Chapter 5: Communication

Communication

Action by one organism that alters the likelihood of a behavior in another organism

Sender

Gives signal

Reciever

Responds to the original signal in the same way

Tactile

• Short lived

• Must be close

• Example: ants (use antenna, grooming)

Chemical Communication

Scent glands, urine

Flehman Response

• Mammalian behavior

• Inhales with mouth open & lip retracted

• Facilitates exposure of VNO

• Animals inhale to draw scent molecules into a specialized sensory structure

Chemical Releasers

• Affect behavior of another individual

• Scent marking, attraction of mate

Chemical Primers

• Affect physiology of another individual

• Influences behavior later

Queen Pheromones

• decrease in ovary development

• non-volatile

• evolved over 10x

Non-volatile

Chemical substances (such as certain pheromones, proteins, or peptides) that do not easily evaporate or turn into a gas at room temperature

Bruce Effect

• A female terminates her pregnancy when introduced to an unfamiliar mate

• Prevents infanticide

Carotenoids

• yellow, orange, & red pigments - derived from plants and algae

• represent goodness of fit, health, and success

• The brighter the color, the better the individual

• antioxidant mechanisms

Vocal Communication

• Short lived

• energitcally costly

• specialized adaptations → Gular Sacs

Gular Sac

An expandable patch of unfeathered or loose skin loacted on the throat or nect of various animals

Larynx

Primarly vocal communication, territorial displays, and physical defense

Glottis

The opening between the vocal folds at the top of the windpipe, they act as a physiological gatekeeper that directly enables critical survival, feeding, and communication behaviors

Stridulation

• The act of producing a high pitched chirping or creaking sound by rubbing specific body parts together

• Teratoscinus → wonder / frog-eyed geckos. They make noise with the armor plates on their tails

Lyrebird

An animal famous for its unmatched ability to mimic natural and artifical sounds

Syrinx

The vocal production in birds

Spectrogram

Graphical representation of sound

Communication in Water

• Alligator rumble / roar / vibration

• Beaver Tail Flap

• Water ripples

Seismic Communication

Communication via vibrations of subtraste (waves)

Display

• A stereotyped action used as a communication signal

• Example: Frilled Lizard

Ritualization

Evolutionary process by which behavior patterns become modified to serve as communication signals

Comparative Approach

A scientific method that analyzes and compares multiple behavioral, physiological, or cognitive similarities and differences across multiple species.

Tidbitting

A behavior in birds (like chickens → specifically roosters) repeatedly pick up abd drop food while making unique clucking sounds to call others over to eat

Broadside Threat Displays

An instinctual animal behavior where an individual turns its body sideways (perpendicular) toward a rival or threat to present its largest possible body profile

Autonomic Process

An involuntary, bodily function controlled by the autonomic nervous system (ANS) that occurs automatically without your consciou though or effort

• Example: Madarin Duck

• Shake body violently and flap its wings

• Once away from the threat

Antithesis

• Opposing nature of aggressive and submissive displays

• Aggressive displays usually reflect attack-preparation movements

Sensory Exploitation

Signalers tap into preexisting perceptual mechanisms in the reciever

• Example: Cichlid Fish

• Egg-shaped structures and coloration

• 
  

Nupital Gift

A material presentation given by an animal to a potential mate before, during, or after courtship and mating

• Males can cheat

Pre-Existing Female Bias

Female Preference for a trait that existed before the evolution of the trait

• Sensory Bias

Basolo’s Work

Discovered that males evolve specific traits to “exploit” pre-existing visual biases that females already possess for unrelated survival reasons

• Used Platyfish Male

• Put fake swords on the Males

• Females peferred the males with the fake swords over the regular Platyfish male

3 Conditions that favor evolution of honest signals

1) The fitness interests of signalers & receivers are similar

2) When the signals cannot be faked

3) When the signals are costly to produce

Honest Signaling Theory

Conveys accurate information about signalers quality

• Fighting ability

• Value as a Mate

Handicap Principle

Signals impose a cost such that the sender can not afford to produce the signal if the provided information were untrue

Honest Signal

Conveys accurate information about signalers quality

Decit

Sender emits a signal that gives misinformation about the other attribute