Personal
Place of birth: Belfast, UK D.O.B.: 30/12/1965 Nationality: Irish
Contact address
16b Forest Park, Dunmurry, Belfast, BT17 0ET, N. Ireland
Telephone: (H) +44 (0)28 90 296385 (M) +44 (0)7732162579
email: john@galliform.bhs.mq.edu.au; johnprenter@gmail.com
Qualifications
Post Graduate Certificate in Education (1998), Queen's University Belfast.
PhD (1993), Queen's University Belfast. "Behaviour and Ecology of the Autumn Spider Metellina segmentata".
BSc Hons (1989), Queen's University Belfast. Biology (2nd Class, 1st Division).
Employment
14/08/06-22/12/09: Lecturer/Research Fellow, Department of Brain, Behaviour & Evolution, Macquarie University, Sydney.
Responsibilities: research on aggression and contest behaviour in jumping and web- spiders, sexual dimorphism and locomotor performance in spiders, mating behaviour in assassin bugs, lecturing and practical classes (years 1-3), preparation and marking of assignments and examination materials, co-supervisor of PhD and honours students, direction of technical staff, assist organisation of colloquium series.
1/10/03 – 12/08/06: Co-applicant and named PDRA, Queen’s University Belfast. BBSRC research grant to Prof. R.W. Elwood (see below).
Responsibilities: planning & conducting biological research, laboratory & field work; statistical analyses, directing technical staff, undergraduate and postgraduate students supervision, occasional lecturing & administrative tasks; preparation of material for publication; presenting research findings at conferences.
1/07/03 to 30/09/03: Research Technician, QUERCUS, Centre for Biodiversity & Conservation, Queen’s University Belfast.
Responsibilities: research support, planning & conducting biological research, laboratory & field work; statistical analyses, preparation of material for publication.
01/01/03 to 31/06/03: Research Technician, Queen's University Belfast, Freshwater ecology of amphipods, invasions. NERC research grant to Dr. J. T. A. Dick (& others).
Responsibilities: research support, planning & conducting biological research, laboratory & field work; statistical analyses, preparation of material for publication.
01/11/00 to 31/12/02: Postdoctoral Research Fellow, then Research Fellow and Lecturer, Institute of Irish Studies, Queen’s University Belfast.
Responsibilities: planning and conducting biological research, laboratory and fieldwork; statistical analyses, occasional lecturing and administrative tasks, directing undergraduate and postgraduate seminars and tutorials, preparation of material for publication, presenting research findings.
01/09/00 to 31/10/00: Training Consultant, Joblink, Belfast.
Responsibilities: I.T. training for jobseekers.
01/09/99 to 31/08/00: Science Teacher, St. Rose's High School, Belfast.
Responsibilities: Teaching science, pastoral duties, work placement organiser.
01/01/97 to 31/08/99: Supply Teacher (and teacher training).
Responsibilities: Teaching science and mathematics.
01/01/93 to 31/12/96: Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Queen’s University Belfast. NERC research grant to Prof. R.W. Elwood (see below).
Responsibilities: planning & conducting biological research, laboratory & field work; statistical analyses, directing technical staff, supervision of students, preparation of material for publication; presenting research findings at conferences.
Grants
BBSRC “Assessment abilities of fighting animals: are they as good as we thought?” Co-applicant and named PDRA. (£155,899, 1/10/03 to 30/09/06)
NERC “Sexual dimorphism in spiders". Co-wrote application and named PDRA (circa £95,000, 01/01/94 to 31/12/96).
Macquarie University Research Infrastructure Block Grant, “Invertebrate olfaction systems”. Taylor, P.W., Herberstein, M.E., Barron, A., Weldon, C.W., Nelson, X.J. & Prenter, J. ($39,383, 2009).
Research interests
My core research on spiders, insects, amphipods and fish encompasses several key areas of animal behaviour:
Behavioural ecology (sexual selection, sexual cannibalism, sexual dimorphism, predatory behaviour)
Assessment behaviour, information gathering and decision making behaviour.
Animal contests, physiology and behaviour.
Sexual size dimorphism and locomotor performance.
Mating behaviour and sexual cannibalism.
