A highly social species of ant can communicate information about numbers to colony members and also perform simple arithmetic operations.
The new research is reported in an article by Dr. Zhanna Rezhikva and Dr. Boris Ryabko soon to be published in the journal Behaviour.
Meat Ant
Researchers surveyed a variety of experimental paradigms for studying animal abilities to count, to understand numerical information and to perform simple arithmetic operations. There is a huge body of evidence that different forms and elements of quantitative judgement and numerical competence are spread across a wide range of species, both vertebrate and invertebrate.
Researchers paid particular attention to the display of numerical competence in ants. The reason is that most of the existing experimental schemes for studying numerical processing in animals, although often elegant, are restricted by studying subjects at the individual level, or by the use of artificial communicative systems.
In contrast, the information-theoretic approach that was elaborated for studying number-related skills in ants employs their own communicative means, and thus does not require the subjects to solve any artificial learning problems, such as learning intermediary languages, or even learning to solve multiple choice problems.
Using this approach, it was discovered that members of highly social ant species possessed numerical competence. They were shown to be able to pass information about numbers and to perform simple arithmetic operations with small numbers. We suggest that applying ideas of information theory and using the natural communication systems of highly social animals can open new horizons in studying numerical cognition.
Citation: Article title: Numerical competence in animals, with an insight from ants
Authors: Dr. Zhanna Rezhikova from the Institute of Systematic and Ecology of Animals of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Science, as well as Novosibirsk State University and Dr. Boris Ryabko of the Siberian State University of Telecommunication and Computer Science.
Advanced online publication on 5 April, DOI: 10.1163/000579511X568562
Full text available at: http://brill.publisher.ingentaconnect.com/content/brill/beh/pre-prints/beh2917
Read more at Nano Patents and Innovations
Before It’s News® is a community of individuals who report on what’s going on around them, from all around the world.
Anyone can
join.
Anyone can contribute.
Anyone can become informed about their world.
"United We Stand" Click Here To Create Your Personal Citizen Journalist
Account Today, Be Sure To Invite Your Friends.
Please Help Support BeforeitsNews by trying our Natural Health Products below!
Order by Phone at 888-809-8385 or online at https://mitocopper.com M - F 9am to 5pm EST
Order by Phone at 866-388-7003 or online at https://www.herbanomic.com M - F 9am to 5pm EST
Order by Phone at 866-388-7003 or online at https://www.herbanomics.com M - F 9am to 5pm EST
Humic & Fulvic Trace Minerals Complex - Nature's most important supplement! Vivid Dreams again!
HNEX HydroNano EXtracellular Water - Improve immune system health and reduce inflammation.
Ultimate Clinical Potency Curcumin - Natural pain relief, reduce inflammation and so much more.
MitoCopper - Bioavailable Copper destroys pathogens and gives you more energy. (See Blood Video)
Oxy Powder - Natural Colon Cleanser! Cleans out toxic buildup with oxygen!
Nascent Iodine - Promotes detoxification, mental focus and thyroid health.
Smart Meter Cover - Reduces Smart Meter radiation by 96%! (See Video).