Research/Scholarly/Creative Works

Journal Articles

• Nelson XJ., Taylor AH., Cartmill EA., Lyn H., Robinson LM., Janik V. and Allen C. (2023) Joyful by nature: approaches to investigate the evolution and function of joy in non-human animals. Biological Reviews http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/brv.12965.

• Aguilar-Arguello S., Taylor AH. and Nelson XJ. (2022) Jumping spiders do not seem fooled by texture gradient illusions. Behavioural Processes 196 http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.beproc.2022.104603.

• Bastos AP., Nelson XJ. and Taylor AH. (2022) From the lab to the wild: how can captive studies aid the conservation of kea (Nestor notabilis)? Current Opinion in Behavioral Sciences 45 http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.cobeha.2022.101131.

• Bedoya CL., Nelson XJ., Brockerhoff EG., Pawson S. and Hayes M. (2022) Experimental characterization and automatic identification of stridulatory sounds inside wood. Royal Society Open Science 9(7) http://dx.doi.org/10.1098/rsos.220217.

• McLean LRW., Nichols MM., Taylor AH. and Nelson XJ. (2022) Memory retention of conditioned aversion training in New Zealand's alpine parrot, the kea. Journal of Wildlife Management 86(5) http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/jwmg.22221.

• Aguilar-Arguello S. and Nelson XJ. (2021) Jumping spiders: An exceptional group for comparative cognition studies. Learning and Behavior 49(3): 276-291. http://dx.doi.org/10.3758/s13420-020-00445-2.

• Aguilar-Arguello S., Taylor AH. and Nelson XJ. (2021) Jumping spiders attend to information from multiple modalities when preparing to jump. Animal Behaviour 171: 99-109. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.anbehav.2020.11.013.

• Bedoya C., Nelson X., Brockerhoff E., Pawson S. and Hayes M. (2021) Experimental characterization and automatic identification of stridulatory sounds inside wood. http://dx.doi.org/10.1101/2021.09.08.459381.

• Bedoya CL., Hofstetter RW., Nelson XJ., Hayes M., Miller DR. and Brockerhoff EG. (2021) Sound production in bark and ambrosia beetles. Bioacoustics 30(1): 58-73. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/09524622.2019.1686424.

• Cerveira AM., Nelson XJ. and Jackson RR. (2021) Spatial acuity-sensitivity trade-off in the principal eyes of a jumping spider: possible adaptations to a ‘blended’ lifestyle. Journal of Comparative Physiology A: Neuroethology, Sensory, Neural, and Behavioral Physiology 207(3): 437-448. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00359-021-01486-2.

• Nelson XJ., Aguilar-Arguello S. and Jackson RR. (2021) Correction to: Widespread army ant aversion among East African jumping spiders (Salticidae) (Journal of Ethology, (2020), 38, 2, (185-194), 10.1007/s10164-020-00639-1). Journal of Ethology 39(1): 151. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10164-020-00686-8.

• Nelson XJ., Pratt AJ., Aluoch SA. and Jackson RR. (2021) Effects of phytochemicals on predatory decision making in a spider. Animal Behaviour 177: 69-80. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.anbehav.2021.04.022.

• Aguilar-Arguello S., Gerhard D. and Nelson XJ. (2020) Distance assessment of detours by jumping spiders. Current Zoology 66(3): 263-273. http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/cz/zoz044.

• Bedoya C., Brockerhoff E., Hayes M., Leskey T., Morrison W., Rice K. and Nelson X. (2020) Brown marmorated stink bug overwintering aggregations are not regulated through vibrational signals during autumn dispersal. Royal Society Open Science http://dx.doi.org/10.1098/rsos.201371.

• Nelson X., Aguilar-Argüello S. and Jackson R. (2020) Widespread army ant aversion among East African jumping spiders (Salticidae). Journal of Ethology 38: 185-194. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10164-020-00639-1.

• Aguilar-Argüello S., Gerhard D. and Nelson XJ. (2019) Risk assessment and the use of novel shortcuts in spatial detouring tasks in jumping spiders. Behavioral Ecology 30(5): 1488-1498. http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/beheco/arz105.

