L11 - Communication Flashcards
What is aposematism?
The advertising by an animal that it is not worth attacking or eating as it looks difficult to kill and eat, through ways such as toxicity, venom, foul taste or smell, sharp spines, or aggressive nature
How do male kangaroos check if a female is a good mate?
By tasting urine
What is flehmen response?
Animal lifts upper lip and can gather chemical “messages” in the air - pheromones.
Which organ is used in flehmens response?
Vomeronasal organ (VNO) aka Jacboson’s organ
What is the acoustic adaptation hypothesis?
The signal characteristics of a birdsong is better predicted by the environment
How can the way an animal communicates be decided?
By the features of each type of signal i.e different types of signals have different strengths and weaknesses
How was drosophila courtship previously understood?
Male provides courtship and then female chooses if she would like to mate
How is drosophila courtship now understood?
The quantity of male wing vibration is determined by female cuticular pheromones therefore female is determining male behaviour
Are honest signals always accurate?
No
What is an honest signal?
Signal is correlated with sender quality/ fitness
Requires resources to produce (direct cost) or increase risk to bearer (indirect cost)
Generally driven by sexual selection and mate choice
Difference between signal and cue
Signals evolved to increase fitness of sender by altering behaviour of receiver
Cues did not evolve in this way, even though receiver may use them this way
E.g size is a cue, antlers are a signal
What information is in a male red deer’s grunt?
Lower frequency grunt = larger body
Grunt more frequently = more dominant
Individuality = each grunt is different
In birds, what is the cost of the badge of status?
The cost is not in the production/ upkeep but in the social consequences - big badge of status is associated with aggression and dominance so more likely to be attacked
Give an example of a dishonest signal with crabs
Male crabs with one claw bigger than other - begins as an honest signal but if the claw has to be regrown it is now dishonest as it less dense so useless
Give an example of a dishonest signal with monkeys
Capuchin monkeys performed a alarm call in order to get all the food as it caused the vervet monkeys to run even though there was no reason for alarm
