The Ohio State University Newark

Home   Media   Research Interests   Links
   OSU Newark   Published Works   Teaching  
Lab Members   Opportunities   EEOB   Facilities  

The Active Space of Female Chemical Signals

While I have concentrated recently on factors influencing the evolution of male signaling traits in S. ocreata, female signaling is also important.  In laboratory studies, males recognize the reproductive state and potential receptivity of females using chemical compounds associated with female silk (published Work).  The compound that release courtship in males are inactivated by water, suggesting that they may only be effective for short periods of time in the field during the spring breeding season.  Rapid de-activation of chemical signals that function to elicit male courtship could provide direct evidence of the proximity of a receptive female to a courting male.  I hope to determine the average duration of activity of these signals in the field and measure active space of chemical signals used by female Schizocosa ocreata to attract and elicit courtship from males.  Experiments involving field exposure of silk samples are underway and publications should be forthcoming.

Research Home

Sensory Ecology of an animal Communication Network

Impact of El Niņo on Group Formation

Cognitive Ecology of Mate Choice