subsocial
/sʌbˈsoʊʃəl/
adjective
- Relating to a level of social organization that is less complex than full social behavior, often used for animals that show some but not all social traits.
- Some insects are subsocial, living in groups but without the complex division of labor seen in ants or bees.
- The subsocial behavior of certain spiders involves mothers caring for their young for a short time.
- Scientists study subsocial species to understand how more advanced societies evolved.