Matutinal

Birds flying before dawn over the Maasai Mara
Matutinal activity occurs in the twilight period from dawn to sunrise

Matutinal, matinal (in entomological writings),[1][2] and matutine are terms used in the life sciences to indicate something of, relating to, or occurring in the early morning. The term may describe the morning activities of crepuscular animals that are significantly active during the predawn or early hours and which may or may not then be active again at dusk, in which case the animal is also said to be vespertinal/vespertine. During the morning twilight period and shortly thereafter, these animals partake in important tasks, such as scanning for mates, mating, and foraging.[3][4][5]

Matutinal behaviour is thought to be adaptive because there may be less competition between species, and sometimes even a higher prevalence of food during these hours.[6] It may also serve as an anti-predator adaptation by allowing animals to sit between the brink of danger that may come with diurnal and nocturnal activity.[4][7]

  1. ^ Estes, James R.; Thorp, Robbin W. (1975). "Pollination Ecology of Pyrrhopappus carolinianus (Compositae)". American Journal of Botany. 62 (2): 148–59. doi:10.2307/2441589. JSTOR 2441589.
  2. ^ Linsley, E. G.; Cazier, M. A. (1970). "Some Competitive Relationships among Matinal and Late Afternoon Foraging Activities of Caupolicanine Bees in Southeastern Arizona (Hymenoptera, Colletidae)". Journal of the Kansas Entomological Society. 43 (3): 251–61. JSTOR 25082327.
  3. ^ Borkenstein, Angelika; Schröter, Asmus; Jödicke, Reinhard (2016-06-01). "Aeshna viridis is an early bird - Matutinal matings in a crepuscular species (Odonata: Aeshnidae)". Odonatologica. 45 (1/2): 37–56. doi:10.5281/Zenodo.50848.
  4. ^ a b Robinson, Michael H.; Robinson, Barbara (1979-08-24). "By Dawn's Early Light: Matutinal Mating and Sex Attractants in a Neotropical Mantid". Science. 205 (4408): 825–27. Bibcode:1979Sci...205..825R. doi:10.1126/science.205.4408.825. ISSN 0036-8075. PMID 17814859. S2CID 22448636.
  5. ^ Doyle, Thomas K.; Bennison, Ashley; Jessopp, Mark; Haberlin, Damien; Harman, Luke A. (2015-10-08). "A dawn peak in the occurrence of 'knifing behaviour' in blue sharks". Animal Biotelemetry. 3: 46. doi:10.1186/s40317-015-0084-1. ISSN 2050-3385.
  6. ^ Hammerschlag, Neil; Martin, R. Aidan; Fallows, Chris; Collier, Ralph; Lawrence, Rob (2012). "Investigatory Behavior toward Surface Objects and Nonconsumptive Strikes on Seabirds by White Sharks, Carcharodon carcharias, at Seal Island, South Africa (1997-2010)" (PDF). Shark Research Committee.
  7. ^ Ditchkoff, Stephen S.; Saalfeld, Sarah T.; Gibson, Charles J. (2006-01-01). "Animal behavior in urban ecosystems: Modifications due to human-induced stress". Urban Ecosystems. 9 (1): 5–12. doi:10.1007/s11252-006-3262-3. ISSN 1083-8155. S2CID 22514402.