• Bedoya CL., Brockerhoff EG., Hayes M., Pawson SM., Najar-Rodriguez A. and Nelson XJ. (2019) Acoustic communication of the red-haired bark beetle Hylurgus ligniperda. Physiological Entomology 44(3-4): 252-265. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/phen.12301.

• Bedoya CL., Nelson XJ., Hayes M., Hofstetter RW., Atkinson TH. and Brockerhoff EG. (2019) First report of luminous stimuli eliciting sound production in weevils. Science of Nature 106(5-6) http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00114-019-1619-8.

• Cerveira AM., Jackson RR. and Nelson XJ. (2019) Dim-light vision in jumping spiders (Araneae, Salticidae): Identification of prey and rivals. Journal of Experimental Biology 222(9) http://dx.doi.org/10.1242/jeb.198069.

• Humphrey B., Helton WS. and Nelson XJ. (2019) Caffeine Affects the Vigilance Decrement of Trite planiceps Jumping Spiders (Salticidae). Journal of Comparative Psychology 133: 551-557. http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/com0000203.

• Melrose A., Nelson XJ., Dolev Y. and Helton WS. (2019) Vigilance all the way down: Vigilance decrement in jumping spiders resembles that of humans. Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology 72(6): 1530-1538. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/1747021818798743.

• Nelson XJ., Helton WS. and Melrose A. (2019) The effect of stimulus encounter rate on response decrement in jumping spiders. Behavioural Processes 159: 57-59. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.beproc.2018.12.020.

• Humphrey B., Helton WS., Bedoya C., Dolev Y. and Nelson XJ. (2018) Psychophysical investigation of vigilance decrement in jumping spiders: overstimulation or understimulation? Animal Cognition 21(6): 787-794. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10071-018-1210-2.

• Kross SM., Tait A., Raubenheimer D. and Nelson XJ. (2018) New Zealand falcon prey selection may not be driven by preference based on prey nutritional content. New Zealand Journal of Ecology 42(1): 58-64. http://dx.doi.org/10.20417/nzjecol.42.10.

• Nelson XJ. (2017) The spider’s charade: the spiders that would be ants. Scientific American 26(2): 4-7.

• Schwing R., Nelson XJ., Wein A. and Parsons S. (2017) Positive emotional contagion in a New Zealand parrot. Current Biology 27(6): R213-R214. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.cub.2017.02.020.

• Dolev Y. and Nelson XJ. (2016) Biological relevance affects object recognition in jumping spiders. New Zealand Journal of Zoology 43 http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/03014223.2015.1070183.

• Nelson XJ. and Card A. (2016) Locomotory mimicry in ant-like spiders. Behavioral Ecology 27(3): 700-707. http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/beheco/arv218.

• Schwing R., Nelson XJ. and Parsons S. (2016) Audiogram of the kea parrot, Nestor notabilis. Journal of the Acoustical Society of America 140(5): 3739-3744. http://dx.doi.org/10.1121/1.4967757.

• Greer AL., Gajdon GK. and Nelson XJ. (2015) Intraspecific variation in the foraging ecology of kea, the world's only mountain- and rainforest-dwelling parrot. New Zealand Journal of Ecology 39(2): 254-261.

• Greer AL., Horton TW. and Nelson XJ. (2015) Simple ways to calculate stable isotope discrimination factors and convert between tissue types. Methods in Ecology and Evolution 6(11): 1341-1348. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/2041-210X.12421.

• Dolev Y. and Nelson XJ. (2014) Innate pattern recognition and categorization in a jumping spider. PLoS ONE 9(6) e97819 http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0097819.

• Nelson X. (2014) The spider's charade. Scientific American 311(6): 86-89. http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/scientificamerican1214-86.

• Nelson XJ. (2014) Animal behavior can inform conservation policy, we just need to get on with the job - or can it? Current Zoology 60: 479-485. http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/czoolo/60.4.479.

• Nelson XJ. (2014) Evolutionary implications of deception in mimicry and masquerade. Current Zoology 60(1): 6-15. http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/czoolo/60.1.6.

