Modification of footdrumming signatures by kangaroo rats: changing territories and gaining new neighbours

Author: Randall J.A.  

Publisher: Elsevier

ISSN: 0003-3472

Source: Animal Behaviour, Vol.49, Iss.5, 1995-05, pp. : 1227-1237

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Abstract

The banner-tailed kangaroo rat, Dipodomys spectabilis , advertises its territorial ownership with individual footdrumming signatures used in neighbour recognition. The aim of this study was to examine how social experience influences development of the footdrumming signatures of newly dispersed juveniles and older adults. Over 5000 footdrumming signatures were recorded and analysed for 101 different animals over a 7-year period from 1986 to 1992 in which population densities fluctuated. Duuring these years, the footdrumming signatures of individuals differed in structure within neighbourhoods, but those of non-neighbours overlapped when population densities were high. In general, the footdrumming signatures of juveniles varied more than adults, but both juveniles and adults changed elements of the signal if they changed territories, which occurred more frequently at higher population densities. Kangaroo rats, therefore, can modify their footdrumming signatures over their lifetime in response to changes in the social environment. The rat that moves into a new neighbourhood adjusts its footdrumming signal to differ from its new neighbours.