Teaching & responsibility
Macquarie University:
Lecturing: BBE100 Introduction to Brain, Behaviour, and Evolution (2007), BBE200: Brain, Behaviour and Evolution (2008 & 2009).
Practical classes: BBE300 Animal Behaviour (2007 & 2008).
Associate supervisor for PhD student.
Primary supervisor for honours student.
Honours examiner (BBE and Biological Sciences).
Organiser/Facilitator, CISAB Colloquium (invited seminar series) (2006-2007); Assistant Organiser (2008-2009).
Queen’s University Belfast:
Lecturing and leading seminars, Behavioural Ecology (level 2), School of Biological Sciences, Behavioural recording techniques, MScAnimal Behaviour and Welfare, MA and BA Irish Studies, Inst. of Irish Studies.
Supervision of final year BSc and MSc projects (invertebrate behaviour), QUB.
Field Course in Behavioural Ecology (invertebrate behaviour), QUB.
Other:
Qualified teacher with secondary school teaching experience (Biology, Science).
Membership of Learned Societies
Association for the Study of Animal Behaviour (ASAB).
International Society for Behavioural Ecology (ISBE).
Australasian Society for the Study of Animal Behaviour (ASSAB).
Treasurer of ASSAB (2007-2008), Assistant Treasurer / Council member (2008-2009).
Publications
Weldon, C.W., Prenter,
J. & Taylor, P.W. 2010. Activity patterns of Queensland fruit
flies (Bactrocera tryoni) are affected
by both mass-rearing and sterilization. Physiological Entomology, published
online 11 March 2010.
Prenter, J.,
Pérez-Staples, D. & Taylor, P.W. 2010. The effects of
morphology and substrate diameter on climbing and locomotor
performance in male spiders. Functional Ecology 24, 400-408.
Prenter, J. , Taylor, P.W. & Elwood, R.W. 2008. Large body size for winning and large swords for winning quickly in swordtail males, Xiphophorus helleri. Animal Behaviour 75, 1981-1987.
Prenter, J., Elwood, R.W. & Taylor P.W. 2006. Self-assessment by males during energetically costly struggles over precopula females in amphipods. Animal Behaviour, 72, 861-868.
Prenter, J., MacNeil, C. & Elwood, R.W. 2006. Sexual cannibalism and mate choice in spiders: a review. Animal Behaviour 71, 481-490.
Prenter, J. 2006. Spiders: Sexual Cannibals. Biological Sciences Review 18, 26-29.
MacNeil, C., Prenter, J., Briffa, M., Fielding, N., Dick, J.T.A., Riddell, G.E., Hatcher, M.J., & Dunn, A.M. 2005. The replacement of a native amphipod by an invader: roles for environmental degradation and intraguild predation. Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences. 61, 1627-1635.
Prenter, J., MacNeil, C., Dick, J.T.A, Riddell, G.E. & Dunn, A.M. 2004. Lethal and sublethal toxicity of ammonia to native, invasive, and parasitised freshwater amphipods. Water Research 38, 2847-28.
Prenter, J., MacNeil, C., Dick, J.T.A. & Dunn, A.M. 2004. Roles for parasites in animal invasions. Trends in Ecology and Evolution, 19, 385-390.
MacNeil, C., Fielding, N., Dick, J.T.A., Briffa, M., Prenter, J., Hatcher, M. & Dunn, A.M. 2003. Acanthocephalen parasite mediated intraguild predation between native and freshwater amphipods: a field and laboratory study. Freshwater Biology, 48, 2085-2093.
Prenter, J., Elwood, R.W. & Montgomery, W.I. 2003. Mate guarding, competition and variation in size in male orb-web spiders: a field removal experiment. Animal Behaviour, 66, 1053-1058.
MacNeil, C. & Prenter, J. 2000. Differential microdistributions and interspecific interactions in coexisting native and introduced Gammarus spp. (Crustacea: Amphipoda). Journal of Zoology, London, 251, 377-384.
Prenter, J., Elwood, R.W. & Montgomery, W.I. 1999. Sexual size dimorphism and reproductive investment by female spiders: a comparative analysis. Evolution, 53, 1987-1994.
