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Behavioral evidence for internal factors affecting duration of conglobation in pill bugs (Armadillidium vulgare,
1Department of Complex Systems Science, Future University-Hakodate, Japan.
Abstract:
Pill bugs individually walked an experimental pathway, then were induced to conglobate with a puff of air. After recovering, they were stimulated again. Sixty of 80 pill bugs conglobated both times, first moving either antennae (A) or legs (L) during recovery. Both AA and LL groups showed a significant positive correlation between first (t1) and second (t2) conglobation times. In the AL group, pathway locomotion time (t0) was significantly positively correlated to both t1 and t2. We conclude that pill bugs determine conglobation time based partly on their previous states.
Insights
Pill bugs
Area of Science:
- Behavioral Ecology
- Animal Behavior
Background:
- Pill bugs (Armadillidiidae) exhibit a defensive behavior known as conglobation.
- Understanding the factors influencing conglobation duration is key to understanding their anti-predator responses.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the influence of prior experience and recovery behavior on pill bug conglobation time.
- To determine if repeated defensive responses are consistent within individual pill bugs.
Main Methods:
- Pill bugs were observed walking an experimental pathway before being induced to conglobate via an air puff.
- Following recovery, pill bugs were stimulated again to measure a second conglobation time.
- Recovery behaviors, specifically antennae (A) or legs (L) movement, were noted.
Main Results:
- A significant positive correlation was found between first (t1) and second (t2) conglobation times in both antennae-moving-antennae-moving (AA) and legs-moving-legs-moving (LL) groups.
- In the antennae-moving-legs-moving (AL) group, initial pathway locomotion time (t0) correlated positively with both t1 and t2 conglobation times.
- Sixty out of 80 pill bugs conglobated on both trials, indicating consistent defensive responses.
Conclusions:
- Pill bug conglobation time is influenced by previous defensive experiences.
- The state of the pill bug during recovery, including locomotion patterns, may play a role in determining subsequent defensive responses.
