Communication

Question 1

Define communication

Answer 1

Transmission of information from a sender to a receiver, who may in different temporal or spatial location

Question 2

Examples of communication? (4)

Answer 2

‘Eavesdropping’ i.e. use of public info
Courtship behaviour
Warning signs
Releasers

Question 3

Key features of communication? (5)

Answer 3

At least 2 individuals
Can be between different species
Occurs in specific contexts for meaning to be clear
Lying may occur
Signal and receiver must have co-evolved

Question 4

What is haemolymph?

Answer 4

Chemical defence secreted by ladybirds - honest communication as they warn by bright colouration

Question 5

Deception in hoverflies?

Answer 5

Mimics - exploit colouration of wasps without possessing the dangerous trait

Question 6

Examples of pheromone communication? (2)

Answer 6

Kangaroos taste urine of females to gauge stage of oestrogen cycle for mating
Lions - use Jacobson’s organ to detect female pheromones

Question 7

Five types of sensory communication? (modes)

Answer 7

Visual
Auditory
Chemical
Tactile
Electrical

Question 8

What are the characteristics of sensory communication? (6)

Answer 8

Distance
Localisation i.e. do they need to be on the spot
Obstacle avoidance
Speed of exchange
Complexity
Durability

Question 9

What can influence birdsong?

Answer 9

Environment had greatest role - e.g. denser forests = low pitch, less frequencies

Question 10

Evolutionary origins of communication?

Answer 10

Derived from other purposes and co-opted for communication

e.g. crane courting dance originated as take off behaviour

Question 11

Multi-modal communication?

Answer 11

Using multiple modes e.g. visual and auditory to convey a signal

Question 12

Drosophila courtship signalling

Answer 12

1. Male orients to females, even in the dark, and releases pheromones
2. Male follows female, vibrating wing
3. Male licks female abdomen with feet (derived from feeding behaviour)
4. Copulation

Question 13

What did Jallon add to Drosophila mating?

Answer 13

Male wing vibration is dependent on female cuticular pheromones
Vibration also wafts pheromones to female - not just an auditory signal

Question 14

Honest signals?

Answer 14

Must be costly to send, and related to quality of sender

Generally driven by mate choice

Question 15

Cues vs signals?

Answer 15

Signals - evolved to increased fitness of sender by altering behaviour of receiver
Cues did not evolve for this purpose, even if they have the same effect

Question 16

Example of cue, not honest signal?

Answer 16

Baldness - although it is honest, i.e. is indicative of high testosterone and is costly, it did not evolve to show this

Question 17

Communication in red deer?

Answer 17

Males in ruts grunt (auditory) plus send chemical signals and have antlers (visual)
All day grunting indicates the male is strong - does not need to rest/eat
Larger body size - lower pitch

Question 18

What are the costs of honest signals? (3)

Answer 18

Predation risk
Energetic demand
Social cost

Question 19

Social cost of honest signals in birds?

Answer 19

Badge of status - larger badges indicate higher status. This comes with increased risk of conflict - if they lie, this is more likely to be fatal/damaging

Question 20

Dishonest signals in Fiddler crabs?

Answer 20

One large claw indicates quality of male - after loss in a fight, it can be regrown but as a ‘fake’ version which is then a dishonest signal

Question 21

Signalling in vervet monkeys

Answer 21

Alarm behaviour due to large social structure. Different alarm signals signal different threats (airborne, ground based) causing different behaviours (hiding, tree climbing) - all honest

Capuchins can exploit this by mimicking ground predator alarm, causing monkeys to abandon food and climb trees

Question 22

What are releasers?

Answer 22

Signs that stimulate a behaviour e.g. red dots on herring beaks where chicks peck for food