缅北禁地

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Staff Profile

Dr John Skelhorn

Senior Lecturer

  • Email: john.skelhorn@ncl.ac.uk
  • Telephone: +44 (0) 191 208 5142
  • Address: Centre for Behaviour and Evolution
    Biosciences Institute
    Faculty of Medical Sciences
    缅北禁地
    Henry Wellcome Building
    Framlington Place,
    NE2 4HH
Background

Introduction

I studied Zoology at the University of Nottingham, and then went on to do a PhD on animal cognition at 缅北禁地. After two post-doctoral positions and a Lloyds Tercentenary Foundation Fellowship, I took up a lectureship in Animal Behaviour at the University of Exeter. I then returned to 缅北禁地 in 2013 as a Lecturer in Animal Cognition. In 2012 I was given the Christopher Barnard Award for Outstanding Contributions by a New Investigator by the Association for the Study of Animal Behaviour.

Area of expertise

The role of animal cognition in the evolution of prey defences

SCOPUS:

Research

My Research

The overarching theme of my research is how the sensory and cognitive processes of predators influence the evolution of their prey. My main questions are: how do predators decide what to eat when faced with a number of different prey types? What is the adaptive value of this behaviour? And how does this behaviour influence the evolution of prey defences? My work can be divided into two main areas: how predaor psychology influences the evolution of (1) defended prey; and (2) masquerading prey.

Predator psychology and the evolution of defended prey
Many toxic prey species advertise their chemical defences to potential predators using conspicuous aposematic colouration. My work investigates how predator psychology influences the evolution of preys’ chemical defences and their chemical and visual signals. I take a holistic approach to avian cognition, using tightly controlled laboratory experiments to investigate how birds perceive both taste and toxicity, how defence chemicals influence aversion learning, and how educated birds use information about prey quality to make strategic-decisions about when to eat toxic prey.

Predator psychology and the evolution of masquerade
Masquerading prey appear to mimic the visual appearance of inanimate objects such as twigs, leaves, stones and bird droppings. My research in this area aims: to understand both the evolutionary function, and the evolutionary dynamics of masquerade; to demonstrate that prey show behavioural adaptations that enhance the efficacy of masquerade; and to understand predators’ decisions to attack masquerading prey in an optimal foraging context.

Publications

  • Articles

    • Penacchio O, Halpin CG, Cuthill IC, Lovell PG, Wheelwright M, Skelhorn J, Rowe C, Harris JM. . Methods in Ecology and Evolution 2024, 15(1), 103-116.
    • Sherratt TN, Dewan I, Skelhorn J. . Behavioral Ecology 2023, 34(5), 840–849.
    • Rowland HM, Saccheri IJ, Skelhorn J. . Current Biology 2022, 32(10), R447-R448.
    • Skelhorn J, Rowland HM. . Frontiers in Ecology & Evolution 2022, 10, 951967.
    • Troscianko J, Nokelainen O, Skelhorn J, Stevens M. . Communications Biology 2021, 4, 287.
    • Heyworth HC, Skelhorn J, Rowland HM. . Current Biology 2021, 31(21), R1403–R1423.
    • Rowland HM, Burriss RP, Skelhorn J. . Scientific Reports 2020, 10, 21654.
    • Halpin CG, Penacchio O, Lovell PG, Cuthill IC, Harris JM, Skelhorn J, Rowe C. . Scientific Reports 2020, 10, 9246 (2020).
    • Holmes GG, Delferriere E, Rowe C, Troscianko J, Skelhorn J. . Scientific Reports 2018, 8, 10737.
    • Skelhorn J. . Current Biology 2018, 28(14), R780-R781.
    • Troscianko J, Skelhorn J, Stevens M. . Proceedings of the Royal Society Series B 2018, 285, 20181386.
    • Skelhorn J. . Current Biology 2018, 28(19), R1135–R1136.
    • Halpin CG, Skelhorn J, Rowe C, Ruxton GD, Higginson AD. . PLoS One 2017, 12(1), e0169043.
    • Troscianko J, Skelhorn J, Stevens M. . BMC Evolutionary Biology 2017, 17(7).
    • Skelhorn J, Holmes GG, Hossie TJ, Sherratt TN. . Behavioral Ecology 2016, 27(1), 141-147.
    • Skelhorn J. . Behavioral Ecology 2016, 27(3), 725-730.
    • Hossie TJ, Skelhorn J, Breinholt JW, Kawahara AY, Sherratt TN. . Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America 2015, 112(21), 6664-6669.
    • Skelhorn J, Ruxton GD. . Evolutionary Ecology 2014, 28(3), 441-455.
    • Skelhorn J, Dorrington G, Hossie TJ, Sherratt TN. . Behavioral Ecology 2014, 25(6), 1417-1422.
    • Halpin CG, Skelhorn J, Rowe C. . Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences 2014, 281(1781), 20133255.
    • Skelhorn J, Ruxton GD. Size-dependent microhabitat selection by masquerading prey. Behavioral Ecology 2013, 24(1), 89–97.
    • Halpin CG, Skelhorn J, Rowe C. . Animal Behaviour 2013, 85(6), 1315-1321.
    • Rowland HM, Ruxton GD, Skelhorn J. . Behavioral Ecology 2013, 24(4), 942–948.
    • Halpin CG, Skelhorn J, Rowe C. . PLoS One 2012, 7(9), e44895.
    • Barnett CA, Skelhorn J, Bateson M, Rowe C. . Behavioral Ecology 2012, 23(2), 418-424.
    • Skelhorn J, Ruxton GD. . Behavioral Ecology 2011, 22(1), 60-65.
    • Skelhorn J, Rowland HM, Delf J, Speed MP, Ruxton GD. . Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 2011, 108(16), 6532-6536.
    • Skelhorn J, Ruxton GD. Context-dependent misclassification of masquerading prey. Evolutionary Ecology 2011, 25(4), 751–761.
    • Skelhorn J. . Animal Behaviour 2011, 81(4), 825-829.
    • Higginson AD, Ruxton GD, Skelhorn J. The impact of flower-dwelling predators on host plant reproductive success. Oecologia 2010, 164(2), 411-421.
    • Skelhorn J, Rowland HM, Ruxton GD. The evolution and ecology of masquerade. Biological Journal of the Linnean Society 2010, 99(1), 1-8.
    • Skelhorn J, Rowland HM, Speed MP, DeWert L, Quinn L, Delf J, Ruxton GD. Size-dependent misclassification of masquerading prey. Behavioral Ecology 2010, 21(6), 1344–1348.
    • Skelhorn J, Ruxton GD. . Biology Letters 2010, 6(5), 597-599.
    • Skelhorn J, Rowland HM, Speed MP, Ruxton GD. . Science 2010, 327(5961), 51.
    • Skelhorn J, Rowe C. . Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences 2010, 277(1688), 1729-1734.
    • Skelhorn J, Rowe C. . Animal Behaviour 2009, 78(3), 761-766.
    • Halpin CG, Skelhorn J, Rowe C. . Animal Behaviour 2008, 75(3), 771-781.
    • Skelhorn J, Ruxton GD. . Behavioral Ecology 2008, 19(1), 146-153.
    • Skelhorn J, Griksaitis D, Rowe C. . Animal Behaviour 2008, 75(3), 827-835.
    • Halpin CG, Skelhorn J, Rowe C. . Behavioral Ecology 2008, 19(5), 1012-1017.
    • Skelhorn J, Rowe C. . Current Biology 2007, 17(17), 1479-1483.
    • Skelhorn J, Rowe C. . Animal Behaviour 2007, 74(5), 1563-1572.
    • Skelhorn J, Rowe C. . Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology 2006, 60(4), 550-555.
    • Skelhorn J, Rowe C. . Animal Behaviour 2006, 71(5), 1111-1118.
    • Skelhorn J, Rowe C. . Animal Behaviour 2006, 72(4), 827-834.
    • Skelhorn J, Rowe C. . Behavioral Ecology 2006, 17(6), 947-951.
    • Skelhorn J, Rowe C. . Biology Letters 2006, 2(3), 348-350.
    • Skelhorn J, Ruxton GD. . Biology Letters 2006, 2(4), 488-490.
    • Skelhorn J, Rowe C. . Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences 2005, 272(1560), 339-345.
    • Skelhorn J, Rowe C. . Biology Letters 2005, 1(4), 500-503.
    • Rowe C, Skelhorn J. . Animal Behaviour 2005, 69(3), 587-594.
    • Rowe C, Skelhorn J. Colour biases are a question of taste. Animal Behaviour 2005, 69, 587-594.

