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Communication of Status in the Social Wasp Polistes fuscatus (Hymenoptera: Vespidae)
Author(s) -
Downing H. A.,
Jeanne R. L.
Publication year - 1985
Publication title -
zeitschrift für tierpsychologie
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.739
H-Index - 74
eISSN - 1439-0310
pISSN - 0044-3573
DOI - 10.1111/j.1439-0310.1985.tb01380.x
Subject(s) - vespidae , paper wasp , hymenoptera , dominance (genetics) , biology , polistes , aggression , zoology , social status , dominance hierarchy , ecology , psychology , social psychology , sociology , biochemistry , gene , social science
Communication of status was demonstrated in females of the paper wasp, Polistes fuscatus . Wasps directed more aggression toward subordinates which were similar in status to themselves than toward dominants or low ranked subordinates. Chemical cues originating from both the head and the ovaries communicate status. The hypothesis that lateral vibrations are used by the queen to communicate her dominance to nestmates was not supported by our findings. No correlation was found between the amount of light body coloration and dominance status. Queens that had been tethered and were thus unable to pursue subordinates aggressively still communicated their status but their dominant rank in the colony was often affected.