Prey movement, size, and glossiness interact to impact praying mantid attack behaviours

When moving, animals are vulnerable to predation because movement can rapidly attract the attention of a predator. To reduce the risk of predation while moving, animals can use a variety of different strategies (e.g., erratic movement, colouration). These strategies often work in combination or may be influenced by other prey characteristics (e.g., size), but few studies have explored these interactions. Here, we investigate how movement trajectory (linear or erratic), prey size (small or large), and prey colouration (glossy or matte) interact to impact attack behaviour of giant rainforest mantids (Hierodula majuscula). We presented mantids with 3D animations of moving targets and filmed their response with a high-speed camera. As expected, mantids were more likely to track large than small targets and targets moving linearly than erratically. Counterintuitively, however, mantids were quicker to strike at erratically moving targets, perhaps because they more closely resembled preferred ..., , # **Data from: Prey movement, size, and glossiness interact to impact praying mantid attack behaviours**

### Yvonne Wang^1^, Devi Stuart-Fox^1^, Amanda M. Franklin^1,2^

*Affiliations*:

^1^ School of BioSciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Vic., Australia

^2^ Department of Ecological, Plant and Animal Sciences, La Trobe University, Bundoora, Vic. Australia

*Correspondence*:

Amanda Franklin. email: [[e-mail]](mailto:[e-mail])

##### **ABSTRACT**

Animals can use a variety of different strategies (e.g. erratic movement, colouration) to reduce the risk of predation. These strategies often work in combination or may be influenced by other prey characteristics (e.g., size). Here, we investigate how movement trajectory (linear or erratic), prey size (small or large) and prey colouration (glossy or matte) interact to impact attack behaviour of giant rainforest mantids (*Hierodula majuscula*). We presented mantids with animations of moving tar...,