Digest: The evolution of social behavior and its effect on aggressiveness and reproduction

Social behavior is observed in a wide range of species, and its potential benefits include protection from predators, enhanced feeding, and reproductive opportunities. Experimental approaches using artificial selection on sociability can answer fundamental questions about the evolution of social behavior, such as: Can sociability evolve by artificial selection? Is aggressiveness associated with sociability levels? Does sociability increase reproductive success? Scott et al. attempt to answer those questions using the fruit fly as a model species.