Tracing the battle: Role of mucus trails in information warfare between predator snail and prey limpet
Data files
Feb 28, 2026 version files 60.20 KB
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Data_JAE_250926y.w.xlsx
57.49 KB
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README.md
2.71 KB
Abstract
Predator-prey interactions have long been recognized as important selective forces in the evolution and maintenance of multiple traits in both predators and prey. Certain animal species leave information intentionally or unintentionally, in the form of urine, feces, feeding traces, and chemical trails, even after they have moved. This residual information, left behind by animals, has the potential to affect predation efficiency. However, information warfare—the use of information between predator and prey, in which predators exploit prey cues to increase predation efficiency, while prey exploit predator cues to reduce it—remains largely unexplored, especially in the context of residual information. Marine gastropods leave a mucus trail that contains individual information as they crawl. In this study, we investigated the existence of information warfare between the predator snail Reishia clavigera and the prey limpet Siphonaria sirius through mucus trails. We observed the responses of predators and prey to their respective mucus trails under laboratory conditions. The predators followed the prey’s mucus trails. In contrast, the prey exhibited movements, such as looping, upon confrontation with the predator’s mucus trails. The looping behavior reduced the probability of the predator reaching the endpoint of the prey’s mucus trail. These results suggest a potential strategy whereby predators exploit prey mucus trails for localization, along with a counter-strategy through which prey minimize the risk of detection. Our findings provide novel insights into how information shapes predator-prey interactions, indicating the potential existence of an information-induced arms race.
Description of the data and file structure
The raw data in Data_JAE_250926y.w.xlsx consist of predator snail and prey limpet trajectories collected in two laboratory experiments. Four datasets are included:
Data 1: distance, displacement, looping, and heading change in Experiment 1
Data 2: probability of reaching producer endpoints in Experiment 1
Data 3: distance, displacement, looping, and heading change in Experiments 1 and 2
Data 4: probability of reaching producer endpoints in Experiments 1 and 2
Data 1 variables
date: date of data collection
ID: experiment ID on that date
col_date: date animals were collected
sp.provider: species of the producer (Predator snail or Prey limpet)
sp.user: species of the responder (Predator snail or Prey limpet)
Role: role of the individual (Provider = producer, User = responder)
Actual.distance: accumulated distance traveled along the trajectory (mm)
Direct.distance: straight-line distance between start and endpoint (displacement, mm)
tdegreeRotation: number of loops
sumdegree: total degree of heading change
Data 2 variables
date: date of data collection
ID: experiment ID on that date
sp.provider: species of the producer (Predator snail or Prey limpet)
sp.user: species of the responder (Predator snail or Prey limpet)
reached: responder reached endpoint of producer trail; 1 = reaced, 0 = not reached
Data 3 variables
Group: role of the prey limpet individual; Exp1.provider = producer in Experiment 1, Exp1.user = responder in Experiment 1, Exp2.provider = producer in Experiment 2
Actual.distance: accumulated distance traveled along the trajectory (mm)
Direct.distance: straight-line distance between start and endpoint (displacement, mm)
tdegreeRotation: number of loops
sumdegree: total degree of heading change
Data 4 variables
sp.provider: species of the producer (Predator snail or Prey limpet)
sp.user: species of the responder (Predator snail or Prey limpet)
Actual.distance.provider: accumulated distance traveled along the trajectory of producer (mm)
Direct.distance.provider: straight-line distance between start and endpoint of producer (displacement, mm)
provider.tdegreeRotation: number of loops of producer
provider.sumdegree: total degree of heading change of the producer
Exp: experiment; Exp1 = Experiment 1, Exp2 = Experiment 2
reached: responder reached endpoint of producer trail; 1 = reaced, 0 = not reached
Sharing/Access information
Users are advised to contact the corresponding author if they require additional guidance.
Code/Software
No code and software are included.