Individual recognition and individual identity signals in Polistes fuscatus wasps vary geographically

Tibbetts, Elizabeth A.; Ortiz, Christian Cely; Auteri, Giorgia G.; Simons, Meagan; Fearon, Michelle L.; Knowles, L. Lacey

doi:10.1016/j.anbehav.2021.03.018

Cited by 8 publications

(6 citation statements)

References 61 publications

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“…Wasps were trained using negative reinforcement to associate one set of stimuli with an unpleasant shock, and another set of stimuli with no shock (figure 1a). Our previous work has used the same training method to show how factors like social experience, sex, population of origin and type of stimulus influence Polistes learning performance [16][17][18]. For example, P. fuscatus are 'specialized' for conspecific face learning, as wasps with normal experience excel at learning conspecific face images [19] but cannot learn wasp faces without antennae [20].…”

Section: (B) Procedures (I) Trainingmentioning

confidence: 99%

Paper wasps form abstract concept of ‘same and different’

2022

Self Cite

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Concept formation requires animals to learn and use abstract rules that transcend the characteristics of specific stimuli. Abstract concepts are often associated with high levels of cognitive sophistication, so there has been much interest in which species can form and use concepts. A key abstract concept is that of sameness and difference, where stimuli are classified as either the same as or different than an original stimulus. Here, we used a simultaneous two-item same-different task to test whether paper wasps ( Polistes fuscatus) can learn and apply a same-different concept. We trained wasps by simultaneously presenting pairs of same or different stimuli (e.g. colours). Then, we tested whether wasps could apply the concept to new stimuli of the same type (e.g. new colours) and to new stimulus types (e.g. odours). We show that wasps learned a general concept of sameness or difference and applied it to new samples and types of stimuli. Notably, wasps were able to transfer the learned rules to new stimuli in a different sensory modality. Therefore, P. fuscatus can classify stimuli based on their relationships and apply abstract concepts to novel stimulus types. These results indicate that abstract concept learning may be more widespread than previously thought.

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Section: (B) Procedures (I) Trainingmentioning

confidence: 99%

Paper wasps form abstract concept of ‘same and different’

2022

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“…For example, socially isolated wasps of the species Polistes fuscatus do not develop face recognition, especially when deprived of social signals in the early stage of life [77]. Moreover, geographical distance has been shown to increase phenotype variability in the capacity for face recognition in two P. fuscatus populations [78]. Species with and without face recognition capacity possess different growth rates and complexities of neural connectivity in their anterior optic tubercle, suggesting a possible neural area which mediates such cognitive capacity [79].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Illusional Perspective across Humans and Bees

Gatto

Loukola

Petrazzini

et al. 2022

Vision

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For two centuries, visual illusions have attracted the attention of neurobiologists and comparative psychologists, given the possibility of investigating the complexity of perceptual mechanisms by using relatively simple patterns. Animal models, such as primates, birds, and fish, have played a crucial role in understanding the physiological circuits involved in the susceptibility of visual illusions. However, the comprehension of such mechanisms is still a matter of debate. Despite their different neural architectures, recent studies have shown that some arthropods, primarily Hymenoptera and Diptera, experience illusions similar to those humans do, suggesting that perceptual mechanisms are evolutionarily conserved among species. Here, we review the current state of illusory perception in bees. First, we introduce bees’ visual system and speculate which areas might make them susceptible to illusory scenes. Second, we review the current state of knowledge on misperception in bees (Apidae), focusing on the visual stimuli used in the literature. Finally, we discuss important aspects to be considered before claiming that a species shows higher cognitive ability while equally supporting alternative hypotheses. This growing evidence provides insights into the evolutionary origin of visual mechanisms across species.

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“…Therefore, we reasoned that southern P. fuscatus populations lacking variable color patterning would also fail to show individual recognition. To test for individual recognition, we compared aggression between encounters of familiar and unfamiliar wasps from populations at the northern and southern portions of the range of P. fuscatus, following previous studies 32,39,44,46 .…”

Section: Populations Differ In Individual Recognition Behaviormentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Here, we test the hypothesis that cooperative nesting selects for individual recognition in the northern paper wasp (Polistes fuscatus). This species provides an excellent study system for understanding the relationship between individual recognition and cooperation because both behaviors have been reported to vary across populations of this species 31,32 . Female P. fuscatus found nests in the spring, either as solitary foundresses or cooperatively with other foundresses.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…However, a selective link between cooperation and individual recognition has yet to be demonstrated. Within-species variation in recognition and patterns of cooperation 31,32 provides a powerful system to test for an evolutionary relationship between the two traits. In this paper, we test the hypothesis that cooperation selects for individual recognition using a combination of (1) common garden fitness assays of cooperative nesting behavior between populations with and without recognition, (2) an analysis of geographic clines in identity signaling and cooperation, and (3) population genomic analyses of the strength of selection on cognition loci.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Evidence for a selective link between cooperation and individual recognition

Tumulty,

Miller,

Van Belleghem

et al. 2023

Current Biology

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Individual recognition and individual identity signals in Polistes fuscatus wasps vary geographically

Cited by 8 publications

References 61 publications

Paper wasps form abstract concept of ‘same and different’

Paper wasps form abstract concept of ‘same and different’

Illusional Perspective across Humans and Bees

Evidence for a selective link between cooperation and individual recognition

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