Prenter, J., Elwood, R.W. & Montgomery, W.I. 1998. No association between sexual size dimorphism and life histories in spiders. Proceedings of the Royal Society, London, Series B, 265, 57-62.
Prenter, J., Montgomery, W.I. & Elwood, R.W. 1997. Sexual dimorphism in northern temperate spiders: implications for the differential mortality model. Journal of Zoology, London, 243, 341-349.
Prenter, J., Montgomery, W.I. & Elwood, R.W. 1995. Multivariate morphometrics and sexual dimorphism in the orb-web spider Metellina segmentata (Clerck, 1757) (Araneae, Metidae). Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, 55, 345-354.
Prenter, J., Elwood, R.W. & Montgomery, W.I. 1994. Assessments and decisions in Metellina segmentata (Araneae: Metidae): evidence of a pheromone involved in mate guarding. Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology, 35, 39-43.
Prenter, J., Elwood, R.W. & Montgomery, W.I. 1994. Male exploitation of female predatory behaviour: cannibalism reduction in male autumn spiders, Metellina segmentata. Animal Behaviour, 47, 235-236.
Prenter, J., Elwood, R.W. & Colgan, S. 1994. The influence of prey size and female reproductive state on the courtship of the autumn spiders, Metellina segmentata: a field experiment. Animal Behaviour, 47, 449-456.
Prenter, J., Montgomery, W.I. & Elwood, R.W. 1994. Leg licking and grooming during assessment behaviour in Metellina segmentata. Newsletter of the British Arachnological Society, 71, 6.
Prenter, J., Montgomery, W.I. & Elwood, R.W. 1994. Patterns of mate guarding in Metellina segmentata (Araneae: Metidae). Bulletin of the British Arachnological Society, 9, 241-245.
Prenter, J., Elwood, R.W. & Montgomery, W.I. 1994. Alternative mating behaviour in Metellina segmentata (Clerck). Newsletter of the British Arachnological Society, 70, 10-11.
Prenter, J. & Elwood, R.W. 1992. The observer: software for behavioural research, version 2.0. Ethology, Ecology & Evolution, 4, 406-407. (Part of an invited softwaremultiple review, Ethology, Ecology & Evolution, 4, 401-416).
Manuscripts submitted
Elwood, R. W. & Prenter, J. Aggression in spiders. In: Animal Contests, Hardy, I.C.W. & Briffa, M. Eds. Cambridge University Press.
Prenter, J. & Taylor, P.W. Functional relations between locomotor performance traits in spiders: implications for evolutionary hypotheses. BMC Research Notes. Submitted February 2010.
Prenter, J. & Taylor, P.W. Locomotor performance on inclines in ground-dwelling and climbing spiders. Journal of Experimental Biology. Submitted March 2010.
McGinley, R.H., Prenter, J. & Taylor, P.W. Short and medium-term repeatability, morphology and performance in the brown tree jumping spider (Servea vestita). Journal of Experimental Biology. Submitted April 2010.
Pérez-Staples, D., Weldon, C.W., Radhakrishnan, P., Prenter, J. & Taylor, P.W.
Female roles in copula termination and sperm storage in a tephritid fly. Journal of Experimental Biology. Submitted April 2010.
Press coverage
Biological Sciences Review. 2006. Spiders: Sexual Cannibals.
Wild Tracks, BBC Radio Ulster, March 1998. Web-building in spiders.
Wild Tracks, BBC Radio Ulster, August 1995. Spider courtship and mating behaviour.
Discovery, October 1994 "I Am Not Lunch. I Am Your Mate" (pp17). A short article describing my research on mating behaviour in Metellina segmentata.
Various phone-ins and question sessions on spiders, BBC Radio Ulster.
Presentations (*Presentation given by JP)
Prenter, J., Pérez-Staples, D. & Taylor, P.W. “Citius, Altius”: Locomotor performance and sexual size dimorphism in spiders. ASSAB, Auckland, New Zealand, 2009.*
Prenter, J. & Elwood, R.W. Information gathering and decision-making during contests between male swordtails, Xiphophorus hellleri. IEC, Halifax, Canada, 2007.*
Prenter J. & Elwood, R.W. 2007 IDo male swordtails assess opponents or rely on intrinsic factors during contests?. ASSAB, Canberra, Australia 2007.*
Elwood, R. W. & Prenter, J. Assessment abilities during contests: are they as good as we think? IEC, Budapest, Hungary 2005.