  • Editorials

    • Skelhorn J. . Current Biology 2019, 29(17), R822-R823.
    • Skelhorn J, Halpin CG, Rowe C. . Behavioral Ecology 2016, 27(4), 968-968.
    • Skelhorn J, Holmes GG, Hossie TJ, Sherratt TN. . Current Biology 2016, 26(2), R52-R54.
    • Skelhorn J, Holmes GG, Rowe C. . Animal Behaviour 2016, 113, e1-e3.
    • Skelhorn J. . Current Biology 2015, 25(15), R643-R644.

  • Reviews

    • Kikuchi DW, Allen WL, Arbuckle K, Aubier TG, Briolat ES, Burdfield-Steel ER, Cheney KL, Dankova K, Elias M, Hamalainen L, Herberstein ME, Hossie TJ, Joron M, Kunte K, Leavell BC, Lindstedt C, Lorioux-Chevalier U, McClure M, McLellan CF, Medina I, Nawge V, Paez E, Pal A, Pekar S, Penacchio O, Raska J, Reader T, Rojas B, Ronka KH, Rossler DC, Rowe C, Rowland HM, Roy A, Schaal KA, Sherratt TN, Skelhorn J, Smart HR, Stankowich T, Stefan AM, Summers K, Taylor CH, Thorogood R, Umbers K, Winters AE, Yeager J, Exnerova A. . Journal of Evolutionary Biology 2023, 36(7), 975-991.
    • Drinkwater E, Allen WL, Endler JA, Hanlon RT, Holmes G, Homziak NT, Kang C, Leavell BC, Lehtonen J, Loeffler-Henry K, Ratcliffe JM, Rowe C, Ruxton GD, Sherratt TN, Skelhorn J, Skojec C, Smart HR, White TE, Yack JE, Young CM, Umbers KDL. . Biological Reviews 2022, 97(6), 2237-2267.
    • Cuthill IC, Allen WL, Arbuckle K, Caspers B, Chaplin G, Hauber ME, Hill GE, Jablonski NG, Jiggins CD, Kelber A, Mappes J, Marshall J, Merrill R, Osorio D, Prum R, Roberts NW, Roulin A, Rowland HM, Sherratt TN, Skelhorn J, Speed MP, Stevens M, Stoddard MC. . Science 2017, 357(6350), eaan0221.
    • Skelhorn J, Halpin CG, Rowe C. . Behavioral Ecology 2016, 27(4), 955-964.
    • Skelhorn J, Rowe C. . Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences 2016, 283(1825).
    • Rowe C, Skelhorn J. . Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences 2004, 271(1547), 1435-1442.