Frisch’s Outreach: Animal Communication (Gr.7-12) Extensions At a glance This program will allow students to understand how animals will communicate in a variety of ways. Goal This lesson will allow students to 5) Students will be able to list three explore the many ways animals examples of inaudible animal communicate. communication. Objectives 6) Students will be able to explain 1) Upon completion of this program why inaudible communication is students will be able to identify effective for an animal’s survival specific adaptations animals needs. utilize in their communications. 7) Students will be able to compare 2) Students will be able to list the and contrast the reasons why communication is advantages/disadvantages of vital to an animal’s survival. audible and inaudible communication. 3) Students will be able to list at least four examples of audible Theme animal communication. Animals use communication to survive. 4) Students will be able to explain Sub-themes why audible communication is Animals use diverse communication to effective for an animal’s survival survive. needs. Animal Communication (7-12): Extensions Page 1 of 6 Ohio Science Academic Life Science Content Standards- Grade 6 Diversity & Interdependence of Life 2 Science Grade 10 Diversity & Interdependence of Life 13,14,15 Grade 11 Diversity & Interdependence of Life 10 Grade 12 Diversity & Interdependence of Life 7 Grade 7 Evolutionary Theory 8 Grade 8 Evolutionary Theory 3 Grade 10 Evolutionary Theory 21 Grade 5 Characteristics & Structure of Life 5 Kentucky Core Content— Life Science Science Grades 5-6 Regulation & Behavior SC-M-3.2.2, SC-M- 3.2.3 Diversity & Adaptations of Organisms SC-M-3.4.1 SC-M-3.5.2 Grades 7-12 Behavior of Organisms SC-H-3.2.1 SC-H-3.2.2 SC-H-3.2.3 Background Within the community of animals survival is dependent on how well an animal can acquire and maintain food, water, shelter, and stay safe in their space. Each animal’s unique adaptations allow them to attempt to succeed in these tasks. Animals can use communication to aid them in their challenge for survival. The types of animal communication are as diverse as animals themselves and we are just beginning to uncover some of the fascinating secrets held within their communications. Communication by an animal is any behavior on one animal’s part that has an effect on the current or future behavior Audible communication is perhaps the of another animal. Communication can. easiest for us to identify but our take many forms that we can observe understanding of its intricacies is still and some mysterious forms that are not very basic. Birds, monkeys, gibbons, so readily understood by man. frogs, etc. use vocalizations to mark territories, court mates, warn of danger, locate/ beg for food, stay in groups, and Animal Communication (7-12): Extensions Page 2 of 6 attempt to frighten predators, etc. over secrets of communication from animal short spaces or long distances. urine, feces, and scent glands. Cats have Howler monkeys can be heard ten miles scent glands on their flanks and away which helps keep their groups foreheads that can help them identify together. Hyenas “laugh” to keep their each other and their territories. Many pack cohesive. Owls, during courtship, animals mark their territories with urine will call alternately to each other and feces so that possibly harmful (“dueting”) and the calls’ pitch can physical confrontations with trespassing identify the sex of each owl. The audible animals are avoided. Female begging response among many baby receptiveness to mating can be birds will trigger a feeding response chemically transferred among animals. from the adult bird. Some research Some predatory animals can gain suggests that certain clucks made by information about the health and vigor of chickens tell what kind of food is located their prey animals by smelling the scent for the flock. Some monkeys have left by bodies, urine, and feces. separate, distinct alarm calls which will Ants can leave chemical trails for the tell the group if the predator is on the colony so that food can be located. ground or in the trees (leopard) or in the Honey bees carry nectar in a “nectar air (eagle). Recent research suggests that pouch” back to the hive that identifies birds also have these identifying alarm them as a member of their hive. calls. Animals that belong to social Amoebas even seem to communicate groups will alarm call so that individuals chemically. Our understanding of can run for cover, freeze, or gather as a pheromones used in animal group. Dolphins and whales have communication is just beginning to distinct clicks and squeaks to unfold. communicate with each other under water over many miles. It has been Can plants communicate? Yes! If you discovered that Killer Whales may have consider the use of chemicals! Tannin accents or dialects for hunting that are imbedded in some plants will turn away individual pod specific. At times alarm insects before they try to dine