Squid Mating Tactics Predetermined by Birth Date, Study Finds
Research reveals that the birth date of male spear squids determines whether they will employ 'sneaker' or 'consort' mating tactics throughout their lives.
- A new study shows male spear squids' mating tactics are fixed from birth, with early hatches becoming aggressive 'consorts' and later hatches turning into clandestine 'sneakers'.
- Researchers observed over 350 squids to confirm that birth timing affects mating strategies, a hypothesis previously seen only in fish.
- Statolith analysis used to determine squid ages suggests environmental conditions at birth influence their growth and mating tactics.
- The study, published in the Proceedings of the Royal Society B, could have implications for understanding how climate change affects marine life.
- This discovery broadens the 'birth date hypothesis' to include aquatic invertebrates, potentially impacting marine resource management.
The Jerusalem Post 
ScienceAlert 