Marie Hardenbicker

Dr. Marie Hardenbicker is a Doctoral Researcher in Behavioral Biology at the University of Hamburg's Faculty of Mathematics, Computer Science and Natural Sciences. Her work focuses on the evolution of secondary sexual characteristics, particularly in Australian peacock spiders (Maratus), examining how visual perception and environmental adaptations influence male ornamentation.

• Institute of Animal Cell and Systems Biology
• Behavioral Biology research group

Research Interests: Using peacock spiders as a model system, her research explores the interplay between visual ecology, sexual selection, and evolutionary adaptations. Key areas include behavioral consistency in mate choice, environmental influences on ornament evolution, and statistical analysis of natural scenes versus mating signals.

Recent Work: Her 2023 publication in Behavioral Ecology challenges traditional assumptions about mate selection by demonstrating female preference for generic natural scene statistics over specialized male ornamentation patterns.