on the calls are not vocally produced. Rabbits plant. There has been some research to will pound their feet in warning. determine if plants do emit some form of communication other than chemically. There are communicating sounds made by animals that are sub-audible or infra- Another realm of communication that is sonic. Elephants can hear low sounds just beginning to be studied is electro undetected by humans Their feet can communication. Sharks, Rays, detect low frequencies of sound not Lampreys, and some fish have perceived by man. Echolocation, electroreceptors on their bodies to although not true communication, perceive electrical impulses generated by enables bats, dolphins, etc. to locate their other animals. This can enable them to food by emitting sound that is then locate objects and food in the murky reflected back from the food source to waters of the sea. Some of these animals them. can actively generate electric fields to detect distortions and food in their Animal communication can also be habitat. Weakly electric fish can conducted chemically. The olfactory modulate their generated electric sensibilities of animals can unlock many waveform to communicate with each Animal Communication (7-12): Extensions Page 3 of 6 other when finding a mate. Monotremes “fishing lure” within their mouths. A such as echidnas and platypuses have small fleshy piece of tissue that electroreceptor to locate their food. resembles a worm wiggles in the water Could that mean they could also carry on as the Turtle’s mouth gapes. Fish are electro communication? lured in by the “food” and become an easy catch for the Snapping Turtle. Visual displays, though inaudible, communicate between specie members At times visual displays of certain and between different species. Brilliant behaviors are a form of silent colors on male birds will attract females communication. Visual displays, which and advertise a healthy mate. Anoles often must follow prescribed patterns flash their dewlaps in silent during courtship, may determine the communication to protect their territories success or failure of mating between or find a mate. Bright warning colors on many members of some species. Many amphibians, as well as other animals, times pair and group bondings are ward off would be predators. Flashes of cemented by silent ritualized behaviors. color can work as a startling stimulus to Thompson’s Gazelles display a pursuit catch predators off guard or to frighten deterrent behavior by running and them away. leaping very high in the air. “Stotting” tells all potential predators- “you will Bioluminescence, in animals of the deep need to expend a lot of energy to catch sea that possess chromatophores ( cells and eat me!” The “Waggle Dance” bearing pigment that can expand and Honey Bees display in the hive is contract in tissues), enables them to believed to communicate the exact quickly change color to camouflage for location of food for the rest of the bees defense, to get food, or signal each other. in the hive. Submissive behavior in Octopi, squids, and cuttlefish can flash social animals will do much to avoid color change much faster than any other injury for individual animals and it can animals. Lantern fish seem to be able to order the animals’ society so that the recognize each other by these colorings. group as a whole can survive. Bioluminescence can happen on land too! It can be seen in Lightening Bugs Among many animals, especially (aka. Fireflies, glow worms). A male primates and canines, facial expressions lightening bug will flash a signal or can communicate aggression, fear, pattern, to a female and if she chooses threats, willingness to play, etc. These she will respond. When lightning bugs often very quickly changing displays do sense danger, they turn their light off, much to keep social groups in tact, avoid and fly up. harmful physical confrontations, and teach youngsters the “manners” of group Do animals always tell the truth when life. they are communicating? Visually mimicking the color pattern or shape of Are animals communicating in ways another more dangerous or toxic animal other than those that humans have can provide safety for some animals. observed and recorded? Are these Blending in or camouflaging colors communications transcending the forms enable animals to hide within their of communication known to man? Are surroundings to avoid detection. there ways animals can communicate Alligator Snapping Turtles have a that are beyond our traditional Animal Communication (7-12): Extensions Page 4 of 6 understandings? All of these questions Disruptive coloration-color pattern that will provide interesting scientific study helps break the outline of organisms and may reveal astonishing insights into our natural world. Electrorecptors- an organ in fish such as sharks, electric eels, and catfish that Vocabulary detects electric charges Adaptations- (noun) - Something that Inaudible-not loud enough to be heard helps an animal survive.