Animal Communication

Question 1

Communication

Answer 1

• relays info by using signals

Question 2

Signal types

Answer 2

Seen (visual system)
Heard (auditory system)
Felt (tactile system)
Smelled (olfactory, vomeronasal systems)
Tasted (gustatory system)

Question 3

Name advantages and disadvantages of seen (visual system) signals

Answer 3

Disadvantages: Useless in dark, Less practical over long distances
Advantage: easy to localize source of information (ex: identification of male cardinal), Info quickly conveyed (signals to come forward, stay away, approach, etc.)

Question 4

What are the advantages and disadvantages of Heard (auditory system) signals

Answer 4

Disadvantages: Difficult to locate the source (ex: bird call out in forest, only know general direction, not exact location)

Advantages: Transmitted over long distances,
Work well at night, work well underwater

Question 5

What are the advantages and disadvantages of Felt (tactile system) signals

Answer 5

Disadvantages: Distance limitations

Advantages: Info can be relayed quickly (ex: holding hand vs smacking hand/head)

Question 6

What do animals want to communicate?

Answer 6

• Want to announce/recognize own species
• Use signals to communicate danger - - ———- Announce strength/intimidation
• Strengthen social bonds
• Tell others about resource (food)

Question 7

Name examples of animal communication in order to announce/recognize own species

Answer 7

Tactile: male approach and contact female spider so they are not eaten or attacked HUGE female

Auditory: frog announces Prescence with ribits

Question 8

Name an example of how animals communicate danger

Answer 8

Auditory/Visual: praire dogs communicate to run from predators when looking for food/resources in packs; signals to go back to burrow for safety

Question 9

Name examples of how animals communicate to announce strength/ to intimidate

Answer 9

• cobra: visual
• lion: visual, auditory (rawr)
• ape: auditory, visual (scream and show teeth)

Question 10

Name examples of how animals communicate to strengthen social bonds

Answer 10

• elephant cubs holding trunks
• apes/lemurs picking off each others bugs

Question 11

Name an example of how bees communicate to others about a food resource

Answer 11

• Proboscis collects food, collects info of foraging resource
• Communicate resource to hive via waggle dance or round dance
  (note location cannot be determined if performed incorrectly)

Question 12

Waggle Dance

Answer 12

• how bees communicate about food resource
• when location of food farther from hive (more then 50m)
• Direction: toward (straight up) vs away (straight down) from sun
• Abundance of food: decode by waggle intensity(better food means more intense

Question 13

Round dance

Answer 13

• performed by bees for food resource communication
• when location of food relatively close to hive (50m or less)
• Like a clock – starts at 12, goes around clockwise first and then counterclockwise

Question 14

Describe how ants tell other ants about food resource

Answer 14

Chemical queues: Allows individuals to follow signals to resource

Tactile: Female secretes chemical substance to rile up other ants to follow her (found insect for food, yay!); Will then perform tandem running to stick together

Question 15

Tandem running

Answer 15

• done by ants when they found a food resource
• antennae on front of ant physically touching abdomen of ant in front of it
• allows travel together to the resource

Question 16

How do birds communicate to attract mates? Answer by giving examples.

Answer 16

Visual: Cardinals dimorphic(choosy or competition), Male stands out like a sore thumb; (chosen on how brightly colored they are)

Robin: auditory signals, noises being done to be chosen

Question 17

Describe 3 examples of how animals use chemical signals to attract mates

Answer 17

Three sensory systems to detect: olfactory, vomeronasal, and gustatory system

Deterrents: egg laying, signals others to not lay eggs near hers (bugs)

Mark territory: dogs peeing, cats rubbing on you

Alarm trigger: bee offended in area, chemical signals others to go into attack mode (ex: murder hornets)

Question 18

Describe the main olfactory system

Answer 18

• detect general odorants
• Small molecules
• Highly volatile (airborne)
• Consciously detectable ( aware of smell that is there)
• Detection occurs across species
• Use nose or equivalent for detection

Question 19

Describe the vomeronasal system

Answer 19

• Molecules vary by size
• Volatile or non-volatile
• Not consciously detected (not aware)
• Detectable within a species ONLY
• Pheromones

