Week 3-8 Flashcards
Honest signals
Both sender and receiver obtain a fitness benefit (+/+) from communication
Deceitful signals
Sender uses a specially evolved signal to manipulate the behavior of a receiver such that the sender receives a fitness benefit but the receiver pays a fitness cost (+/-) from communication
Eavesdropping
Occurs when the sender pays a fitness cost but the receiver receives a fitness benefit… often accidental transfer of information (-/+) > deceitful receivers
Cuticular hydrocarbons (CHC)
Signaling molecule that help insects communicate
- Covers bodies of insects
- Used for communication about shared diet, allogrooming, fertility status, age, sex, distinguish nest mates from non-nest mates
Sensory hairs (sensilla basiconica) on antenna contain several olfactory neurons that detect hydrocarbons on the ant cuticle. Broad range of CHCs can be detected
Structure of birdsong (3)
1) Syllable: continuous sound separated from other sounds by silence
2) Motif: repeated syllables
3) Bout: full song sequence
Sexual dimorphism
Characteristics/skills that differ between individuals with different sex
Performance limit
Physiological limit in trill rate at specific frequencies
- Songs closer to performance limit indicates higher quality song
Instructive model
Mechanism of song learning > Anterior forebrain pathway
- HVC does NOT randomly innervate to RA, but rather forms a basic (innate) song
- AFP injects variability into the song; then, another brain region compares this to the song template
Dilution effect hypothesis
Individual’s risk of predation decreases when they are part of a larger group. Larger the group, lower chance of single individual being targeted by predator
Confusion effect hypothesis
Predators have harder time attacking prey in groups than when prey are isolated. Predators have hard time tracking on one individual among many available prey
Selfish herd hypothesis
Individuals in a group can reduce risk of predation by positioning themselves in the center of the group. Other members are used as a shield from predators
Mullerian mimicry
Species with effective defenses share a similar appearance or signaling
Batesian mimicry
When a species mimics the warning signals of another species without having the characteristics that make it undesirable to their shared predator
Ideal free distribution model
Predicts how animals will distribute themselves across a habitat based on resource availability and competition
Assumes that animals will distribute proportionately to available resource patches, and no animal could improve its fitness by moving to another location
