Communication

Question 1

What is communication?

Answer 1

the transmission of a signal or signals between two or more organisms where selection has favoured both the production and reception of the signal

Question 2

What are 4 types of reactions in communication?

Answer 2

Rapid
Subtle
Delayed
Absent

Question 3

What is an example of a rapid reaction

Answer 3

Male fireflies - rapidly sly towards flashing female

Question 4

What is an example of a subtle reaction

Answer 4

A male antelope slightly alters direction of walking to avoid crossing a territorial boundary

Question 5

What is an example of a delayed reaction

Answer 5

Male goldfish begin to produce milt (sperm) after sensing pheromone signals in the water from females

Question 6

What is an example of an absent reaction

Answer 6

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

Question 7

How does natural selection control communication?

Answer 7

Communication helps species survival

The best communication = best survival = passed on to different generations

Question 8

Give an example of communication that only benefits the sender

Answer 8

Female bolas spiders

females produce pheromones that mimic sex-attractant of female moths
Male moths are lured in and captured

Question 9

Give an example of communication that only benefits the receiver

Answer 9

Male tungara frogs call to attract females

Fringe-lipped bats detect this call to locate the male frog and capture it

Question 10

Give a specific example of mutually benefitting communication

Answer 10

GREATER SAGE GROUSE
Males display strutting (energetically expensive)
Females receive the communication, can effectively choose a mate

= honest signalling

Question 11

Name 4 types of animal communication

Answer 11

Sensory communications:

• Visual
• Acoustic
• Chemical
• Tactile (body language)

Question 12

What are three examples of visual communication

Answer 12

Body posture
Facial expressions
Leaving signals
Markings
Flashing
Displays

Question 13

what are acoustic communication examples?

Answer 13

Snorting
Thump
Rattle (rattle snakes)
Calls
Rasp horns
Stridulation (fish, snakes, spiders)

Question 14

What are some chemical examples of communication

Answer 14

(Olfactory/ Gustatory)

• Glands
• Urine
• Faeces
• Pheromones

Question 15

What are some tactile examples of communication

Answer 15

Play 
Courtship 
Fighting
Grooming
Parental Care

Question 16

What do fireflies do to visually communicate?

Answer 16

Glow to attract mate

Question 17

Which type of species communicate most effectively with visual signals

Answer 17

Diurnal species in open spaces

Can be short of long lived species

Short distance only

Question 18

Give an example of auditory communication

Answer 18

Echolocation in bats to locate prey

Question 19

Give an example of chemical signalling in communication

Answer 19

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

Question 20

Which type of species is auditory signals more common in

Answer 20

Short lived species

Over long distances

Question 21

What is the vomeronasal organ/ Jacobson’s organ

Answer 21

• Specialized organ – used exclusively to detect chemical cues – found in horses, elephants, snakes

Question 22

What is the flehmen response

Answer 22

a lip curl to direct inhale compounds to the Jacobson’s organ

(in cats and ungulates)

Question 23

How do Asian elephants communicate chemically

Answer 23

Males will use the vomeronasal organ to process chemical cues in female’s urine and detect if she is sexually receptive

Question 24

When are tactile signals particularly important?

Answer 24

When building and maintaining relationships in social animals

Question 25

What's a specific example of tactile signalling

Answer 25

Grooming in chimps | - been shown that chimps which regularly groom each other show greater cooperation and food sharing

Question 26

How do Knifefish use electrical signals

Answer 26

Produce species-specific electrical impulses from electric organs (muscles) Use it to find prey through electrolocation and distinguish conspecifics

Question 27

What are the 5 main functions of signals

Answer 27

1. Sexual advertisement and mate attraction 2. Role in conflict resolution 3. Relocate and identify their own young or mates 4. Share information with conspecifics 5. Maintaining social groups ``` MATE FINDING CONFLICT IDENTIFICATION INFO SHARING SOCIAL STRUCTURE ``` *IMICS*

Question 28

Why do animals need to use different signals

Answer 28

Environmental / ecological constraints of the habitat - may determine how effective each signal is

Question 29

How does honest signalling work in conflict resolution

Answer 29

Honest signals indicate fighting capabilities | The cost is too high to risk fighting

Question 30

Explain how Red Deer Ruts use honest signalling in conflict resolution

Answer 30

- 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

Question 31

How are communication signals used to locate offspring in Free-Tailed Bats

Answer 31

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

Question 32

How do Vervet monkeys use auditory signalling to communicate with conspecifics

Answer 32

Vervet monkey adults give alarm calls - warn colony about predators Allows action to be taken

Question 33

How do Vervet Monkeys use superb starling alarm calls to communicate

Answer 33

Monkeys eavesdrop on starling alarm calls | Respond appropriately to aerial threat

Question 34

Which species uses signalling to maintain hierarchical structures

Answer 34

wolves | Dominants vs subordinates

Question 35

How do anglerfish use dishonest signalling

Answer 35

Their lure attracts other fish | Anglerfish prey on them

Question 36

What is Batesian Mimicry

Answer 36

where palatable species mimic unpalatable species warning colouration (for own protection)

Question 37

Give an example of batesian mimicry

Answer 37

Hoverflies mimicking wasps King snakes mimic coral snakes Atlas moth looks like snake head Red eyed tree frog eyes look poisonous

Question 38

How is Batesian Mimicry an effective dishonest signal

Answer 38

Predators avoid unpalatable-looking species. The palatable species doing the mimicry survives

Question 39

What is Mullerian Mimicry

Answer 39

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.

Question 40

Why don't receivers of dishonest signals ignore them?

Answer 40

Because the response is often the most beneficial thing to do i.e: predators won't eat wasp-looking hoverflies because wasps sting

Question 41

What are the 3 theoretical reasons for honest signals

Answer 41

Index Handicap Common Interest

Question 42

What is the Index theory for honest signalling

Answer 42

A reliable signal of quality that cannot be faked

Question 43

What is the Handicap theory of honest signalling

Answer 43

A signal whose reliability is ensured because it is costly to produce or has costly consequences

Question 44

What is the common interest theory for honest signalling

Answer 44

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.

Question 45

How do female bolas spiders demonstrate dishonest signalling?

Answer 45

Females mimic the pheromone attractant of female moths Attracts male moths so they can be captured and eaten

Question 46

What 2 main things to Red Deer do to show honest signals in a rut

Answer 46

- Roar - Parallel walk (To assess fighting abilities of one another)

Question 47

What is Stridulation?

Answer 47

the act of producing sound, usually by rubbing two body parts together