Cultural transmission of vocal dialect in the naked mole-rat

The queen's chirp rules Naked mole-rats are known for their eusocial lifestyle, living in colonies that consist of many workers and a single breeding queen. Little is about how individuals within these navigate the interactions must occur such complex cooperative group. Barker et al. show calls emitted by individuals, particular common “chirp” call, convey information specific to animal's group (see Perspective Buffenstein). Group differences cultural, rather than genetic, related queen: Cross-fostered pups adopt rearing colony's dialects, dialects change with queen replacement. Science , this issue p. 503 ; see also 461