Animal Behavior: Signaling and Communication

Hormones act in signaling within the body. Pheromones signal between members of a species. Allomones signal between different species.

Visual signals are received in real time, unlike chemical signals, which are often left behind and found much later. This means that most visual signals are dynamic, whereas chemical signals tend to be static. Also, visual signals can be seen by members of different species.

Acoustic signals are energetically costly to produce. However, they can have a much greater range than other types of signaling.

The honeybee dance provides representational information, that is, information about the environment external to the sender.

Visual signaling requires a direct line of sight between sender and receiver. Visual signals also only last as long as they are being sent, whereas chemical signals last until the chemicals dissipate or break down.