Insect - Prison Game

Classical game theory in biology has long relied on the Prisoner’s Dilemma to explain the evolution of cooperation (Axelrod & Hamilton, 1981). However, many insect interactions do not fit the binary choice of cooperate/defect. In particular, slave-making ants ( Polyergus spp.) and parasitoid wasps ( Ampulex compressa ) exhibit a third outcome: the permanent containment of a live opponent as a functional prisoner. We term this the .

3.2 Parasitoid Wasps (Ampulex compressa) The jewel wasp actively contains its cockroach prey via stings to the brain, creating a living, compliant prison. The wasp does not escalate to kill; it contains to preserve fresh tissue. The payoff for Contain exceeds Escalate because dead tissue decays. insect prison game

3.3 Termite Colony Wars (Macrotermes bellicosus) In prolonged colony conflicts, termites sometimes block enemy soldiers into sealed chambers rather than killing them. These prisoners are not executed but starved or reabsorbed. This represents a "punishment" Containment strategy that deters future escalation without incurring direct combat costs. Classical game theory in biology has long relied

[Generated for Academic Purposes] Journal: Journal of Theoretical Biology & Game Ecology (Hypothetical) We term this the

Consider two players: a and a Defender (D) , contesting a resource of value V . Payoffs are determined as follows: