zoonotes3! communication, chemical com, social systems

communication

transfer of information; signals are designed to alter the behavior of the reciever

umwelt

perceptual world of an animal, the part of its surroundings that it can sense and experience

the channels of communication are

visual, auditory, chemical, and tactile

the visual channel for communication is

localization simple, rapid transmission and fade out time, great variety of signals possible, can be blocked, weakens with distance

visual channels can be

badges or displays

badges are

structural adaptations such as bright coloring

displays are

a behavior that can be seen by any other animal

auditory channel is

long distances, rapid doesn’t linger, limited visibility, respiratory systems and structures specialized

chemical channel of communication is

long distances, durable, limited visibility, difficult to locate sender, slower transmission and fade out times, structure and size of molecules are important.

tactile/ touch channel is

short distances, sent quickly, easy to locate sender, variable message

the fringe lipped bats shift from auditory detection to _______ in noisy urban environments

echolocation

the five major functions of communication are

information, directions, intention, advertisement, deception

recognition information function of communication is for species

especially important when closely related species live in the same area

recognition information function of communication is for kin

chemical, auditory, visual cues and phenotype matching and the MHC segment of DNA for identification

recognition information function of communication is for individual

independent offspring often recognize mother (dolphins, some birds)

mate attraction of Advertisement function of communication is when

allow male and female to find each other, get close enough to interact. often over long distances. chemical (pheromones) or auditory usually

Courtship - Intention Signal function of communication is when

identify species, sex, reduce aggression, coordinate behavior and physiology, assess mate’s qualities

Alarm- Informational function of communication is when

vocalization or chemicals usually, some postures. function where it can cause predator to look in wrong place, warn predator that its been spotted, cause others to flee and expose themselves, cause group to run, caller joins (safety in numbers)

Specificity in informational alarm

different calls for different types of danger/predators used by vervet monkeys and artic ground squirrel

Similarity in informational alarm

species living in same area, common predators like the gazelle

evolution of alarm calling is _______ as it puts the caller at risk

altruistic

Kin selection in alarms

individuals living near relatives, increase own fitness if warn others. Ex: Belding ground squirrels.

selfishness alarms

confuse predators or other members of area, to allow the caller to escape or hide

hitchhiking oxpeckers had been able to

warn endangered rhinos when people are nearby, which helps the rhino avoid humans 100% of the time

squirrels use public information to evaluate a bird warning call

use the bird alarm warning calls for foraging information

Agonism/ Social Status is Advertisement and Intention function which is

aggressive threats, submissive appeasement/avoidance, usually results from competition over mates or food, dominance attained.

Parent Offspring Communication - Information/Intention signal function is

begging for food, offering of food, distress calls

an example of parent offspring communication are

baby birds screaming if hungry which exposes them to predators and encourages mother to hunt and feed faster.

Play communication - Intentional Signal function is when

play bow in canids where an actions that follows are not aggressive or sexual. primates tend to open mouth when happy.

synchronization of Hatching is Informational function of

Precocial birds where they are imprinted on mother, by hatching all at once, they follow mother instantly for food and safety where the chicks communicate their hatching time through vocalization in the egg.

Recruitment/ finding food is Direction Example

assembly behavior where members of group directed to specific place to assist in a job (food retrieval, next construction, defense migration)

tandem running and odor trails

common in ants and termites where recruitment behaviors depends on food source utilized by species. feed on large stationary prey where a companion is needed for scouts return exudes calling pheromone so nestmates will follow so they can make contact. the trail disappears after 2 minutes.

leaf cutters and seed eaters

permanent/renewing food source. that cut highways through vegetation, marked with long-lasting odors.

bee dancing was discovered by

Von Frisch

the round dance

bees dance in circles over and over when food is within 35 yards of the nest

waggle dance

used when food is far from the nest. workers follow with antenna. the central run waggle gives direction of food source, angle from nest entrance. Length of central run and duration of buzzing gives distance to source.

chimpanzees behaviors similar to humans are

tool use, primitive reasoning, gestures and postures, physical contact when frightened, smile when nervous, embrace when surprised or overjoyed, have aggressive stares.

during false alarm calls in Topi antelope the

estrus female attempt departure most frequently

the area of chimp brain used for vocalizations is more similar to Broca’s area of human brain. thsi suggests that

chimp communication more complex than preciously thought and that the neurobiological foundation of human language may have been present in common ancestor of chimps and humans.

the chimp Washoe was

taught American sign language and understood over 350 symbols and used 150 correctly.

Kanzi was the most advanced language chimp due to

not being trained by operant conditioning like the others. he learned by observing mother and humans who gestured and used lexigrams to communicate.

