Kin conflict over caste determination in social Hymenoptera

1999 ◽  
Vol 46 (5) ◽  
pp. 287-297 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrew F. G. Bourke ◽  
Francis L. W. Ratnieks
Keyword(s):  
Caste Determination ◽  
Social Hymenoptera ◽  
Kin Conflict

scholarly journals Phenotypic plasticity in an ant with strong caste–genotype association

2018 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
pp. 20170705 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alexandre Kuhn ◽  
Hugo Darras ◽  
Serge Aron
Keyword(s):  
Phenotypic Plasticity ◽  
Environmental Factors ◽  
Juvenile Hormone ◽  
Hormone Treatment ◽  
Caste Determination ◽  
Developmental Pathway ◽  
Natural Conditions ◽  
Social Hymenoptera ◽  
Laboratory Conditions ◽  
Genetically Determined

Caste determination in social Hymenoptera (whether a female egg develops into a reproductive queen or a sterile worker) is a remarkable example of phenotypic plasticity where females with highly similar genomes exhibit striking differences in morphology and behaviour. This phenotypic dichotomy is typically influenced by environmental factors. However, recent studies have revealed a strong caste–genotype association in hybridogenetic ants: workers are all interlineage hybrids while queens are all purebred, suggesting that female caste fate is genetically determined. Using the hybridogenetic ant Cataglyphis mauritanica , we show that under laboratory conditions, purebred offspring develop into reproductive queens but occasionally give rise to workers. Moreover, while hybrids typically become workers, juvenile hormone treatment can switch their developmental pathway to the reproductive caste. These results indicate that phenotypic plasticity has been retained in an ant with a strong caste–genotype association, despite its lack of expression in natural conditions.

scholarly journals Differential gene expression in queen–worker caste determination in bumble-bees

2005 ◽  
Vol 272 (1568) ◽  
pp. 1145-1152 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jeffrey J. M Pereboom ◽  
William C Jordan ◽  
Seirian Sumner ◽  
Robert L Hammond ◽  
Andrew F. G Bourke
Keyword(s):  
Gene Expression ◽  
Differential Gene Expression ◽  
Bombus Terrestris ◽  
Phenotypic Diversity ◽  
Expression Patterns ◽  
Subtractive Hybridization ◽  
Caste Determination ◽  
Social Hymenoptera ◽  
Differential Gene ◽  
Worker Caste

Investigating how differential gene expression underlies caste determination in the social Hymenoptera is central to understanding how variation in gene expression underlies adaptive phenotypic diversity. We investigated for the first time the association between differential gene expression and queen–worker caste determination in the bumble-bee Bombus terrestris . Using suppression subtractive hybridization we isolated 12 genes that were differentially expressed in queen- and worker-destined larvae. We found that the sets of genes underlying caste differences in larvae and adults failed to overlap greatly. We also found that B. terrestris shares some of the genes whose differential expression is associated with caste determination in the honeybee, Apis mellifera , but their expression patterns were not identical. Instead, we found B. terrestris to exhibit a novel pattern, whereby most genes upregulated (i.e. showing relatively higher levels of expression) in queen-destined larvae early in development were upregulated in worker-destined larvae late in development. Overall, our results suggest that caste determination in B. terrestris involves a difference not so much in the identity of genes expressed by queen- and worker-destined larvae, but primarily in the relative timing of their expression. This conclusion is of potential importance in the further study of phenotypic diversification via differential gene expression.

On the Robustness of Split Sex Ratio Predictions In Social Hymenoptera

1997 ◽  
Vol 185 (4) ◽  
pp. 423-439 ◽  
Author(s):  
Francis L.W. Ratnieks ◽  
Jacobus J. Boomsma
Keyword(s):  
Sex Ratio ◽  
Social Hymenoptera

scholarly journals Patterns of split sex ratio in ants have multiple evolutionary causes based on different within-colony conflicts

2009 ◽  
Vol 5 (5) ◽  
pp. 713-716 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rolf Kümmerli ◽  
Laurent Keller
Keyword(s):  
Sex Ratio ◽  
Sex Allocation ◽  
Social Hymenoptera ◽  
Kin Structure ◽  
Widespread Phenomenon ◽  
Queen Production

Split sex ratio—a pattern where colonies within a population specialize in either male or queen production—is a widespread phenomenon in ants and other social Hymenoptera. It has often been attributed to variation in colony kin structure, which affects the degree of queen–worker conflict over optimal sex allocation. However, recent findings suggest that split sex ratio is a more diverse phenomenon, which can evolve for multiple reasons. Here, we provide an overview of the main conditions favouring split sex ratio. We show that each split sex-ratio type arises due to a different combination of factors determining colony kin structure, queen or worker control over sex ratio and the type of conflict between colony members.

Adaptations in the Olfactory System of Social Hymenoptera

2009 ◽  
pp. 195-219
Author(s):  
CHRISTOPH J. KLEINEIDAM ◽  
WOLFGANG RÖSSLER
Keyword(s):  
Olfactory System ◽  
Social Hymenoptera
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