6533b828fe1ef96bd1287adb

RESEARCH PRODUCT

Ecology and Evolution of Communication in Social Insects

Florian MenzelThomas SchmittVolker NehringSara D. Leonhardt

subject

0106 biological sciences0301 basic medicineInsectaContext (language use)Biology010603 evolutionary biology01 natural sciencesGeneral Biochemistry Genetics and Molecular BiologyPheromones03 medical and health sciencesGroup cohesivenessAnimalsSocialityCommunicationBehavior AnimalEcologybusiness.industryBiochemistry Genetics and Molecular Biology(all)Social complexityEusocialityBiological EvolutionAnimal Communication030104 developmental biologyEvolutionary ecologybusinessDivision of labourDiversity (business)

description

Insect life strategies comprise all levels of sociality from solitary to eusocial, in which individuals form persistent groups and divide labor. With increasing social complexity, the need to communicate a greater diversity of messages arose to coordinate division of labor, group cohesion, and concerted actions. Here we summarize the knowledge on prominent messages in social insects that inform about reproduction, group membership, resource locations, and threats and discuss potential evolutionary trajectories of each message in the context of social complexity.

yearjournalcountryeditionlanguage
2016-03-01Cell
10.1016/j.cell.2016.01.035http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.cell.2016.01.035