# 🐜 Distributed physiology and the molecular basis of social life in eusocial insects

**Daniel A. Friedman, Deborah M. Gordon** (2020) · *Hormones & Behavior*

[![DOI](https://img.shields.io/badge/DOI-10.1016%2Fj.yhbeh.2020.104757-blue)](https://doi.org/10.1016/j.yhbeh.2020.104757)

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## Abstract

> This paper explores the physiological and molecular processes that govern social life in eusocial insects, emphasizing the importance of colony-level regulation and decentralized physiological mechanisms. It argues for a framework that integrates functional genomics and social physiology to better understand the evolution and behavior of these complex social systems.

## Keywords

`distributed physiology` · `superorganism` · `collective behavior` · `ant colonies` · `decentralized control` · `interaction networks` · `colony metabolism` · `social immunity`

## Key Contributions

- Introduces the concept of 'social physiology' to describe the coordination of colony-level traits.
- Highlights the evolutionary significance of decentralized physiological processes in eusocial insects.
- Explores the interaction between organismal and colony-level physiological processes.
- Proposes a framework for integrating theoretical models with empirical research in eusocial insect studies.

## Methods

- Reviews empirical research on physiological processes in eusocial insects.
- Analyzes the roles of molecular signaling and social communication mechanisms.
- Compares nestmate-level and colony-level physiological traits.
- Utilizes functional genomic approaches to investigate the genetics of eusocial behavior.

## 🎯 Consulting & Tutoring

**Available for AI Research Consulting and Tutoring.** [Contact Daniel Ari Friedman, PhD](https://danielarifriedman.com/) for collaboration on Active Inference, Bayesian modeling, and computational biology.

## Citation

```bibtex
@article{2020_DistributedPhysiology,
  author = {Daniel A. Friedman, Deborah M. Gordon},
  title = {{Distributed physiology and the molecular basis of social life in eusocial insects}},
  journal = {Hormones & Behavior},
  year = {2020},
  doi = {10.1016/j.yhbeh.2020.104757},
}
```

## File Inventory

- `AGENTS.md` (2,040 bytes)
- `2020_DistributedPhysiology.pdf` (711,416 bytes)
- `README.md` (1,914 bytes)
- `SKILL.md` (1,897 bytes)