Thank you for the great conversation! It is fascinating how analogous networks (endocrine and genetic?) in very distant social species shape the main aspects of social behavior, social status, and their effects on longevity. Yes, oxytocin expressed in the ant brain may have the same function (creating social bonds) as in humans. However, there are also differences. For example, workers initiate a tournament after the death of their queen, during which they engage in aggressive behaviors, like antennal dueling. Shared dominance and negotiation help to lower the level of aggression. The violent nature of dueling contrasts with the behaviors of some vertebrates that foster shared dominance. This is very intriguing.
Thank you for the great conversation! It is fascinating how analogous networks (endocrine and genetic?) in very distant social species shape the main aspects of social behavior, social status, and their effects on longevity. Yes, oxytocin expressed in the ant brain may have the same function (creating social bonds) as in humans. However, there are also differences. For example, workers initiate a tournament after the death of their queen, during which they engage in aggressive behaviors, like antennal dueling. Shared dominance and negotiation help to lower the level of aggression. The violent nature of dueling contrasts with the behaviors of some vertebrates that foster shared dominance. This is very intriguing.