Contact
Biography
Qualifications:
2009. PhD in Animal Behaviour, University of Plymouth. "Physiological and whole-body correlates of contest behaviour in the hermit crab Pagurus bernhardus"
2005. BSc (Hons) Marine Biology and Coastal Ecology, First class, University of Plymouth
Positions:
June 2011 - Present. Anne McLaren Research Fellow, University of Nottingham
Dec 2010. Research Assistant, University of Plymouth
2009 - 2010. RCUK Academic Research Fellow (maternity cover), University of Plymouth
Jan - Oct 2009. Research Assistant, University of Plymouth
2005 - 2009. Part-time demonstrator, University of Plymouth
Research Summary
My current research involves using techniques developed to experimentally test contest theory to address important gaps in courtship. In particular, what do the behavioural displays performed by… read more
Recent Publications
Invited seminars:
9th November 2011. School of Animal, Rural and Environmental Sciences, Nottingham Trent University, UK
8th November 2011. School of Biological Sciences, Queen's University Belfast, UK
31st October 2011. Department of Biological Sciences, University of Lincoln, UK
25th October 2010. School of Biological Sciences, The University of Sydney, Australia
24th September 2010. The School of Natural Sciences, Edith Cowan University, Perth, Australia
Selected conference presentations:
Mowles, SL, Linforth, RST, Hardy, ICW. 2012. Chemical warfare in the battle of the sexes: the use of an 'anti-aphrodisiac' to deter unwanted males in parasitoid wasps. ASAB Easter conference. Aberystwyth University, UK.
Mowles, SL, Cotton, PA & Briffa, M. 2011. Consistent behavioural syndromes reveal complex animal personalities in hermit crabs. Behavior: Joint meeting of the Animal Behaviour Society and the International Ethological Conference, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana, USA.
Mowles, SL, Cotton, PA & Briffa, M. 2010. Personality or performance? Behavioural syndromes, aerobic capacity and fighting ability in hermit crabs. ISBE: 13th International Behavioural Ecology Congress, Perth, Western Australia.
Mowles, SL, Cotton, PA & Briffa, M. 2010. The strength and stamina of winners. Strength, stamina and fighting ability in hermit crabs. ASAB Easter conference, Exeter, UK.
Mowles, SL, Cotton, PA & Briffa, M. 2009. Aerobic capacity and fighting ability in the hermit crab Pagurus bernhardus. IEC: The 31st International Ethological Conference, Rennes, France.
Mowles, SL, Cotton, PA & Briffa, M. 2008. Effects of respiratory pigment and whole body performance capacity on agonistic signals in the hermit crab Pagurus bernhardus. ISBE: 12th International Behavioural Ecology Congress, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, USA.
Mowles, SL, Cotton, PA, Briffa, M. & Spicer, JI. 2007. Champions how their mettle! Seasonal effects of metal ions on contest behaviour in the hermit crab Pagurus bernhardus. AND The effect of respiratory pigment on shell fighting in the hermit crab Pagurus bernhardus. IEC: The 30th International Ethological Conference, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada.
Mowles, SL, Cotton, PA, Briffa, M. & Spicer, JI. 2007. The role of circulating metal ions during contest behaviour in hermit crabs. ASAB Easter conference. University of Exeter, Falmouth, UK.
Media coverage:
My research has been covered by the media in several countries including the UK (New Scientist TV, Science Magazine News, BBC Radio Wales, This is Devon), Germany (focus.de, sueddeutsche.de), Austria (science.orf) and Iran (Iran Daily).
Current Research
My current research involves using techniques developed to experimentally test contest theory to address important gaps in courtship. In particular, what do the behavioural displays performed by courting males advertise to courted females, and how do females use this information to choose among males? I am currently using chemical signals in parasitoid wasps and acoustic signals in field crickets to address these questions.
Parasitoid wasps repeatedly produce emissions of pheromones during courtship interactions. By utilising Atmospheric Pressure Chemical Ionization Mass Spectrometry (APCI-MS for short!), the use of chemical signals can be tracked in real-time alongside the visible courtship behaviours. Parasitoids are tiny (~2mm long), so the relatively enormous (~30mm long) field crickets present an excellent system to address the physiological and whole-body correlates that ensure the honesty of courtship displays.
Past Research
My previous research has focussed on contest behaviour and aggressive signalling, using hermit crab shell fights as a model system. The very real risk of injury or death during animal contests has led to the evolution of signals that can demonstrate fighting ability, and thereby allow opponents to assess each other's quality while avoiding protracted and potentially dangerous encounters.
European hermit crabs (Pagurus bernhardus) fight over the ownership of the marine snail shells that protect their naked abdomens. When attempting to take the shell from a defending individual, the attacking crab performs a repeated behaviour termed shell-rapping where it hits its own shell repeatedly against that of the defender. The fight ends once the defender allows itself to be evicted, or once the attacker gives up without evicting the defender. I researched the factors that trigger these decisions, using measures of aerobic and performance capacities to ascertain what makes shell-rapping an honest indicator of attacker quality.