Animal Communication Final – Animal Behavior Study Guide, Comprehensive Review and
Exam Preparation
Discuss the relative advantages and disadvantages of acoustic, visual and chemical signals in
terms of their transmission properties. Consider each of the following properties and give
examples where applicable: range, transmission rate, flow around barrier, night use, fadeout
time, loanability of sender, and cost to sender.: - ANS ✔✔Range is generally advantageous for
communicatory purposes. Chemical and acoustic communication are both long-range, visual is
medium range, and tactile is short range.
Transmission rate is generally advantageous for communicatory purposes. Chemical
communication is short, acoustic, visual and tactical are fast.
Chemical and acoustical communication can flow around barriers but visual and tactical
communication cannot.
Chemical and acoustical communication can be used at night and visual and tactical cannot.
Chemical communication has slow fadeout and acoustic, visual, and chemical communication
have fast fadeout
Chemical communication has low locatability, acoustic communication has fairly easy
locatability, and tactical and visual communication has easy locatability
Chemical communication has low energy expense, acoustical has high, visual has low to
moderate, and tactile has low energy expense
Define and give an example of active space (pheromones) - ANS ✔✔An elongated plume of
volatile molecules which is formed when pheromones are released in the air.
, Define and give an example of concentration gradient - ANS ✔✔The gradual lessening of
volatile molecule concentration within an active space due to diffusion
Define and give an example of anemotaxis - ANS ✔✔The use of wind direction as a method of
orientation to find the point source of a pheromone.
Define and give an example of vomeronasal organ - ANS ✔✔Contact chemoreceptor found in
most vertebrates except fish and birds. • Located in the palate below the nasal cavity. •
Responsive to non-volatile chemical components of natural secretions.
Define and give an example of acoustic ranging - ANS ✔✔The ability to tell how far away a
sound is, as indicated by amplitude decline, degradation of signal characteristics, scattering,
interference, and echoes
Define and give an example of Hockett's design features - ANS ✔✔16 basic properties that
distinguish language from other forms of communication in animals.
Define and give an example of handicap principle - ANS ✔✔The investment required for using
the signal must be greater than the potential gain a cheater would make from using it
improperly.
Define and give an example of social grooming - ANS ✔✔A form of tactile communication which
serves to maintain and strengthen social bonds and resolve conflicts in primates. Grooming
keeps fur clean of dirt, dead skin, and parasites. It is also found in birds in the form of
allopreening.
Define and give an example of interspecies mimicry - ANS ✔✔The mimicking of one species'
signaling by another. E.g. bolas spiders releasing moth sex pheromones to capture moths.
Exam Preparation
Discuss the relative advantages and disadvantages of acoustic, visual and chemical signals in
terms of their transmission properties. Consider each of the following properties and give
examples where applicable: range, transmission rate, flow around barrier, night use, fadeout
time, loanability of sender, and cost to sender.: - ANS ✔✔Range is generally advantageous for
communicatory purposes. Chemical and acoustic communication are both long-range, visual is
medium range, and tactile is short range.
Transmission rate is generally advantageous for communicatory purposes. Chemical
communication is short, acoustic, visual and tactical are fast.
Chemical and acoustical communication can flow around barriers but visual and tactical
communication cannot.
Chemical and acoustical communication can be used at night and visual and tactical cannot.
Chemical communication has slow fadeout and acoustic, visual, and chemical communication
have fast fadeout
Chemical communication has low locatability, acoustic communication has fairly easy
locatability, and tactical and visual communication has easy locatability
Chemical communication has low energy expense, acoustical has high, visual has low to
moderate, and tactile has low energy expense
Define and give an example of active space (pheromones) - ANS ✔✔An elongated plume of
volatile molecules which is formed when pheromones are released in the air.
, Define and give an example of concentration gradient - ANS ✔✔The gradual lessening of
volatile molecule concentration within an active space due to diffusion
Define and give an example of anemotaxis - ANS ✔✔The use of wind direction as a method of
orientation to find the point source of a pheromone.
Define and give an example of vomeronasal organ - ANS ✔✔Contact chemoreceptor found in
most vertebrates except fish and birds. • Located in the palate below the nasal cavity. •
Responsive to non-volatile chemical components of natural secretions.
Define and give an example of acoustic ranging - ANS ✔✔The ability to tell how far away a
sound is, as indicated by amplitude decline, degradation of signal characteristics, scattering,
interference, and echoes
Define and give an example of Hockett's design features - ANS ✔✔16 basic properties that
distinguish language from other forms of communication in animals.
Define and give an example of handicap principle - ANS ✔✔The investment required for using
the signal must be greater than the potential gain a cheater would make from using it
improperly.
Define and give an example of social grooming - ANS ✔✔A form of tactile communication which
serves to maintain and strengthen social bonds and resolve conflicts in primates. Grooming
keeps fur clean of dirt, dead skin, and parasites. It is also found in birds in the form of
allopreening.
Define and give an example of interspecies mimicry - ANS ✔✔The mimicking of one species'
signaling by another. E.g. bolas spiders releasing moth sex pheromones to capture moths.
