Games among cannibals: competition to cannibalize and parent-offspring conflict lead to increased sibling cannibalism.

Sibling cannibalism occurs in many species, yet understanding of sibling cannibalism as an adaptation currently lags behind understanding of other antagonistic interactions among siblings. Observed sibling cannibalism phenotypes likely reflect the interaction between competitive games among siblings...

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Main Authors: Perry, J, Roitberg, B
Format: Journal article
Language:English
Published: 2005
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author Perry, J
Roitberg, B
author_facet Perry, J
Roitberg, B
author_sort Perry, J
collection OXFORD
description Sibling cannibalism occurs in many species, yet understanding of sibling cannibalism as an adaptation currently lags behind understanding of other antagonistic interactions among siblings. Observed sibling cannibalism phenotypes likely reflect the interaction between competitive games among siblings and parent-offspring conflict. Using a game-theoretic approach, we derive optimal offspring cannibalism behaviour and parental modifiers that limit or facilitate cannibalism. The results are compared to contemporary frequency-independent analysis. With the addition of game interactions among siblings or parent-offspring co-evolution, our model predicts increased cannibalism (compared to the frequency-independent prediction), as offspring compete to eat siblings. When infertile eggs are present--strengthening competition--offspring risk eating viable siblings in order to gain access to infertile eggs, intensifying parent-offspring conflict. We use the results to make new predictions about the occurrence of sibling cannibalism. Additionally, we demonstrate the utility of trophic egg laying as a maternal mechanism to promote egg eating.
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spelling oxford-uuid:eda1ecd2-7b1f-4860-b7dc-897b8f243f282022-03-27T11:26:40ZGames among cannibals: competition to cannibalize and parent-offspring conflict lead to increased sibling cannibalism.Journal articlehttp://purl.org/coar/resource_type/c_dcae04bcuuid:eda1ecd2-7b1f-4860-b7dc-897b8f243f28EnglishSymplectic Elements at Oxford2005Perry, JRoitberg, BSibling cannibalism occurs in many species, yet understanding of sibling cannibalism as an adaptation currently lags behind understanding of other antagonistic interactions among siblings. Observed sibling cannibalism phenotypes likely reflect the interaction between competitive games among siblings and parent-offspring conflict. Using a game-theoretic approach, we derive optimal offspring cannibalism behaviour and parental modifiers that limit or facilitate cannibalism. The results are compared to contemporary frequency-independent analysis. With the addition of game interactions among siblings or parent-offspring co-evolution, our model predicts increased cannibalism (compared to the frequency-independent prediction), as offspring compete to eat siblings. When infertile eggs are present--strengthening competition--offspring risk eating viable siblings in order to gain access to infertile eggs, intensifying parent-offspring conflict. We use the results to make new predictions about the occurrence of sibling cannibalism. Additionally, we demonstrate the utility of trophic egg laying as a maternal mechanism to promote egg eating.
spellingShingle Perry, J
Roitberg, B
Games among cannibals: competition to cannibalize and parent-offspring conflict lead to increased sibling cannibalism.
title Games among cannibals: competition to cannibalize and parent-offspring conflict lead to increased sibling cannibalism.
title_full Games among cannibals: competition to cannibalize and parent-offspring conflict lead to increased sibling cannibalism.
title_fullStr Games among cannibals: competition to cannibalize and parent-offspring conflict lead to increased sibling cannibalism.
title_full_unstemmed Games among cannibals: competition to cannibalize and parent-offspring conflict lead to increased sibling cannibalism.
title_short Games among cannibals: competition to cannibalize and parent-offspring conflict lead to increased sibling cannibalism.
title_sort games among cannibals competition to cannibalize and parent offspring conflict lead to increased sibling cannibalism
work_keys_str_mv AT perryj gamesamongcannibalscompetitiontocannibalizeandparentoffspringconflictleadtoincreasedsiblingcannibalism
AT roitbergb gamesamongcannibalscompetitiontocannibalizeandparentoffspringconflictleadtoincreasedsiblingcannibalism