Predation: Behavioral Ecology

Predators vs Prey

Paper for discussion

Huveneers, Charlie, Holman, Dirk, Robbins, Rachel, Fox, Andrew, Endler, John A. and Taylor, Alex H. 2015, White sharks exploit the sun during predatory approaches, American naturalist, vol. 185, no. 4, pp. 562‐570.

Questions to consider

    • What are the difficulties faced by predators searching for and attacking prey in the open ocean?

    • What are possible ways in which the predators can make themselves harder to see?

    • What are the tactics used by sharks to make it easier to see their prey?

    • How does this differ from predators who hunt fish in waters along the shore? (hint: where the light environment is different, where there is more physical structure)

    • What can we learn about evolution by watching how predators hunt?

Background

Hunt, J., N. Bacheler, E. Videan, D. Wilson, C. Annett. 2002. Enhancing largemouth bass spawning: behavioral and habitat considerations. Pages 277-290 In: Philipp, D.P.

and M.S. Ridgway, eds. Proceedings of the Black Bass 2000 Symposium: Conservation, Ecology and Management of Black Basses. American Fisheries Society,

Bethesda, MD.

Hunt, J. and C.A. Annett. 2002. Effects of Habitat Manipulation on Reproductive Success of Individual Largemouth Bass in an Ozark Reservoir. North American Journal of

Fisheries Management 22:1201-1208.

Annett, and G. Siegwarth. 2000. Ozark bass spawning ecology. American Midland Naturalist 144:423-427.

Timmerman, C., C.A. Annett, and C. Bailey. 2000. Morphometrics of the feeding apparatus of juvenile largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides). Transactions of the American

Fisheries Society 129:618-622.

Annett, C.A., R. Pierotti, and J.R. Baylis. 1999. Male and female parental roles in a biparental cichlid, Tilapia mariae. Environmental Biology of Fishes 54:283-293.

Annett, C.A. 1999. Book review: Sex, color, and mate choice in guppies, by Anne E. Houde. Animal Behaviour 56:1302.

Annett, C.A. 1998. Hunting behavior of Florida largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides floridanus) in a channelized river. Environmental Biology of Fishes 53:75-87.

Annett, C.A., J. Hunt, and E.D. Dibble. 1996. The Compleat Bass: Habitat requirements for all life stages of largemouth bass. American Fisheries Society Symposium 16:306-314.

Stewart, D.W. and C.A. Annett. 1991. Dynamic Modeling in Behavioral Ecology. Condor 93:789-90.

Dickman, M., C.A. Annett, and G.W. Barlow. 1990. Unsuspected cryptic polymorphism in the poly-chromatic Midas Cichlid. Journal of the Linnean Society (London) 39:239-249.

Annett, C.A. 1989. Foraging Theory. Condor 91:222-223.

Annett, C.A. 1989. Differential predation on colour morphs of the Midas cichlid, Cichlasoma citrinellum. Animal Behaviour 37:935-942.