Trophallaxis

Trophallaxis (/ˌtroʊfəˈlæksɪs/) is the transfer of food or other fluids among members of a community through mouth-to-mouth (stomodeal) or anus-to-mouth (proctodeal) feeding.

Along with nutrients, trophallaxis can involve the transfer of molecules such as pheromones, organisms such as symbionts, and information to serve as a form of communication.

[1] Trophallaxis is used by some birds, gray wolves, vampire bats, and is most highly developed in eusocial insects such as ants, wasps, bees, and termites.

[6] Proctodeal trophallaxis allowed termites to transfer cellulolytic flagellates that made the digestion of wood possible and efficient.

[14] Species have evolved anatomy to allow them to participate in trophallaxis, such as the proventriculus in the crops of Formica fusca ants.

[12] In addition, Vespula austriaca wasps also engage in trophallaxis as a form of parasitism with its host to obtain nutrients.

[23] Vertebrates such as some bird species, gray wolves, and vampire bats also feed their young through regurgitation of food as a form of trophallaxis.

[24] Wild wolves transport food in their stomach to pups and/or breeding females and share it by regurgitation, as a form of trophallaxis.

[25] The recipient wolves often lick or sniff the donor wolf's muzzle to activate regurgitation and receive nutrients.