The social insects : their origin and evolution / by William Morton Wheeler.

  • Wheeler, William Morton, 1865-1937.
Date:
1928
Catalogue details

Licence: In copyright

Credit: The social insects : their origin and evolution / by William Morton Wheeler. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    What are the social insects ? The words “ social ” or associative ” are, of course, rather vague, and tinged with anthropomorphism. Their vagueness is due to the extraordinary multiplicity and Protean character of the phenomena, even among the insects, not to mention the various classes of Vertebrates. These phenomena range all the way from a feeble gregariousness or collectivity or the mere temporar}^ union of the sexes to permanent and highly integrated societies remotely analogous to our own. The anthropomorphism attaching to the word “ social ” is easily explained and may be condemned or condoned according to the general philosophical convictions of the critic. I can only record my belief that in the discussion of matters psychological—and the phenomena in question are in part psychological—we can scarcely avoid a certain amount of anthropomorphism or teleology. Recently Deegener (1918) has made a bold and rather unsatisfactory attempt, in a tome of 420 pages, to classify and describe all the various forms of association in the animal kingdom. He distinguishes some ninety-two different categories, fifty-three of which are represented among the insects. They are all supphed with scientific names, mostly of Greek derivation, some of which, like “ heterosymphagopædium ”, ” amphoterosynhesmium ”, and ” heterosynepileium ”, have a truly Germanic ponderosity. The ninety-two different categories are divided into two groups, accidental societies or associa¬ tions, in which the congregation of the organisms has no intrinsic value, i.e., serves no useful purpose for the individual, and essential societies or associations, in which the congregation has an intrinsic value or sub¬ serves in part a useful purpose. Each of these leading categories is subdivided according as the association comprises individuals of the same or of different species. The finalistic principimn divisionis of the main groups is very dubious, to say the least, since even the most highly integrated animal associations are frequently confronted with situations in which membership in the