本期Scientific Reports上發(fā)表的一項研究提出,，蜜蜂似乎是用它們的右觸須而不是左觸須來控制適合當時情境的社會性互動的,。
由于它們的腦相對較小，蜜蜂的認知能力之強是令人吃驚的,，比如說它們能識別人臉和解決復雜的問題,。在較大的脊椎動物腦中，區(qū)域專門化被用來完成復雜任務,，同時人們還提出,，在脊椎動物腦中的社會性和方向偏向與它們的行為之間存在一個聯(lián)系。
Lesley Rogers和Giorgio Vallortigara與他們的合作者Elisa Rigosi和Elisa Frasnelli對蜜蜂的社會行為是否與其在觸須使用上的方向偏向有關進行了研究,。他們發(fā)現(xiàn),，僅用它們的右觸須進行測試的蜜蜂與那些僅用其左觸須進行測試的蜜蜂相比，彼此之間能更快地進行聯(lián)系,，并且更有可能進行積極的互動——比如說通過伸出舌頭的動作進行互動,。而后者則更有可能通過做出攻擊性的“C-反應”進行消極的互動——將它們的刺和爪子指向其他蜜蜂，包括那些來自它們自己蜂巢中的蜜蜂,。然而，右觸須蜜蜂也傾向于比左觸須蜜蜂對來自另一蜂巢的蜜蜂更經(jīng)常地做出攻擊性的“C-反應”,。
這些發(fā)現(xiàn)表明,，蜜蜂的右觸須可能控制適合當時情境的社會行為，如與來自同一蜂群的其他工蜂交換信息和控制針對來自另一蜂群的蜜蜂的攻擊性反應,。還需要進一步的研究來確定其他形式的蜜蜂社會行為（如通過搖擺身體進行溝通的方式）是否也受益于觸須功能的這種非對稱性,。（生物谷 Bioon.com）
生物谷推薦的英文摘要
Scientific Reports doi:10.1038/srep02045
A right antenna for social behaviour in honeybees
Lesley J. Rogers, Elisa Rigosi, Elisa Frasnelli & Giorgio Vallortigara
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.
