2009 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

Group decision making in eusocial naked mole-rats

Research Project

Project/Area Number	20770023
Research Category	Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
Allocation Type	Single-year Grants
Research Field	Ecology/Environment
Research Institution	The Graduate University for Advanced Studies
Principal Investigator	KUTSUKAKE Nobuyuki The Graduate University for Advanced Studies, 先導科学研究科, 助教 (20435647)
Project Period (FY)	2008 – 2009
Keywords	集団的意思決定 / 真社会性 / ハダカデバネズミ / 行動生態学
Research Abstract	In this study, we investigated mechanisms of group decision making in eusocial rodents, the naked mole-rats. Group decision making refers to a process in which two or more individuals select one choice out of several possible ones. This species form complex tunnel systems underground in which different rooms are determined by group members. We investigated how this species decide the room allocation by combining behavioural observation, experiments, and simulation. Our aim was to promote our understanding of group decision making in socially complex mammals.