Quasisocial

Definition

A type of social organization in insects where individuals live in groups, sharing some communal activities such as nest building and defense, but do not exhibit true eusocial behaviors such as cooperative brood care and reproductive division of labor.

Etymology

From Latin 'quasi' meaning 'as if', and 'socialis' meaning 'social'.

Example

Certain species of cockroaches display quasisocial behavior, where individuals aggregate in groups for protection but do not exhibit cooperative brood rearing or division of labor.

Related Terms

• Social insects
• Eusociality
• Subsocial

Usage Notes

Quasisocial behavior is a stepping stone to true sociality and often involves some degree of nestmate recognition and limited cooperation.