Presentation Details
| Competitive ability influences social interactions during partner selection in Polistes dominula Liana Feller, Emily C.Laub, Elizabeth A.Tibbetts. University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA |
Abstract
Many animals form cooperative groups, and their success may be influenced by social partner selection. However, we know relatively little about the process of partner selection in most taxa. Polistes dominula nest-founding queens engage in extended social partner sampling where they synchronously assess other wasps before selecting partners and establishing nests together. Here, we evaluate how individual competitive ability and social context influence cooperative and aggressive behaviors during partner assessment. We found that two indicators of competitive ability influenced partner assessment: body weight and facial patterns that signal fighting ability. Larger wasps received more trophallaxis and initiated more intense aggression than smaller wasps. Wasps with facial patterns that signaled higher fighting ability received more intense aggression and had fewer non-aggressive interactions than wasps that signaled lower fighting ability. Aggression declined after nests were founded, but trophallaxis did not change. Overall, our study suggests individual traits may impact cooperative group formation by shaping how animals assess and are assessed by potential partners.
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No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the author.
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