Possible evidence for shift work schedules in the media workers of the ant species Camponotus compressus

The locomotor activity rhythm of the media workers of the ant species Camponotus compressus was monitored under constant conditions of the laboratory to understand the role of circadian clocks in social organization. The locomotor activity rhythm of most ants entrained to a 24 h light/dark (12:12 h; LD) cycle and free-ran under constant darkness (DD) with circadian periodicities. Under entrained conditions about 75% of media workers displayed nocturnal activity patterns, and the rest showed diurnal activity patterns. In free-running conditions these ants displayed three types of activity patterns (turn-around). The free-running period (τ) of the locomotor activity rhythm of some ants (10 out of 21) showed period lengthening, and those of a few (6 out of 21) showed period shortening, whereas the locomotor activity rhythm of the rest of the ants (5 out of 21) underwent large phase shifts. Interestingly, the pre-turn-around τ of those ants that showed nocturnal activity patterns during earlier LD entrainment was shorter than 24 h, which became greater than 24 h after 6-9 days of free-run in DD. On the other hand, the pre-turn-around τ of those ants, which exhibited diurnal patterns during earlier LD entrainment, was greater than 24 h, which became shorter than 24 h after 6-9 days of free-run in DD. The patterns of activity under LD cycles and the turn-around of activity patterns in DD regime suggest that these ants are shift workers in their respective colonies, and they probably use their circadian clocks for this purpose. Circadian plasticity thus appears to be a general strategy of the media workers of the ant species C. compressus to cope with the challenges arising due to their roles in the colony constantly exposed to a fluctuating environment.     

Auditory sensitivity and frequency selectivity in greater spear-nosed bats suggest specializations for acoustic communication

We investigated the relationship between auditory sensitivity, frequency selectivity, and the vocal repertoire of greater spear-nosed bats (Phyllostomus hastatus). P. hastatus commonly emit three types of vocalizations: group-specific foraging calls that range from 6 to 11 kHz, low amplitude echolocation calls that sweep from 80 to 40 kHz, and infant isolation calls from 15 to 100 kHz. To determine if hearing in P. hastatus is differentially sensitive or selective to frequencies in these calls, we determined absolute thresholds and masked thresholds using an operant conditioning procedure. Both absolute and masked thresholds were lowest at 15 kHz, which corresponds with the peak energy of isolation calls. Auditory and masked thresholds were higher at sound frequencies used for group-specific foraging calls and echolocation calls. Isolation calls meet the requirements of individual signatures and facilitate parent-offspring recognition. Many bat species produce isolation calls with peak energy between 10 and 25 kHz, which corresponds with the frequency region of highest sensitivity in those species for which audiogram data are available. These findings suggest that selection for accurate offspring recognition exerts a strong influence on the sensory system of P. hastatus and likely on other species of group-living bats.     

Breeding biology and social behaviour of Magellanic Woodpeckers (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Campephilus magellanicus</Emphasis>) in Argentine Patagonia

The Magellanic Woodpecker (Campephilus magellanicus) is a poorly known species endemic of the Austral Temperate Forests of South America, where it is a potential keystone habitat modifier. Here, I summarize data on the social and breeding biology of this woodpecker, based on 22 active nests located from 1998–2002 in forests from northwestern Argentine Patagonia. Woodpeckers normally traveled in pairs or family parties. In late Austral winter, one to three cavities were selected for completion at each territory. Breeding occurred between mid- to late spring and early to mid-summer, and took about 65 days. Monogamous parents shared duties in nest excavation, incubation and young rearing. Egg length (±SD) measured 34.13±0.79 mm and egg breadth 23.91±0.67 mm, and incubation took roughly 20 days. Nestlings were altricial and remained at the nest for about 45 days. Clutch size was one, occasionally two eggs, and one nestling was produced at all successful nests. Young remained with their family group for up to 2 years or more, and were fed by adults, who normally bred every second year. Nest re-use, nest predation and helpers at the nest were not recorded. Holes were placed (±SD) 8.84±3.71 m high and were 32.3±5.32 cm deep. Entrances (±SD) were 8.92±0.46 cm wide and 15.59±2.54 cm high and mostly oval in shape. Peculiarities of the breeding biology and social behaviour of this species are discussed in the light of patterns common to picids, especially Campephilus spp.     