Question 20

Describe Gustatory System

Answer 20

• Taste
• Nonvolatile molecules
• Detectable across species

Question 21

Describe the Martha McClintock experiment

Answer 21

• menstrual synchrony thought to be occuring from reasonable explanations/observations (similar class and social schedules, similar diets)
• tracked menstrual synchrony by tracking urine samples
• reported research showed evidence of synchrony being real

Question 22

Name criticisms of Martha McClintock’s experiment

Answer 22

Data analysis: convoluted, old; when out of her way to make data statistically significant when it was not relevant

Natural variation responsible: Study not significantly replicable, puts validity into question

Social factors – could still be responsible, not discounted in study

No specific molecule identified as pheromone in humans, puts cologne things in question (wtf is in it then)

No evidence of functional vomeronasal system in humans; suggested in other studies but no strong conclusion(absent or no functionally present)

Question 23

Name 3 pheromonal effects in animals

Answer 23

Bruce effect, Vandenbergh effect, Lee Boot/Whitten effect

Question 24

Bruce effect

Answer 24

pregnant female exposed to piss of unfamiliar male and undergoes spontaneous abortion (damn okay)

Question 25

Vandenbergh effect

Answer 25

puberty accelaration

Question 26

Lee Boot/Whitten effect

Answer 26

Grouped house females under Lee Boot effect become anestrous, cycles stop Whitten effect side says if grouped anestrous females exposed to males will begin cycles again Effects work in both directions; in these terms, males create effect

Question 27

Turbinates

Answer 27

- found in olfactory system - direct airflow toward receptors - slow down air flow(want air to be warm before reaching receptors, cold air can be damaging)

Question 28

Olfactory mucosa

Answer 28

- found in olfactory system - where olfactory receptors are found - receptors on cilia - surrounded by supporting cells that aid sense of smell

Question 29

Cribriform plate

Answer 29

- interacts with myelin sheath and olfactory bulb to send signals for sense and interpretation (Olfactory bulbs sit right outside of brain)

Question 30

Describe vomeronasal system in rats

Answer 30

- Olfactory bulb carries signals to other places for interpretation - When utilized, have ways to bring signals to Jacobnson’s/vomeronasal organ (non volatile, not easily taken from air for sense)

Question 31

Flehmen

Answer 31

head up and curled up lip of animals to fully take in chemicals from the air; snorting behavior Confused for smiling, anthropomorphized by humans

Question 32

Name three ways communication signals have evolved?

Answer 32

Ritualization, Antithesis, Manipulation

Question 33

Ritualization

Answer 33

evolution/improvement of communication signal When signal ritualized, signal is clear Example: when dog barres teeth, the signal they are giving off is quite clear lol Movements more repetitive, and exaggerated Structures/coloration more enlarged or brilliant

Question 34

Antithesis

Answer 34

Opposite behaviors communicated opposite behavior signals

Question 35

Manipulation

Answer 35

Benefits sender and manipulates behavior of receiver

Question 36

Zahavi's hypothesis

Answer 36

The idea that animals should treat all signals as truthful Animals cannot bluff or lie forever when they are faking it, even though they can be taken advantage of Deceitful behavior hard to maintain in long term

Question 37

Describe adaptation of the Mantis Shrimp

Answer 37

- deceitful from size, packs a punch as strong and fast as bullet

Question 38

Eavesdropping

Answer 38

- animals controlling aspects of communication signals in order to avoid them being overheard by other animals - modify where, when and how

Question 39

Eavesdropping: modify where example

Answer 39

- when bees dance about food resource, done inside hive so only the hive knows of its location

Question 40

Eavesdropping: modify when example

Answer 40

Tungara frog Produce chuck harmonic, Males who do this more desirable as mate Eavesdropper (predators like bats) pose danger, dilution effect solution dilution effect: males in group more likely to produce chucks instead of lone males

Question 41

Eavesdropping: modify how in fireflies

Answer 41

- visual displays: false signals - Benefit sender and in many cases receives occur at a cost Example: Firefly, males produce particular flash pattern and female responds for mating Genus Photuris(female): responds to multiple males with flashes, shows extreme attraction to lure male in and then eats him

Question 42

Eavesdropping: Angler Fish and Snapping Turtle

Answer 42

- modify how (visual displays): false signals - Fish attracted to light of angler fish, will get then eaten (receiver gets a cost) - Turtle has lure on tongue for small fish, draws in fish to eat them