By Mindy Weisberger, Senior
Writer | November 11, 2017 08:50am ET
Some male animals are known for
busting a move in elaborate mating dances to woo prospective mates. But some
crab males perform a special dance for the males they've just defeated in
combat, to discourage them from coming back for more, according to a new study.
Scientists had previously observed
that after two male crabs tussled over a female, the victor would perform a
type of "dance move" directed toward the defeated male, rather than
toward the female. They suspected the motion was meant intimidate the crab that
had lost the fight, but they did not know for sure.
Recently, researchers put that
idea to the test with observations of Perisesarma eumolpe, a colorful type
of mangrove crab native to southeast Asia. They analyzed how rivals responded
to dances, and noted that when a victorious crab performed a taunting strut,
the loser was more likely to slink away in defeat. [Strange Love: 10 Animals with Truly Weird Courtship
Rituals]
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