Biologie Animale

ADVANCES IN INSECT PHISIOLOGY

Auteur inconnu

Paper wasps have long been an important model in socioecology for understanding cooperative behavior and dominance hierarchies. They are also notable for their social flexibility. Individuals can pursue multiple strategies. There is a growing body of hormonal and transcriptional work that documents physiological links associated with differences in dominance rank and behavior. This chapter provides a detailed overview of the variation observed in paper wasp social structure and the current state of knowledge for how that relates to reproduction, aggression, physiology, and dominance. Social interactions can lead to rapid changes in hormone titers and transcription, suggesting mechanisms that can link social outcomes with changes in physiology. The potential mechanisms for social behavior—physiology feedbacks are discussed and areas where additional work is needed are highlighted throughout.