Modern termites inherited the potential of collective construction from their common ancestor

Animal collective behaviors give rise to various spatial patterns, such as the nests of social insects. These structures are built by individuals following a simple set of rules, slightly varying within and among species, to produce a large diversity of shapes. However, little is known about the origin and evolution of the behavioral mechanisms regulating nest structures. In this study, we discuss the perspective of inferring the evolution of collective behaviors behind pattern formations using a phylogenetic framework. We review the collective behaviors that can be described by a single set of behavioral rules, and for which variations of the environmental and behavioral parameter values produce diverse patterns. We propose that this mechanism could be at the origin of the pattern diversity observed among related species, and that, when they are placed in the proper conditions, species have the behavioral potential to form patterns observed in related species. The comparative analysis ...

动物的集体行为可催生多种空间格局，例如社会性昆虫（social insects）的巢穴。这些结构由个体遵循一套简单规则构筑而成，不同物种间乃至同一物种内部的规则会存在细微差异，最终形成丰富多样的外形。然而，学界对调控巢穴结构的行为机制的起源与演化却知之甚少。本研究探讨了利用系统发育框架（phylogenetic framework）推断格局形成背后集体行为演化的研究思路。我们综述了可通过单一行为规则集描述的集体行为，这类行为中环境与行为参数值的变化可催生多样的格局。我们提出，该机制可能是近缘物种间观察到的格局多样性的起源；并且当处于适宜条件下时，各物种具备形成近缘物种所观测到的格局的行为潜力。比较分析……