Social correlates of stress in adult males of the great gerbil,Rhombomys opimus,in years of high and low population densities

The great gerbil, Rhombomys opimus, is the most social species in the Gerbillinae. The social structure consists of family groups that occupy isolated systems of burrows consisting of one breeding male, from one to seven females, and juveniles. During a year of peak density and one of density decline, we studied the influence of group size, group composition, local density, and distance to the nearest groups on fecal corticosterone and testosterone concentrations in breeding males. We also examined the relationship of hormone concentrations to the survival of males during the summer drought between the spring and the fall. We found that males differed in concentrations of steroid hormones. Concentrations of testosterone were lower whereas those of corticosterone tended to be higher in a year of high population densities compared with higher testosterone and lower corticosterone in a year with a lower density. This finding suggests that stress may be greater in higher densities because of increased social contact. Stepwise regression analysis revealed a positive and significant influence of the number of adult females in a family group on concentrations of fecal corticosterone and testosterone in adult males. Concentrations of corticosterone were also significantly higher in males that disappeared from family groups between the spring and the fall compared with males still alive in family groups in the fall. There was no change in concentrations of testosterone. These results suggest that social interactions within large family groups may be an important source of stress for adult males.     

Learning to fear and cope with a natural stressor: individually and socially acquired corticosterone and avoidance responses to biting flies

Animals learn to recognize and respond to a variety of dangerous factors, with biting and blood-feeding flies being among the most prevalent of natural stressors. Here we describe the behavioral avoidance and hormonal (corticosterone) stress responses to biting fly exposure and the roles of individual and social learning in the acquisition of these fear-associated responses. Male mice exposed to a single 30-min session of attack by intact biting flies (stable fly, Stomoxys calcitrans L.) exhibited increased plasma corticosterone levels and active self-burying responses to avoid the flies. When exposed 24 h later to altered flies whose biting mouth parts were removed and were incapable of biting, the mice displayed conditioned increases in corticosterone and avoidance responses. This conditioned increase in corticosterone and self-burying was also acquired through social learning without direct individual experience with the intact biting flies. Fly naive "observer" mice that witnessed other "demonstrator" mice being attacked by biting flies, but were not exposed to intact flies themselves, displayed increases in corticosterone levels and self-burying to avoid flies when exposed 24 h later to altered flies. The social learning was not due to social facilitation or sensitization. Observers had to witness the self-burying avoidance responses of the demonstrator to the biting flies in order to subsequently recognize a potential threat to themselves and display the appropriate responses. These individually and socially acquired conditioned fear responses are likely part of the mechanisms that allow animals to defend themselves from biting and blood-feeding arthropods.     

A preliminary study on the social relationships in a semi-free ranging colony of sun-tailed monkeys (Cercopithecus solatus), a species recently discovered in Gabon

In 1984, a species of guenon endemic to Gabon was discovered: the sun-tailed monkey (Cercopithecus solatus). This species is difficult to locate and observe in the wild, and hence to date has been little studied. The Centre International de Recherches Médicales de Franceville (CIRMF), Gabon, houses the world’s only breeding colony ofC. solatus, on which eco-ethological investigations can be carried out in a semi-free ranging environment. The data reported here present the first results of observations on the social relationships of this colony and support the scant field observations available on this species, showing a basic social unit of one adult male and several females with their offspring. The resident male systematically repulses any second adult male in proximity to the group. A clear hierarchy exists among the females, with mature female offspring eventually acquiring a rank just below that of their mother.     

Status-dependent behavioural sex change in a polygynous coral-reef fish, Halichoeres melanurus

