminate spiders only at a very close range, and this was reflected in the shape of their trajectories. Wasps were more prone to making errors in threat assessment when the flowers are moving. Our results suggest that dune wasp predation risk is augmented by abiotic conditions such as wind and compromises their early detection capabilities.Dulce Rodríguez-MoralesHoracio Tapia-McClungLuis E. Robledo-OspinaDinesh RaoNature PortfolioarticleMedicineRScienceQENScientific Reports, Vol 11, Iss 1, Pp 1-9 (2021)
institution	DOAJ
collection	DOAJ
language	EN
topic	Medicine R Science Q
spellingShingle	Medicine R Science Q Dulce Rodríguez-Morales Horacio Tapia-McClung Luis E. Robledo-Ospina Dinesh Rao Colour and motion affect a dune wasp’s ability to detect its cryptic spider predators
description	Abstract Ambush predators depend on cryptic body colouration, stillness and a suitable hunting location to optimise the probability of prey capture. Detection of cryptic predators, such as crab spiders, by flower seeking wasps may also be hindered by wind induced movement of the flowers themselves. In a beach dune habitat, Microbembex nigrifrons wasps approaching flowerheads of the Palafoxia lindenii plant need to evaluate the flowers to avoid spider attack. Wasps may detect spiders through colour and movement cues. We tracked the flight trajectories of dune wasps as they approached occupied and unoccupied flowers under two movement conditions; when the flowers were still or moving. We simulated the appearance of the spider and the flower using psychophysical visual modelling techniques and related it to the decisions made by the wasp to land or avoid the flower. Wasps could discriminate spiders only at a very close range, and this was reflected in the shape of their trajectories. Wasps were more prone to making errors in threat assessment when the flowers are moving. Our results suggest that dune wasp predation risk is augmented by abiotic conditions such as wind and compromises their early detection capabilities.
format	article
author	Dulce Rodríguez-Morales Horacio Tapia-McClung Luis E. Robledo-Ospina Dinesh Rao
author_facet	Dulce Rodríguez-Morales Horacio Tapia-McClung Luis E. Robledo-Ospina Dinesh Rao
author_sort	Dulce Rodríguez-Morales
title	Colour and motion affect a dune wasp’s ability to detect its cryptic spider predators
title_short	Colour and motion affect a dune wasp’s ability to detect its cryptic spider predators
title_full	Colour and motion affect a dune wasp’s ability to detect its cryptic spider predators
title_fullStr	Colour and motion affect a dune wasp’s ability to detect its cryptic spider predators
title_full_unstemmed	Colour and motion affect a dune wasp’s ability to detect its cryptic spider predators
title_sort	colour and motion affect a dune wasp’s ability to detect its cryptic spider predators
publisher	Nature Portfolio
publishDate	2021
url	https://doaj.org/article/6521b0e72cbf456483749cbd5f590050
work_keys_str_mv	AT dulcerodriguezmorales colourandmotionaffectadunewaspsabilitytodetectitscrypticspiderpredators AT horaciotapiamcclung colourandmotionaffectadunewaspsabilitytodetectitscrypticspiderpredators AT luiserobledoospina colourandmotionaffectadunewaspsabilitytodetectitscrypticspiderpredators AT dineshrao colourandmotionaffectadunewaspsabilitytodetectitscrypticspiderpredators
_version_	1718384113952489472

Colour and motion affect a dune wasp’s ability to detect its cryptic spider predators

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