Mixed‐species aggregations in arthropods

Abstract

This review offers the first synthesis of the research on mixed-species groupings of arthropods and highlights the behavioral and evolutionary questions raised by such behavior. Mixed-species groups are commonly found in mammals and birds. Such groups are also observed in a large range of arthropod taxa independent of their level of sociality. Several examples are presented to highlight the mechanisms underlying such groupings, particularly the evidence for phylogenetic proximity between members that promotes cross-species recognition. The advantages offered by such aggregates are described and discussed. These advantages can be attributed to the increase in group size and could be identical to those of nonmixed groupings, but competition-cooperation dynamics might also be involved, and such effects may differ between homo- and heterospecific groups. We discuss three extreme cases of interspecific recognition that are likely involved in mixed-species groups as vectors for cross-species aggregation: tolerance behavior between two social species, one-way mechanism in which one species is attractive to others and two-way mechanism of mutual attraction. As shown in this review, the study of mixed-species groups offers biologists an interesting way to explore the frontiers of cooperation-competition, including the process of sympatric speciation.

Cooperative foraging during larval stage affects fitness in Drosophila

“…Blood-sucking insects (Tripet et al 2009 ), reduce expenditure of resources during cooperative blood feeding and this results in increased fecundity. Numerous examples of interspecific aggregations are described as well (Boulay et al 2019 ). Many studies focus on insect larvae in which food consumption is a top priority (Fitzgerald and Peterson 1988 ), and animals are, therefore, very sensitive to trophic advantages of group membership.…”

The maggot, the ethologist and the forensic entomologist: Sociality and thermoregulation in necrophagous larvae

“…Aggregation, often considered as the first stage of sociality, can be described as a simple inter-attractive behavior resulting in a local increase in individual density (i.e., an aggregate) [1] . This behavior can be observed during larval and/or adult life stages and be composed of individuals of a single or sometimes different species [2] . In any case, aggregation is based on direct or environmentally-mediated (i.e., stigmergy) communication and involves feedback loops [3] , [4] .…”

Chemical communication in springtails: a review of facts and perspectives

“…This might contribute to explain dominance effects in multi-species laboratory cultures (Christiansen 1967;Culver 1974;Christiansen et al 1992;Walsh and Bolger 1993). Such mechanisms might also explain the field co-occurrence (Benoit et al 2009) or on the contrary segregation (Ponge 1973 (Maraun et al 2003;Staaden et al 2011;Boulay et al 2019), several events can occur following the encounter instar. Both species can compete by using the same resource (exploitative competition), or be expelled from each other (interference competition), or even one of them may kill the other (egg predation, cannibalism).…”