CommunicationCommunication

Psychology 3106Psychology 3106

IntroductionIntroduction

Animals spend a lot of time communicatingAnimals spend a lot of time communicating DefenseDefense MatingMating Food sourcesFood sources

To say communication has occurred we need a To say communication has occurred we need a sender and a receiversender and a receiver

As usual, we can look at evolutionary change, or As usual, we can look at evolutionary change, or adaptive value (or both of course)adaptive value (or both of course)

You can dance if you want to….You can dance if you want to….

Dance language of the Dance language of the honeybeeshoneybeesFunction is to Function is to communicate location of communicate location of food sources to hive food sources to hive membersmembersHive members then can Hive members then can interpret the danceinterpret the danceThey then go out in the They then go out in the right direction and right direction and distance (or just right distance (or just right direction, depends) and direction, depends) and find the foodfind the food

The Round DanceThe Round Dance

Used only if food source is < 50 m awayUsed only if food source is < 50 m away

Number of circuits in a given time tell how far Number of circuits in a given time tell how far away food source isaway food source is

No direction info is given with the round danceNo direction info is given with the round dance

The Waggle DanceThe Waggle Dance

If food source is > 50 m awayIf food source is > 50 m awayRedundant sources of distance infoRedundant sources of distance info Number of circuitsNumber of circuits Number of wagglesNumber of waggles Number of sound burstsNumber of sound bursts All proportional to distanceAll proportional to distance

Angle of straight line portion of dance Angle of straight line portion of dance gives compass direction!gives compass direction! Up is where the sun is in the skyUp is where the sun is in the sky

If you donIf you don’’t think this t think this is cool…..is cool…..

If they are forced to If they are forced to dance in the open air, dance in the open air, they will actually use they will actually use the sun rather than the sun rather than ‘‘up means sunup means sun’’

Reconstructing the evolution of the Reconstructing the evolution of the honeybee dancehoneybee dance

LindauerLindauer’’s works work

All honeybees danceAll honeybees dance

All other Apids dance, All other Apids dance, but Apis Florea uses but Apis Florea uses a sort of open air a sort of open air ‘‘dance floordance floor’’

And the story continues…And the story continues…

Some Trigona Some Trigona species just get exited species just get exited and hum a lotand hum a lot Giving out food in the Giving out food in the

process actuallyprocess actually

Other Trigona species Other Trigona species leave a scent mark as leave a scent mark as wellwellMelipona give out Melipona give out pulses of soundpulses of sound Sort of leads Sort of leads ‘‘em outem out

Adaptive ValueAdaptive Value

The Hive works together anyway, so its best to The Hive works together anyway, so its best to get to food quickly, by getting others involvedget to food quickly, by getting others involved The hive works together, but for very specific The hive works together, but for very specific

reasons, and it is not altruism, more on that when we reasons, and it is not altruism, more on that when we get thereget there

DonDon’’t have to waste time leading others out, risk t have to waste time leading others out, risk predation etcpredation etc

Costs?Costs? Other animals could interpret the signalOther animals could interpret the signal Very unlikely in the bee exampleVery unlikely in the bee example

Sometimes other animals get the Sometimes other animals get the signal…..signal…..

Tungura FrogsTungura Frogs

Females like the Females like the ‘‘whine whine chuckchuck’’ call call

Everybody whine chuck tonight….Everybody whine chuck tonight….

(Drives the babes wild)(Drives the babes wild)

But, umm, bats like it too, But, umm, bats like it too, and bats eat frogs!and bats eat frogs!

When they are alone, When they are alone, males only whine, when males only whine, when they are with other males, they are with other males, they they ‘‘whine chuckwhine chuck’’

You might just get what you wish You might just get what you wish for, so be careful..for, so be careful..

Male European toads Male European toads callcall

Biggest females Biggest females respondrespond

Ummm errr, well, Ummm errr, well, ummm, it can get ummm, it can get ugly, letsugly, lets’’ just say just say that….that….

ConclusionsConclusions

Animals communicate alll the timeAnimals communicate alll the time OlfactoryOlfactory CallsCalls Various other signalsVarious other signals

Others can learn to pick up on the signalsOthers can learn to pick up on the signals

Nothing like language though!Nothing like language though! Humans win humans win!!!Humans win humans win!!!