• Nelson XJ. and Jackson RR. (2014) Timid spider uses odor and visual cues to actively select protected nesting sites near ants. Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology 68(5): 773-780. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00265-014-1690-2.

• Kross SM. and Nelson XJ. (2013) Factors influencing the behavioural development of juvenile New Zealand falcons (Falco novaeseelandiae). Emu 113: 84-87. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/MU12020.

• Kross SM., McDonald PM. and Nelson XJ. (2013) New Zealand falcon nests suffer lower predation in agricultural habitat than in natural habitat. Bird Conservation International 23(4): 512-519. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/S0959270913000130.

• Kross SM., Tylianakis JM. and Nelson XJ. (2013) Diet composition and prey choice of New Zealand falcons nesting in anthropogenic and natural habitats. New Zealand Journal of Ecology 37(1): 51-59.

• Nelson XJ. and Fijn N. (2013) The use of visual media as a tool for investigating animal behaviour. Animal Behaviour 85(3): 525-536. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.anbehav.2012.12.009.

• Nelson XJ. and Jackson RR. (2013) Hunger-driven response by a nectar-eating jumping spider to specific phytochemicals. Chemoecology 23(3): 149-153. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00049-013-0130-5.

• Jackson RR. and Nelson XJ. (2012) Attending to detail by communal spider-eating spiders. Animal Cognition 15(4): 461-471. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10071-012-0469-y.

• Jackson RR. and Nelson XJ. (2012) Evarcha culicivora chooses blood-fed Anopheles mosquitoes but other East African jumping spiders do not. Medical and Veterinary Entomology 26(2): 233-235. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2915.2011.00986.x.

• Jackson RR. and Nelson XJ. (2012) Specialized exploitation of ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) by spiders (Araneae). Myrmecological News 17: 33-49.

• Kross SM., Tylianakis JM. and Nelson XJ. (2012) Effects of introducing threatened falcons into vineyards on abundance of Passeriformes and grape yield. Conservation Biology 26(1): 142-149. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1523-1739.2011.01756.x.

• Kross SM., Tylianakis JM. and Nelson XJ. (2012) Translocation of threatened New Zealand Falcons to vineyards increases nest attendance, brooding and feeding rates. PLoS ONE 7(6) e386979 http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0038679.

• Nelson XJ. (2012) A Predator's perspective of the accuracy of ant mimicry in spiders. Psyche 168549 http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2012/168549.

• Nelson XJ. and Jackson RR. (2012) Fine tuning of vision-based prey-choice decisions by a predator that targets malaria vectors. Journal of Arachnology 40(1): 23-33. http://dx.doi.org/10.1636/Hill-61.1.

• Nelson XJ. and Jackson RR. (2012) How spiders practice aggressive and Batesian mimicry. Current Zoology 58(4): 620-629. http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/czoolo/58.4.620.

• Nelson XJ. and Jackson RR. (2012) The discerning predator: Decision rules underlying prey classification by a mosquito eating jumping spider. Journal of Experimental Biology 215(13): 2255-2261. http://dx.doi.org/10.1242/jeb.069609.

• Nelson XJ. and Jackson RR. (2012) The role of numerical competence in a specialized predatory strategy of an araneophagic spider. Animal Cognition 15(4): 699-710. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10071-012-0498-6.

• Nelson XJ., Pratt AJ., Cheseto X., Torto B. and Jackson RR. (2012) Mediation of a plant-spider association by specific volatile compounds. Journal of Chemical Ecology 38(9): 1081-1092. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10886-012-0175-x.

• Nelson XJ., Warui CM. and Jackson RR. (2012) Widespread reliance on olfactory sex and species identification by lyssomanine and spartaeine jumping spiders. Biological Journal of the Linnean Society 107(3): 664-677. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1095-8312.2012.01965.x.

• Schwing R., Parsons S. and Nelson XJ. (2012) Vocal repertoire of the New Zealand kea parrot (Nestor notabilis). Current Zoology 58(5): 727-740. http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/czoolo/58.5.727.

