Data from: Density of antennal sensilla influences efficacy of communication in a social insect

Effective communication requires reliable signals and competent receptors.
Theoretical and empirical accounts of animal signaling focus
overwhelmingly on the capacity of the signaler to convey the message.
Nevertheless, the intended receiver’s ability to detect a signal depends
on the condition of its receptor organs, as documented for humans. The
impact of receptor organ condition on signal reception and its
consequences for functional behavior are poorly understood. Social insects
use antennae to detect chemical odors that distinguish between nestmates
and enemies, reacting aggressively to the latter. We investigated the
impact of antennal condition, determined by the density of sensilla, on
the behavior of the weaver ant Oecophylla smaragdina. Worker aggression
depended upon the condition of their antennae: workers with fewer sensilla
on their antennae reacted less aggressively to nonnestmate enemies. These
novel data highlight the largely unappreciated significance of receptor
organ condition for animal communication and may have implications for
coevolutionary processes in animal communication.