symonds-leadersbenefit-2014.pdf (443.53 kB)
Leaders benefit followers in the collective movement of a social sawfly
journal contribution
posted on 2014-12-01, 00:00 authored by L K Hodgkin, Matthew SymondsMatthew Symonds, M A ElgarThe challenges of maintaining cohesion while making collective decisions in social or aggregating insects can result in the emergence of a leader or leaders. Larval aggregations of the steel-blue sawfly Perga affinis forage nocturnally, and some larvae lead the aggregation on foraging trips more often than expected by chance. We investigated the relationship between these leader and follower roles by comparing the weight and growth of individual larvae with different roles. Our observations reveal no significant difference between the growth of leaders and followers, suggesting that the role of leadership may not provide direct foraging benefits. However, by experimentally manipulating the social structure of larval aggregations, we found that individuals within aggregations that comprise a mixture of leaders and followers enjoy higher growth rates than those in aggregations comprising a single behavioural type. These data demonstrate, for the first time, individual benefits to maintaining a balance of leader and follower roles within larval aggregations, and highlight the importance of considering the perspectives of both leaders and followers when investigating the evolutionary significance of this behavioural variation within animal groups.
History
Journal
Proceedings of the royal society BVolume
281Issue
1796Article number
20141700Pagination
1 - 6Publisher
Royal Society PublishingLocation
London, Eng.Publisher DOI
Link to full text
eISSN
1471-2954Language
engPublication classification
C Journal article; C1 Refereed article in a scholarly journalCopyright notice
2014, Royal Society PublishingUsage metrics
Keywords
collective movementconsensus decision-makingfollowerslarval aggregationleadershipScience & TechnologyLife Sciences & BiomedicineBiologyEcologyEvolutionary BiologyLife Sciences & Biomedicine - Other TopicsEnvironmental Sciences & EcologyGROUP DECISION-MAKINGINDIVIDUAL-DIFFERENCESBEHAVIORDOMINANCEEMERGENCEEVOLUTIONZEBRASTATEZoologyEcology
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