To examine how a change in an individual's social status could influence its behavioural sex, we conducted male "removal-and-return" experiments in the polygynous wrasse, Halichoeres melanurus. This coral-reef fish is a protogynous hermaphrodite: the largest female (LF) living in a male's territory typically completes functional sex change within 2–3 weeks after the male's disappearance. In this experiment we removed males from their territories just prior to spawning time, about 1 h before sunset. In 12 of 30 trials, the resident LF spawned in the male role with smaller females, 21–98 min after male removal. Previous research suggests the LF should readily adopt male sexual behaviour to retain smaller females as future mates. However, the LFs of smaller body size were less likely to immediately perform male-role behaviour. This could be related to females' preference for larger mates: smaller LFs would be less likely to be chosen by other females, even if they could complete sex change and defend a territory. When a male was returned immediately after an occurrence of female–female spawning, the LF subsequently spawned in the female role with the returned male (6 of 12 trials). It could be adaptive for the LFs to accept a larger male as a mate rather than to fight against it. Thus, behavioural sex is reversible in H. melanurus, changing rapidly with social status. Electronic Publication     

Changes in unit structures and infanticide observed in Arsi geladas

In 1989 a new gelada baboon (Theropithecus gelada) population was found in Arsi, on the opposite side of the Rift Valley to that of the known gelada populations of Semien and Showa. Previous comparisons of units of the band at Gado Goro, Arsi, in the same season in consecutive years, indicated that unit structure is less stable among Arsi geladas as compared to the Semien population. Gelada units of the band at Gado-Goro were studied for 7 months in order to investigate the processes of social changes. Changes in unit structure were observed. Provisioning was carried out for 1.5 months at the beginning of the 7-month study period, in order to capture and obtain blood samples from the geladas. Following this, changes in male leadership of some units were observed, presumably as a consequence of the capture. However, natural changes also occurred. One change in unit structure occurred after a female gave birth, and changes in another unit occurred after the disappearance of the leader male. These changes involved female desertion of a unit, her subsequent transfer to a male unit, and culminated in the formation of a unit consisting of one female and one male. One successful and one attempted case of unification of units, and one case of change of a unit leader male are reported. These changes occurred among eight resident units in a period of 7 months (196 female months). Though the types of social changes were not much different from previous observations in Semien National Park, their frequencies seemed to be much higher. The characteristics of Arsi gelada social changes are proposed to be related to the small size of the units. We also describe a new confirmed case and one suspected case of infanticide, as well as one case of abortion at the time of male leader change.     

'Gatherings' of social grooming among wild chimpanzees: implications for evolution of sociality

Chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) often groom in gatherings that cannot simply be divided into unilateral dyadic grooming interactions. This feature of grooming is studied at two different levels: grooming cliques and grooming clusters. Grooming cliques are defined as directly connected configurations of grooming interactions at any given moment, and when any member of a clique successively grooms any member of another clique within 5min and within a distance of 3m, all the members of both cliques are defined as being in the same grooming cluster. Twenty-seven types of cliques are observed, with the largest one consisting of seven individuals. Mutual and/or polyadic cliques account for more than 25% of all cliques. The size of grooming clusters varies from two to 23 individuals, and almost 70% of the grooming time is spent in polyadic clusters. Although adult males groom the longest in relatively smaller clusters (size=2-4), adult females groomed the longest in clusters of five or more individuals. A review of the literature implies that mutual and polyadic cliques occur less often in other primate species than in chimpanzees. The importance of overlapping interactions for these kinds of gatherings and its possible significance in the evolution of sociality is discussed in this article.     

Free amino acids in the haemolymph of honey bee queens (Apis mellifera L.)

In queen honey bees the free amino acid content in the haemolymph clearly depends on the physiological function and social environment of the individual. While in drones and workers the content of free amino acids increases after emergence until it reaches a peak in 5-day-old animals and decreases afterwards, the amino acid content in queens reaches its highest level (>60 nmol/ microl haemolymph) with the onset of egg laying (10 d of age). This level is about 2.5 times more than the highest level found in workers. Queens maintain this high level also when they are older (>30 d) and continue to lay eggs in average colonies. As in drones and workers, in queens the predominant amino acid is proline, which accounts for more than 50% of the total content of free amino acids in egg-laying individuals. When 10-day-old queens are prevented from mating and do not lay eggs, their amino acid content is significantly lower compared to laying queens of the same age. Also the social environment influences the contents of free amino acids in queens. When virgin queens were kept for 6 days with 20 worker bees and sufficient honey and pollen in an incubator, they had significantly lower concentrations of amino acids than virgin queens living for the same period with about 8000 workers in a colony. Most probably, the high amino acid concentration in the haemolymph is the basis for the high protein synthesis activity of laying queens.