Centre for Neuroscience and Animal Behaviour, University of New England, Armidale, NSW 2450, Australia.
Sci Rep. 2013;3:2045. doi: 10.1038/srep02045.
Sophisticated cognitive abilities have been documented in honeybees, possibly an aspect of their complex sociality. In vertebrates brain asymmetry enhances cognition and directional biases of brain function are a putative adaptation to social behaviour. Here we show that honeybees display a strong lateral preference to use their right antenna in social interactions. Dyads of bees tested using only their right antennae (RA) contacted after shorter latency and were significantly more likely to interact positively (proboscis extension) than were dyads of bees using only their left antennae (LA). The latter were more likely to interact negatively (C-responses) even though they were from the same hive. In dyads from different hives C-responses were higher in RA than LA dyads. Hence, RA controls social behaviour appropriate to context. Therefore, in invertebrates, as well as vertebrates, lateral biases in behaviour appear to be associated with requirements of social life.
在蜜蜂中已经记录到了复杂的认知能力，这可能是它们复杂的社会性的一个方面。在脊椎动物中，大脑不对称性增强了认知能力，而大脑功能的定向偏差则是对社交行为的一种假定适应。在这里，我们展示了蜜蜂在社交互动中表现出强烈的右侧触角使用偏好。在只使用右侧触角（RA）进行测试的双体蜜蜂中，它们的潜伏期更短，并且更有可能进行积极的互动（伸出喙），而只使用左侧触角（LA）的双体蜜蜂则更有可能进行消极的互动（C 反应），即使它们来自同一个蜂群。在来自不同蜂群的双体蜜蜂中，RA 比 LA 双体蜜蜂的 C 反应更高。因此，RA 控制着适合情境的社交行为。因此，在无脊椎动物和脊椎动物中，行为的侧偏似乎与社交生活的要求有关。
