superorganisms

A superorganism is a term used in biology to describe a group of organisms that function together as a single unit. It is most often applied to colonies of eusocial insects such as ants, bees, and termites, where thousands or millions of individuals coordinate to sustain the colony as a whole. The concept highlights how collective organization and function can resemble the physiology and behavior of a single organism, even though many genetic individuals are involved.

Coordination within a superorganism emerges through communication signals such as pheromones, tactile interactions, and other cues. Division of labor is highly structured by caste, age, or task needs, enabling efficient foraging, nest construction, defense, and care of the young. Individuals typically specialize but can switch roles as the colony requires. The colony exhibits emergent properties, including collective decision making, robust responses to environmental changes, and the ability to adapt to resource fluctuations.

Reproduction at the colony level usually occurs without each member reproducing. New colonies form through dispersing queens or by budding, allowing the unit to persist and proliferate. This mode of organization supports the view of the colony as a superorganism, though genetic individuality remains with the constituent organisms.

The idea is not universally accepted as a literal organism; some scholars view it as a useful metaphor or partial analogy. Debates focus on whether selection operates at the colony level to the same degree as at the level of individuals. The term also appears in discussions of microbial communities, coral colonies, and in fields such as computational modeling and robotics to study collective behavior and coordination.