Teaching in Tandem-running Ants.
From: School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 IUG, UK. nigel.franks@bristol.ac.uk
Nature
- Publish Date: Jan 2006
- ISSN: 1476-4687
- Volume: 439
- Issue: 7073
- Pages: 153
- Medium: Internet
- Language: English
- Citation (JAMA): Franks Nigel R, Richardson Tom, et al. Teaching in Tandem-running Ants.. Nature Jan 2006;439:153
Abstract
The ant Temnothorax albipennis uses a technique known as tandem running to lead another ant from the nest to food — with signals between the two ants controlling both the speed and course of the run. Here we analyse the results of this communication and show that tandem running is an example of teaching, to our knowledge the first in a non-human animal, that involves bidirectional feedback between teacher and pupil. This behaviour indicates that it could be the value of information, rather than the constraint of brain size, that has influenced the evolution of teaching.
Mesh Headings (Keywords): Animal Communication, Animals, Ants, Feedback, Learning, Teaching
Check for Full Text / PubMed Unique Identifier (PMID): 16407943
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