Sullivan-Beckers Lab

We are exploring how female aggression can act as a selective force on the evolution of male cognitive abilities, such as attention and decision-making. Male wolf spiders are in a precarious position as they approach a potentially-cannibalistic female for mating. Males must pay attention to any feedback from the female and correctly judge whether or not he should continue his courtship display and approach the female.

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We investigate this hypothesis in a number of  wolf spiders species that vary in female aggression (see below).