Communication Flashcards
What is communication?
the transmission of a signal or signals between two or more organisms where selection has favoured both the production and reception of the signal
What are 4 types of reactions in communication?
Rapid
Subtle
Delayed
Absent
What is an example of a rapid reaction
Male fireflies - rapidly sly towards flashing female
What is an example of a subtle reaction
A male antelope slightly alters direction of walking to avoid crossing a territorial boundary
What is an example of a delayed reaction
Male goldfish begin to produce milt (sperm) after sensing pheromone signals in the water from females
What is an example of an absent reaction
A territorial male blackbird sings for several hours (to attract mate/ ward off rivals) - signal may never be picked up and therefore have no reaction
How does natural selection control communication?
Communication helps species survival
The best communication = best survival = passed on to different generations
Give an example of communication that only benefits the sender
Female bolas spiders
females produce pheromones that mimic sex-attractant of female moths
Male moths are lured in and captured
Give an example of communication that only benefits the receiver
Male tungara frogs call to attract females
Fringe-lipped bats detect this call to locate the male frog and capture it
Give a specific example of mutually benefitting communication
GREATER SAGE GROUSE
Males display strutting (energetically expensive)
Females receive the communication, can effectively choose a mate
= honest signalling
Name 4 types of animal communication
Sensory communications:
- Visual
- Acoustic
- Chemical
- Tactile (body language)
What are three examples of visual communication
Body posture Facial expressions Leaving signals Markings Flashing Displays
what are acoustic communication examples?
Snorting Thump Rattle (rattle snakes) Calls Rasp horns Stridulation (fish, snakes, spiders)
What are some chemical examples of communication
(Olfactory/ Gustatory)
- Glands
- Urine
- Faeces
- Pheromones
What are some tactile examples of communication
Play Courtship Fighting Grooming Parental Care
What do fireflies do to visually communicate?
Glow to attract mate
Which type of species communicate most effectively with visual signals
Diurnal species in open spaces
Can be short of long lived species
Short distance only
Give an example of auditory communication
Echolocation in bats to locate prey
Give an example of chemical signalling in communication
Female silkworm moths producing pheromones that are detected by males’ antennae to follow trail and find female
Female Bolas Spiders
Deer stags in rut wallow in own urine to bring females into oestrus
Coyotes use urine to mark territory boundaries
Which type of species is auditory signals more common in
Short lived species
Over long distances
What is the vomeronasal organ/ Jacobson’s organ
- Specialized organ – used exclusively to detect chemical cues – found in horses, elephants, snakes
What is the flehmen response
a lip curl to direct inhale compounds to the Jacobson’s organ
(in cats and ungulates)
How do Asian elephants communicate chemically
Males will use the vomeronasal organ to process chemical cues in female’s urine and detect if she is sexually receptive
When are tactile signals particularly important?
When building and maintaining relationships in social animals
What’s a specific example of tactile signalling
Grooming in chimps
- been shown that chimps which regularly groom each other show greater cooperation and food sharing
How do Knifefish use electrical signals
Produce species-specific electrical impulses from electric organs (muscles)
Use it to find prey through electrolocation and distinguish conspecifics
What are the 5 main functions of signals
- Sexual advertisement and mate attraction
- Role in conflict resolution
- Relocate and identify their own young or mates
- Share information with conspecifics
- Maintaining social groups
MATE FINDING CONFLICT IDENTIFICATION INFO SHARING SOCIAL STRUCTURE
IMICS
Why do animals need to use different signals
Environmental / ecological constraints of the habitat - may determine how effective each signal is
How does honest signalling work in conflict resolution
Honest signals indicate fighting capabilities
The cost is too high to risk fighting
Explain how Red Deer Ruts use honest signalling in conflict resolution
- In the mating season, red deer males defend a territory and a group of females
- Males roar and parallel walk to assess fighting abilities of each other
- Fighting is rare, but usually only occurs when individuals are of similar size/ match
How are communication signals used to locate offspring in Free-Tailed Bats
Females locate young in creches with thousands of others by using spatial memory, acoustic signalling and chemical signally.
Mother locates general area, pup calls, mother recognises and uses scent to confirm the pup identity
How do Vervet monkeys use auditory signalling to communicate with conspecifics
Vervet monkey adults give alarm calls - warn colony about predators
Allows action to be taken
How do Vervet Monkeys use superb starling alarm calls to communicate
Monkeys eavesdrop on starling alarm calls
Respond appropriately to aerial threat
Which species uses signalling to maintain hierarchical structures
wolves
Dominants vs subordinates
How do anglerfish use dishonest signalling
Their lure attracts other fish
Anglerfish prey on them
What is Batesian Mimicry
where palatable species mimic unpalatable species warning colouration (for own protection)
Give an example of batesian mimicry
Hoverflies mimicking wasps
King snakes mimic coral snakes
Atlas moth looks like snake head
Red eyed tree frog eyes look poisonous
How is Batesian Mimicry an effective dishonest signal
Predators avoid unpalatable-looking species. The palatable species doing the mimicry survives
What is Mullerian Mimicry
a natural phenomenon in which two or more poisonous species, that may or may not be closely related and share one or more common predators, have come to mimic each other’s warning signals.
Why don’t receivers of dishonest signals ignore them?
Because the response is often the most beneficial thing to do
i.e: predators won’t eat wasp-looking hoverflies because wasps sting
What are the 3 theoretical reasons for honest signals
Index
Handicap
Common Interest
What is the Index theory for honest signalling
A reliable signal of quality that cannot be faked
What is the Handicap theory of honest signalling
A signal whose reliability is ensured because it is costly to produce or has costly consequences
What is the common interest theory for honest signalling
Males and females have a shared interest or common interest in males honestly signalling their quality to females.
Nothing is gained from faking a signal, it benefits the greater good.
How do female bolas spiders demonstrate dishonest signalling?
Females mimic the pheromone attractant of female moths
Attracts male moths so they can be captured and eaten
What 2 main things to Red Deer do to show honest signals in a rut
- Roar
- Parallel walk
(To assess fighting abilities of one another)
What is Stridulation?
the act of producing sound, usually by rubbing two body parts together