• Young LM., Kelly D. and Nelson XJ. (2012) Alpine flora may depend on declining frugivorous parrot for seed dispersal. Biological Conservation 147(1): 133-142. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.biocon.2011.12.023.

• Zurek DB. and Nelson XJ. (2012) Hyperacute motion detection by the lateral eyes of jumping spider. Vision Research 66: 26-30. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.visres.2012.06.011.

• Zurek DB. and Nelson XJ. (2012) Saccadic tracking of targets mediated by the anterior-lateral eyes of jumping spiders. Journal of Comparative Physiology A: Neuroethology, Sensory, Neural, and Behavioral Physiology 198(6): 411-417. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00359-012-0719-0.

• Jackson RR. and Nelson XJ. (2011) Reliance on trial and error signal derivation by Portia africana, an araneophagic jumping spider from East Africa. Journal of Ethology 29(2): 301-307. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10164-010-0258-5.

• Kross SM. and Nelson XJ. (2011) A portable low-cost remote videography system for monitoring wildlife. Methods in Ecology and Evolution 2(2): 191-196. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.2041-210X.2010.00064.x.

• Nelson XJ. and Jackson RR. (2011) Evidence that olfaction-based affinity for particular plant species is a special characteristic of Evarcha culicivora, a mosquito-specialist jumping spider. Journal of Arachnology 39(3): 378-383. http://dx.doi.org/10.1636/Hi11-35.1.

• Jackson RR., Salm K. and Nelson XJ. (2010) Specialized prey selection behavior of two east african assassin bugs, Scipinnia repax and Nagusta sp. that prey on social jumping spiders. Journal of Insect Science 10 82 http://dx.doi.org/10.1673/031.010.8201.

• Nelson XJ. (2010) Polymorphism in an ant mimic. Journal of Arachnology 38(1): 139-141. http://dx.doi.org/10.1636/Hi09-36.1.

• Nelson XJ. (2010) Visual cues used by ant-like jumping spiders to distinguish conspecifics from their models. Journal of Arachnology 38(1): 27-34. http://dx.doi.org/10.1636/Hi09-35.1.

• Nelson XJ., Garnett DT. and Evans CS. (2010) Receiver psychology and the design of the deceptive caudal luring signal of the death adder. Animal Behaviour 79(3): 555-561. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.anbehav.2009.12.011.

• Zurek DB., Taylor AJ., Evans CS. and Nelson XJ. (2010) The role of the anterior lateral eyes in the vision-based behaviour of jumping spiders. Journal of Experimental Biology 213: 2372-2378. http://dx.doi.org/10.1242/jeb.042382.

• Nelson XJ. and Jackson RR. (2009) Aggressive use of Batesian mimicry by an ant-like jumping spider. Biology Letters 5(6): 755-757. http://dx.doi.org/10.1098/rsbl.2009.0355.

• Nelson XJ. and Jackson RR. (2009) Collective Batesian mimicry of ant groups by aggregating spiders. Animal Behaviour 78(1): 123-129. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.anbehav.2009.04.005.

• Nelson XJ. and Jackson RR. (2009) Prey classification by an araneophagic ant-like jumping spider (Araneae: Salticidae). Journal of Zoology 279(2): 173-179. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1469-7998.2009.00602.x.

• Nelson XJ. and Jackson RR. (2009) The influence of ants on the mating strategy of a myrmecophilic jumping spider (Araneae, Salticidae). Journal of Natural History 43(11-12): 713-735. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/00222930802610469.

• Wilson DR., Nelson XJ. and Evans CS. (2009) Seizing the opportunity: subordinate male fowl respond rapidly to variation in social context. Ethology 115(10): 996-1004. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1439-0310.2009.01688.x.

• Jackson RR., Nelson XJ. and Salm K. (2008) The natural history of Myrmarachne melanotarsa, a social ant-mimicking jumping spider. New Zealand Journal of Zoology 35(3): 225-235. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/03014220809510118.

