Ants modulate stridulatory signals depending on the behavioural context

Abstract Insect societies require an effective communication system to coordinate members’ activities. Although eusocial species primarily use chemical communication to convey information to conspecifics, there is increasing evidence suggesting that vibroacoustic communication plays a significant ro...

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Autores principales:	A. Masoni, F. Frizzi, R. Nieri, L. P. Casacci, V. Mazzoni, S. Turillazzi, G. Santini
Formato:	article
Lenguaje:	EN
Publicado:	Nature Portfolio 2021
Materias:	Medicine R Science Q
Acceso en línea:	https://doaj.org/article/09d27e8942a74c5c894e34aaf1cb0c66
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spelling	oai:doaj.org-article:09d27e8942a74c5c894e34aaf1cb0c662021-12-02T17:05:45ZAnts modulate stridulatory signals depending on the behavioural context10.1038/s41598-021-84925-z2045-2322https://doaj.org/article/09d27e8942a74c5c894e34aaf1cb0c662021-03-01T00:00:00Zhttps://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-84925-zhttps://doaj.org/toc/2045-2322Abstract Insect societies require an effective communication system to coordinate members’ activities. Although eusocial species primarily use chemical communication to convey information to conspecifics, there is increasing evidence suggesting that vibroacoustic communication plays a significant role in the behavioural contexts of colony life. In this study, we sought to determine whether stridulation can convey information in ant societies. We tested three main hypotheses using the Mediterranean ant Crematogaster scutellaris: (i) stridulation informs about the emitter’caste; (ii) workers can modulate stridulation based on specific needs, such as communicating the profitability of a food resource, or (iii) behavioural contexts. We recorded the stridulations of individuals from the three castes, restrained on a substrate, and the signals emitted by foragers workers feeding on honey drops of various sizes. Signals emitted by workers and sexuates were quantitatively and qualitatively distinct as was stridulation emitted by workers on different honey drops. Comparing across the experimental setups, we demonstrated that signals emitted in different contexts (restraining vs feeding) differed in emission patterns as well as certain parameters (dominant frequency, amplitude, duration of chirp). Our findings suggest that vibrational signaling represents a flexible communication channel paralleling the well-known chemical communication system.A. MasoniF. FrizziR. NieriL. P. CasacciV. MazzoniS. TurillazziG. SantiniNature PortfolioarticleMedicineRScienceQENScientific Reports, Vol 11, Iss 1, Pp 1-12 (2021)
institution	DOAJ
collection	DOAJ
language	EN
topic	Medicine R Science Q
spellingShingle	Medicine R Science Q A. Masoni F. Frizzi R. Nieri L. P. Casacci V. Mazzoni S. Turillazzi G. Santini Ants modulate stridulatory signals depending on the behavioural context
description	Abstract Insect societies require an effective communication system to coordinate members’ activities. Although eusocial species primarily use chemical communication to convey information to conspecifics, there is increasing evidence suggesting that vibroacoustic communication plays a significant role in the behavioural contexts of colony life. In this study, we sought to determine whether stridulation can convey information in ant societies. We tested three main hypotheses using the Mediterranean ant Crematogaster scutellaris: (i) stridulation informs about the emitter’caste; (ii) workers can modulate stridulation based on specific needs, such as communicating the profitability of a food resource, or (iii) behavioural contexts. We recorded the stridulations of individuals from the three castes, restrained on a substrate, and the signals emitted by foragers workers feeding on honey drops of various sizes. Signals emitted by workers and sexuates were quantitatively and qualitatively distinct as was stridulation emitted by workers on different honey drops. Comparing across the experimental setups, we demonstrated that signals emitted in different contexts (restraining vs feeding) differed in emission patterns as well as certain parameters (dominant frequency, amplitude, duration of chirp). Our findings suggest that vibrational signaling represents a flexible communication channel paralleling the well-known chemical communication system.
format	article
author	A. Masoni F. Frizzi R. Nieri L. P. Casacci V. Mazzoni S. Turillazzi G. Santini
author_facet	A. Masoni F. Frizzi R. Nieri L. P. Casacci V. Mazzoni S. Turillazzi G. Santini
author_sort	A. Masoni
title	Ants modulate stridulatory signals depending on the behavioural context
title_short	Ants modulate stridulatory signals depending on the behavioural context
title_full	Ants modulate stridulatory signals depending on the behavioural context
title_fullStr	Ants modulate stridulatory signals depending on the behavioural context
title_full_unstemmed	Ants modulate stridulatory signals depending on the behavioural context
title_sort	ants modulate stridulatory signals depending on the behavioural context
publisher	Nature Portfolio
publishDate	2021
url	https://doaj.org/article/09d27e8942a74c5c894e34aaf1cb0c66
work_keys_str_mv	AT amasoni antsmodulatestridulatorysignalsdependingonthebehaviouralcontext AT ffrizzi antsmodulatestridulatorysignalsdependingonthebehaviouralcontext AT rnieri antsmodulatestridulatorysignalsdependingonthebehaviouralcontext AT lpcasacci antsmodulatestridulatorysignalsdependingonthebehaviouralcontext AT vmazzoni antsmodulatestridulatorysignalsdependingonthebehaviouralcontext AT sturillazzi antsmodulatestridulatorysignalsdependingonthebehaviouralcontext AT gsantini antsmodulatestridulatorysignalsdependingonthebehaviouralcontext
_version_	1718381771865718784

Ants modulate stridulatory signals depending on the behavioural context

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