26.3: Communication

Communication between two animals occurs when one animal transmits an information signal that causes a change in the animal that receives the information. Organisms communicate with one another in a host of different ways. Signals can be auditory, chemical, visual, tactile, or a combination of these. Communication is a critical behavioral adaptation that promotes survival, growth, and reproduction.

Types of Communication

A common form of communication is visual. Visual communication can be used to attract a mate, like the elaborate dances of the bird-of-paradise, or issue a warning, like the bared teeth of a wolf or the bright aposematic coloration of a banded sea krait (a venomous snake). The waggle-dance of the bee is another crucial visual communication that informs other members of the hive about the location of resources.

Animals also frequently use chemical signals to send messages. For example, canids, like the coyote, will often scent-mark to establish dominance or attract a mate.

Auditory communication is also common, including vocalizations like howls, songs, or chirps. Crickets, for example, use species-specific acoustic signals (typically a series of chirps) to communicate with conspecifics. Elephants use infrasounds, very low frequency sounds below the range of human hearing, to communicate.

The Madagascar hissing cockroach is one of many insect species that use tactile communication. In particular, they employ a technique called antennation—literally the touching of antennae to a prospective partner, in this case. Many other animals also use tactile gestures, including humans.

Communication is the process of transmitting and receiving signals, various stimuli that are exchanged between organisms.

For example, coyotes communicate using all four modes, auditory, chemical, visual, and tactile.

They often vocalize to identify themselves and reunite with family members, or even to mark their territories, which can also be delineated through chemical means. For instance, by urinating around their home range boundaries. When approached by an outsider, the dominant coyote will display visual signs such as raising its tail and fur and showing its teeth.

While the subordinate one tucks his tail and may even roll over on the ground to allow for a tactile acknowledgement.

Such behavioral adaptations in the animal's environment infers survival and growth, outcomes that are crucial for sustaining lifestyles.