Alex was an African grey parrot that could

identify over 100 objects vocally and request items even if out of sight and ask questions. he understood the concepts of color, shape and same/different

pheromones

chemicals produced to convey information to other members of same or other species. such as social information/response which elicits a behavioral or physiological response. that is transmitted through air, water, direct contact or ingestion.

the two types of pheromones are

signaling and priming

signaling pheromones

small, highly volatile, airborne. they elicit behavioral response that is immediate

examples of signaling pheromones are

sex attractants, aggression, fear, territoriality, recognition, trail marking

priming pheromones are

larger usually tactile, physiological or developmental effects on recipient.

priming pheromone examples

development, regulate reproduction, puberty, estrus

Some of the behaviors governed by pheromones are:

mate choice, sexual maturation, kin recognition, successful fertilization, caste and reproductive status, Menstrual synchrony, maternal infant bond, dominance hierarchy, aggression, territory and Trail marking, deception, aggregation and Intruder alarm 

the alarm pheromone in minnows is used as

aggregation which cause them to group together for protection against predators

bolas spiders uses moth sex pheromone as ______ to lure prey

allomone

An allomone is a chemical signal produced by

one species that benefits the sender but does not benefit the receiver (often harming or repelling it).

the queen butterfly male uses a chemical in milkweed plants to produce pheromone danaidone which the male transfer this chemical to females during mating which the female

incorporates chemical from milkweed into eggs which helps deter predation

the queen bee produces a pheromone that workers spread through out the nest that

induces the workers to work and suppresses ovarian function of others so the nest is healthy. if the pheromone is declined than workers construct queen cell to allow a new queen to emerge.

fire ants use chemoreceptor cells on antennae to detect trails left as follow prey

these aggregation pheromones are used as an alarm to clean up

the red-sided garter snakes use mating balls as females emerge from dens in spring and males are attracted by pheromone.

they turn off the pheromone once they have mated so other males will leave

she-males are

normal males that carry female pheromone on their skin which distracts other males so that it can mate easier

sheep females

only accept her own newborn as the MHC gene is involved in bonding of recognition

in mice the female will choose male whose MHC differs by one gene only from her own over a male who is genetically identical. If they are pregnant they will/will not repeat the same behavior

will not, instead want same MHC as own

hamsters use the pheromone __________________ which the females leaves a trail when in estrus and it attracts males into burrow so they can mate

dimethyl disulfide

VNO is found in many species of

amphibians, reptiles, and mammals

vomeronasal organ (VNO) is a specialized chemosensory structure that is used to detect priming pheromones.

it is connected to the hypothalamus-pituitary axis and located in roof of mouth between mouth and nasal cavity.

the _____ effect is when mice are onset of puberty in females. it is accelerated if males are nearby.

vandenburgh

the ______ effect is when implantation in mice is blocked if a new male arrives (pregancy is terminated)

bruce

the _____ effect is when female mice will be in estrus synchrony in presence of male

whitten

in snakes the VNO ________ is on the roof of mouth, where chemicals delivered to it directly by the tongue flicking = not just pheromones.

jacobson’s organ

the _____ is when mammals lick or touch nose to chemicals usually in urine or other body secretions and make facial grimace where they curl back upper lip and reveal upper gums by raising their head to transfer chemicals to VNO

flehmen

adults in humans can recognize own and kin’s odor on

clothes

menstrual synchrony

roommates and close friends have remarkable synchrony. females who reglary saw men have shortest and most regular cycles.

the 2 common ingredients in perfumes are

musk and civet

females are ______ times more sensitve to musk like odors than males

1000

there is no known sex attractant in humans but

we probably have other singling pheromones

in all animals females are more sensitive to tastes than males

true

social organization is made up of

solitary, pair, family, dominance hierarchy, harem, aggregation

many colonial invertebrates are social

ants, bees, wasps, termites, fish, birds, mammals, naked mole rats

the reason for run-away selection in hominid brain size

reproductive success depends on how well you play the social game

society

group of individuals of same species organized in cooperative manner extending beyond sexual and parental behaviors

benefits of a society

Protection which acts as primary Fitness benefit which improves success with predators and improves protection and warning. then there's foraging when it comes to getting food it's easier to find it and bring down large prey, helps for caring for young, finding mates, increase protection against infanticide or harassment by males, division of labor with specialist, modification of environment 

cons of society

More conspicuous to predators meaning easily found, competition for food mates and resources among conspecifics, spread of disease and parasites, reproductive interference and increased chance of inbreeding due to crowding and stress 

cuckoldry

another male mates with female (reproductive interference)

the social system is made up of the 4 Cs

cooperation, competition, coordination, communication

classification of social systems three parts are

1) social spacing 2) social organization 3) mating systems

social spacing

how individuals space themselves

social organization

basis of group organization

mating systems

how and if pairs bond

solitary

most of life is spent alone, brief interactions for mating and offspring. usually promiscuous mating systems and usually home range or mating or nesting only territory

leopards use ambush method so they hunt alone to be less visible to predators this is an example of

solitary

pairs

male/female and only consistent unit that is usually monogamous where they have classical or nesting only territories. if large pair number they can form colonies.

families

male/female usually monogamous, long term bond. have social groups that stay together. offspring stay past dependency and help and contribute to group. usually home range or classical territories.

dominance hierarchy

large social groups, lower degree of relatedness than families, but social ranking stable and constant over time. usually males disperse and females remain. promiscuous because constant competition and dominant male wins or monogamous because only top male and female mate.

harems

can occur when one male establishes dominance and control over group of females. sometimes male controls space, attracts female, periphery males also dominated by harem master, primarily in mammals. are polygynous (one male mates with multiple females)

aggregation

no long term social bonds, minimal cooperation, just congregate together. usually females are grouped in clusters. they have home ranges which are polygynous or promiscuous.

wild horses have social behavior where

The males were thought to form harems but actually females form the groups themselves. lactation is very costly to females as they need lots of food and water so being chased by males is a large cost to them because they can't afford just effectively thus they prefer to associate with other females in which the males fight to associate with female groups and offer some protection from other males