Prenter, J. & Elwood, R.W. Do female amphipods (Gammarus pulex) assess rivals during contests over precopula females or base their decisions on self-assessed ability? ISBE, Jyvaskyla, Finland 2004.*
Prenter, J. “Sexual conflict at reproduction in spiders”. Institute of Irish Studies, Belfast, 2001.*
Prenter, J., Elwood, R.W. & Montgomery, W.I. "Assessments and decisions in mate guarding spiders". XIII IEC,Torremolinos, Spain1993. *
Prenter, J., Elwood, R.W. & Montgomery, W.I. “Come into my parlour...”: the mating system of the autumn spider, Meta segmentata. ASAB Summer Meeting, Stockholm, 1991. *
Prenter, J., Elwood, R.W. & Montgomery, W.I. Theft as an aid to courtship: mating decisions in the autumn spider, Meta segmentata. ASAB Easter Conference, Manchester, 1991. *
Poster presentations
Prenter, J., Soley-Guardia, F.A., Wignall, A.E. & Taylor, P.W. Assassin assignations: mating in the Australian assassin bug Stenolemus bituberus. ASSAB, Coffs Harbour, 2008.
Prenter, J., McNeil, C. & Briffa, M. Continued range expansion of the invading freshwater amphipod Gammarus pulex (L.) at the expense of the native G. duebeni celticus Stock & Pinkster in the River Lagan"). Environmental Showcase, Belfast, 2001.
Prenter, J., Elwood, R.W. & Montgomery, W.I. Fitness consequences of large size in an orb-web spider. Irish Studies, Research Series, Belfast, 2001.
Prenter, J. Sexual dimorphism in autumn spiders Metellina segmentata (Tetragnathidae). Environmental Showcase, Belfast, 2001.
Prenter, J. Sexual cannibalism in Metellina segmentata. Irish. Studies, Research Series, Belfast, 2001
Prenter, J., Elwood, R.W. & Montgomery, W.I. Assessments and decisions in mate-guarding spiders, Metellina segmentata. ASAB Easter Conference, Edinburgh 1993.
Prenter, J., Elwood, R.W. & Montgomery, W.I. Cannibalism reduction by courting male spiders. IV IBEC, Princeton, USA 1992.
Prenter, J., Elwood, R.W. & Montgomery, W.I. Cannibalism reduction in courting male autumn spiders. ASAB Easter Conference Sheffield, 1992.
Prenter, J., Elwood, R.W. & Montgomery, W.I. Theft as an aid to courtship: reproductive tactics in the autumn spider, Meta segmentata. ASAB Summer Conference, 1990.
Reviewing
Provided reviews for manuscripts submitted to:
Animal Behaviour, Behavioral Ecology, Behavioral Ecology & Sociobiology, Behaviour, Proceedings of the Royal Society (Lond.) B., Oikos, Journal of Zoology, Canadian Journal of Zoology, Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society, Ethology, Journal of Arachnology
Referees
Recommendations may be obtained from the following persons:
A/Prof. P.W. Taylor. Department of Brain, Behaviour & Evolution, Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia. Tel. +61 (0)2 9850 1311, Fax +61 (0)2 9850 4299.
E-mail: phil.taylor@mq.edu.au
Prof. R.W. Elwood. School of Biological and Food Sciences, Queen's University Belfast, Medical Biology Centre, 97 Lisburn Road, Belfast BT9 7BL, N. Ireland, UK. Tel. +44 (0)2890972283, Fax +44 (0)28 9097 5877.
E-mail: r.elwood@qub.ac.uk
Dr. M. Briffa. Marine Biology & Ecology Research Group, School of Biological Sciences, University of Plymouth, Drake Circus, Plymouth PL4 8AA, UK.
Tel. +44 (0)1752 232954, Fax +44 (0)1752 584605.
E-mail: mark.briffa@plymouth.ac.uk