• Nelson XJ. and Jackson RR. (2008) Anti-predator crèches and aggregations of ant-mimicking jumping spiders (Araneae: Salticidae). Biological Journal of the Linnean Society 94(3): 475-481. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1095-8312.2008.01006.x.

• Nelson XJ., Wilson DR. and Evans CS. (2008) Behavioral Syndromes in Stable Social Groups: An Artifact of External Constraints? Ethology 114(12): 1154-1165. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1439-0310.2008.01568.x.

• Wilson DR., Bayly K., Nelson XJ., Gillings M. and Evans CS. (2008) Alarm calling best predicts mating and reproductive success in ornamented male fowl, Gallus gallus. Animal Behaviour 76: 543-554. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.anbehav.2008.03.026.

• Nelson XJ. and Jackson RR. (2007) Complex display behaviour during the intraspecific interactions of myrmecomorphic jumping spiders (Araneae, Salticidae). Journal of Natural History 41(25-28): 1659-1678. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/00222930701450504.

• Nelson XJ. and Jackson RR. (2007) Vision-based ability of an ant-mimicking jumping spider to discriminate between models, conspecific individuals and prey. Insectes Sociaux 54(1): 1-4. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00040-006-0901-x.

• Nelson XJ. and Jackson RR. (2006) A predator from East Africa that chooses malaria vectors as preferred prey. PLoS ONE 1(1) e132 http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0000132.

• Nelson XJ. and Jackson RR. (2006) Compound mimicry and trading predators by the males of sexually dimorphic Batesian mimics. Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences 273(1584): 367-372. http://dx.doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2005.3340.

• Nelson XJ. and Jackson RR. (2006) Vision-based innate aversion to ants and ant mimics. Behavioral Ecology 17(4): 676-681. http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/beheco/ark017.

• Nelson XJ., Jackson RR. and Li D. (2006) Conditional use of honest signaling by a Batesian mimic. Behavioral Ecology 17(4): 575-580. http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/beheco/arj068.

• Nelson XJ., Jackson RR., Li D., Barrion AT. and Edwards GB. (2006) Innate aversion to ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) and ant mimics: experimental findings from mantises (Mantodea). Biological Journal of the Linnean Society 88(1): 23-32. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1095-8312.2006.00598.x.

• Nelson XJ., Li D. and Jackson RR. (2006) Out of the frying pan and into the fire: a novel trade-off for Batesian mimics. Ethology 112(3): 270-277. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1439-0310.2006.01155.x.

• Jackson RR., Nelson XJ. and Sune GO. (2005) A spider that feeds indirectly on vertebrate blood by choosing female mosquitoes as prey. Proceedings of the National Academy of Science (USA) 102: 15155-15160. http://dx.doi.org/10.1073/pnas.0507398102.

• Nelson XJ. and Jackson RR. (2005) Living with the enemy, jumping spiders that mimic weaver ants. Journal of Arachnology 33: 813-819. http://dx.doi.org/10.1636/S04-12.1.

• Nelson XJ., Jackson RR. and Sune GO. (2005) Use of Anopheles-specific prey-capture behaviour by the small juveniles of Evarcha culicivora, a mosquito-eating jumping spider. Journal of Arachnology 33: 541-548. http://dx.doi.org/10.1636/05-3.1.

• Nelson XJ., Jackson RR., Edwards GB. and Barrion AT. (2004) Predation by ants on jumping spiders (Araneae: Salticidae) in the Philippines. New Zealand Journal of Zoology 31: 45-56. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/03014223.2004.9518358.

• Jackson RR., Nelson X., Pollard SD., Edwards GB. and Barrion AT. (2001) Jumping spiders (Araneae: Salticidae) that feed on nectar. Journal of Zoology, London 255: 25-29. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/S095283690100108X.

Additional Publications

• Nelson XJ. and Jackson RR. (2011) Flexibility in the foraging strategies of spiders. In Herberstein ME (Ed.), Spider Behaviour: flexibility and versatility: 31-56. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

• Nelson XJ. and Jackson RR. (2011) Flexible use of anti-predator defences. In Herberstein ME (Ed.), Spider Behaviour: Flexibility and Versatility: 99-126. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.