KIN RECOGNITION IN ANIMALS

Kin recognition in rattlesnakes.

Snakes are often regarded as the least social of all vertebrate groups, but this assumption stems from the fact that they are secretive and difficult to observe in nature, rather than direct evidence. Recent studies have revealed a surprising degree of social complexity in snakes. Here, I examine the ability of captive-raised timber rattlesnakes (Crotalus horridus) to recognize siblings by meas...

Kin recognition in plants?

Social Learning and Kin Recognition

A s Sherman (this issue) notes, I tried (Alexander 1990) to determine “the extent to which social learning, especially without self-reference, can account for the kin recognition findings of different investigators with different organisms . . . (p. 273). I had two motivations. First, I have had difftculty modeling the evolution of kin recognition via mechanisms that can function in the absence...

Signature Systems and Kin Recognition

Synopsis. This paper examines mechanisms of individual identification in the kin rec? ognition process. In type 1 kin recognition, the individual {e.g., a parent) learns the identifying cues (the "signature") of particular kin {e.g., offspring) at some stage when there are reliable contextual cues as to kinship {e.g., the parent finds the young in its nest). These kin are subsequently recognize...

Kin-informative recognition cues in ants.

Although social groups are characterized by cooperation, they are also often the scene of conflict. In non-clonal systems, the reproductive interests of group members will differ and individuals may benefit by exploiting the cooperative efforts of other group members. However, such selfish behaviour is thought to be rare in one of the classic examples of cooperation--social insect colonies--bec...