Turbidity affects stomatopod contest behaviours and response to UV cues

Abstract

Environmental conditions change the effectiveness of animal signals by affecting the contrast between the signal and the background. In aquatic environments, fluctuations in water clarity likely drive the evolution of signalling systems by affecting signal conspicuousness. However, the effects of turbidity on signalling in many aquatic organisms remain largely unstudied. Stomatopods (mantis shrimp) are marine crustaceans known to use chromatic and achromatic signals during territorial contests over refuges. Here, we investigate how turbidity affects Neogonodactylus oerstedii contest behaviours and response to visual cues. We manipulated water clarity by adding bentonite clay, and altered vis..