Animal Communication – Animal Behavior Study Guide, Key Concepts and Communication
Systems Overview
Define communication - ANS ✔✔behaviour/characteristic of an ind that has an effect on
another's current/future behaviour.
Define signal - ANS ✔✔Behaviour that transmits info e.g. display, specifically evolved to
facilitate transfer of info, e.g. aposematism
Define cue - ANS ✔✔Features that influence behaviour without being specifically designed for it
e.g. weight
Define index - ANS ✔✔Signal that's reliable because it can't be cheated e.g. height of tiger
territory markings
Define symbol - ANS ✔✔Reliable signal because it involves a cost, CAN be cheated e.g. warning
colouration/status badges.
Honest signalling experiment - ANS ✔✔e.g. toad sp larger males less likely to be pushed off
female when mating and all males less likely to be pushed off when have deep croaks (esp when
small)
Intra-specific communication - ANS ✔✔1. Identity
2. Antagonistic interactions - e.g. lion manes - length signals fighting status to other males,
colour signals physiological qual (nutrition, testosterone) to females. Mane colour also temp
dependent. Darker mane correlates w longer repro life and survival. Higher temp -> lower food
intake, abnormal sperm.
3. Courtship rituals
4. Alarm calls - vervet monkeys, just series of stimulus and response or intended?
5. Food related signals
, 6. Begging
Interspecific communication - prey to predator - ANS ✔✔1. Warning colouration.
2. Mimicry - Mullerian or Batesian, play wounded/dead, eye spots
3. Pursuit deterrent signals.
4. Threat displays e.g. snake rattle.
Interspecific communication - predator to prey - ANS ✔✔1. Deceptive signals e.g. angler fish,
works bc RARE.
2. Aggressive mimicry.
Mutualistic and symbiotic species - ANS ✔✔E.g. ants and butterfly larvae.
Define channel - ANS ✔✔Medium through which signals are transmitted
Define modality - ANS ✔✔Sensory system used for communication
Sensory channel used... - ANS ✔✔...the habitat influences the efficiency of different sensory
channels. e.g. auditory signals have high energetic cost but good range and rate of change
Auditory signals - ANS ✔✔- Habitat structure affects sound propagation.
- Higher freqs lose energy faster.
- Elephants can communicate 10km apart.
Visual signals - ANS ✔✔Receivers perceive wavelength not absorbed.
Systems Overview
Define communication - ANS ✔✔behaviour/characteristic of an ind that has an effect on
another's current/future behaviour.
Define signal - ANS ✔✔Behaviour that transmits info e.g. display, specifically evolved to
facilitate transfer of info, e.g. aposematism
Define cue - ANS ✔✔Features that influence behaviour without being specifically designed for it
e.g. weight
Define index - ANS ✔✔Signal that's reliable because it can't be cheated e.g. height of tiger
territory markings
Define symbol - ANS ✔✔Reliable signal because it involves a cost, CAN be cheated e.g. warning
colouration/status badges.
Honest signalling experiment - ANS ✔✔e.g. toad sp larger males less likely to be pushed off
female when mating and all males less likely to be pushed off when have deep croaks (esp when
small)
Intra-specific communication - ANS ✔✔1. Identity
2. Antagonistic interactions - e.g. lion manes - length signals fighting status to other males,
colour signals physiological qual (nutrition, testosterone) to females. Mane colour also temp
dependent. Darker mane correlates w longer repro life and survival. Higher temp -> lower food
intake, abnormal sperm.
3. Courtship rituals
4. Alarm calls - vervet monkeys, just series of stimulus and response or intended?
5. Food related signals
, 6. Begging
Interspecific communication - prey to predator - ANS ✔✔1. Warning colouration.
2. Mimicry - Mullerian or Batesian, play wounded/dead, eye spots
3. Pursuit deterrent signals.
4. Threat displays e.g. snake rattle.
Interspecific communication - predator to prey - ANS ✔✔1. Deceptive signals e.g. angler fish,
works bc RARE.
2. Aggressive mimicry.
Mutualistic and symbiotic species - ANS ✔✔E.g. ants and butterfly larvae.
Define channel - ANS ✔✔Medium through which signals are transmitted
Define modality - ANS ✔✔Sensory system used for communication
Sensory channel used... - ANS ✔✔...the habitat influences the efficiency of different sensory
channels. e.g. auditory signals have high energetic cost but good range and rate of change
Auditory signals - ANS ✔✔- Habitat structure affects sound propagation.
- Higher freqs lose energy faster.
- Elephants can communicate 10km apart.
Visual signals - ANS ✔✔Receivers perceive wavelength not absorbed.
