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1.
William A. Mackin 《Behavioral ecology and sociobiology》2005,59(2):326-332
Neighbor–stranger discrimination (NSD) occurs when animals respond with more aggression to strangers than to territorial neighbors. NSD has been reported in many species that defend multi-purpose territories for breeding and foraging, but it is rare among species that defend other types of territories. For birds that defend only their nest sites, there is no experimental evidence for NSD, and observational studies have provided mixed results. In a colony of Audubon's shearwaters (Puffinus l. lherminieri), I played back the calls of a neighbor and a stranger to males defending nest sites. Subjects responded with longer calls to playbacks of strangers than to those of neighbors. In shearwater colonies, strangers are often birds looking for future breeding sites. In contrast, there is no evidence that established breeders compete with their neighbors for any resources. Shearwaters should benefit from NSD because strangers represent a “real enemy” and established neighbors do not. 相似文献
2.
Aggression and resource sharing among foundresses in the social wasp Polistes dominulus: testing transactional theories of conflict 总被引:3,自引:0,他引:3
Tug-of-war models of within-group conflict predict that the frequency of conflict will be positively related to the degree
of reproductive sharing within the group; in contrast, a negative relationship supports transactional models, in which reproductive
payments among group members limit the degree of within-group selfishness. We tested predictions of the tug-of-war and transactional
models by examining cofoundress interactions during the founding (preworker) phase of colony development in 30 naturally nesting
colonies of the paper wasp Polistes dominulus. We found that the mean rate of foundress aggression and the mean probability of food sharing were significantly negatively
associated, which supports the prediction of the transactional, not the tug-of-war model. Further, cofoundress aggression
significantly increased over the founding phase (independently of temperature), while the fraction of aggression initiated
by the dominant (alpha) foundress significantly decreased over this period. We show that both of these results are predicted
by the transactional model of within-group conflict. Interestingly, the alpha’s rate of aggression was significantly positively
temperature dependent, while the beta’s was not. This indicates that the alpha’s aggression level may often be near her physiological
maximum, while the beta’s aggression is limi- ted by other factors, contradicting the prediction of the tug-of-war model.
Moreover, the alpha’s aggression was significantly positively temperature dependent only in the second half of the founding
period, as predicted by the transactional model since this is when there is least reproductive sharing. Finally, our results
indicate that the alpha’s level of aggression depends on the resources controlled by the beta.
Received: 18 January 2000 / Revised: 19 June 2000 / Accepted: 24 June 2000 相似文献
3.
In most social insect species, individuals recognize and behave aggressively towards non-nestmate conspecifics to maintain
colony integrity. However, introduced populations of the invasive Argentine ant, Linepithema humile, exhibit pronounced variation in intraspecific aggression denoting diversity in nestmate recognition behavior, which possibly
shapes their social structure and the varying levels of unicoloniality observed among these populations. One approach to better
understand differential aggression behaviors towards conspecifics and recognition cue perception and response in L. humile is to examine variation in nestmate discrimination capability among genetically distinct colonies under different social
contexts. Consequently, we investigated the dynamics of queen and worker recognition in southeastern US L. humile queenless and queenright colonies by measuring rates of non-nestmate worker and queen adoption and intercolony genetic similarity.
Aggression levels between colony pairs differed and were associated with non-nestmate worker, but not queen adoption. Adoption
of queens and workers was a function of host colony origin, while colony queen number affected adoption of queens, but not
workers, with queens more readily accepted by queenless hosts. Fecundity of adopted non-nestmate queens was comparable to
that of rejected non-nestmate and host colony queens, suggesting that queen fecundity did not affect adoption decisions. Genetic
similarity between colonies ranged from 30 to 77% alleles shared, with more genetically similar colonies showing lower levels
of intraspecific aggression. Non-nestmate queens and workers that were more genetically similar to host colony workers were
more likely to be adopted. We provide the first evidence for the role of L. humile colony queen number on queen discrimination and suggest an effect of resident queens on worker conspecific acceptance thresholds.
Our findings indicate a role for genetically based cues in L. humile nestmate recognition. However, subtle discrimination capability seems to be influenced by the social context, as demonstrated
by more frequent recognition errors in queenless colonies. 相似文献
4.
Eldridge S. Adams Lynn Atkinson Mark S. Bulmer 《Behavioral ecology and sociobiology》2007,61(8):1195-1201
Loss of aggression between social groups can have far-reaching effects on the structure of societies and populations. We tested
whether variation in the genetic structure of colonies of the termite Nasutitermes corniger affects the probability of aggression toward non-nestmates and the ability of unrelated colonies to fuse. We determined the
genotypes of workers and soldiers from 120 colonies at seven polymorphic microsatellite loci. Twenty-seven colonies contained
offspring of multiple founding queens or kings, yielding an average within-colony relatedness of 0.33. Genotypes in the remaining
93 colonies were consistent with reproduction by a single queen and king or their progeny, with an average within-colony relatedness
of 0.51. In standardized assays, the probability of aggression between workers and soldiers from different colonies was an
increasing function of within-colony relatedness. The probability of aggression was not affected significantly by the degree
of relatedness between colonies, which was near zero in all cases, or by whether the colonies were neighbors. To test whether
these assays of aggression predict the potential for colony fusion in the field, we transplanted selected nests to new locations.
Workers and soldiers from colonies that were mutually tolerant in laboratory assays joined their nests without fighting, but
workers and soldiers that were mutually aggressive in the assays initiated massive battles. These results suggest that the
presence of multiple unrelated queens or kings promotes recognition errors, which can lead to the formation of more complex
colony structures. 相似文献
5.
The ability of territorial males to discriminate between songs of their neighbors and songs of strangers has been demonstrated in 27 species of songbirds. Such experiments test only the ability of a subject to discriminate between two classes of stimuli, familiar (neighbors) and unfamiliar (strangers) songs. Individual recognition of neighbors is a finer, more complex type of discrimination. The ability of territorial males to recognize individual neighbors by song has been documented in 12 species of oscine passerines (Passeriformes, Passeri), but has never been demonstrated in suboscine passerines (Tyranni). We investigated recognition of songs of individual neighbors in a suboscine, the alder flycatcher (Empidonax alnorum). We performed a series of song playback experiments and recorded responses of territorial males to songs of neighbors and songs of strangers broadcast from two locations, the neighbor boundary and an opposite boundary. Subjects responded more aggressively to songs of a neighbor when played from the opposite boundary than when played from the neighbor boundary. They responded with equal aggression to songs of strangers regardless of location of playback. The difference in response to neighbor songs between speaker locations and the lack of a difference in response to stranger songs indicate that territorial males associate a particular song with a particular location (territory), and thus recognize individual neighbors.Communicated by I. Hartley 相似文献
6.
Raphaël Boulay Abraham Hefetz Xim Cerdá Séverine Devers Wittko Francke Robert Twele Alain Lenoir 《Behavioral ecology and sociobiology》2007,61(10):1531-1541
Models based on the kin selection theory predict that in social hymenopterans, queens may favor a lower investment in the
production of sexuals than workers. However, in perennial colonies, this conflict may be tuned down by colony-level selection
because of the trade off between colony survival and reproductive allocation. In this study, we present a survey of sexual
production in colonies of Aphaenogaster senilis, a common species of ant in the Iberian Peninsula. Similar to most species that reproduce by fission, males were found in
large excess compared to gynes (172:1). Sexuals were more likely to be found in queenless than in queenright (QR) field colonies.
However, we also found a few gynes and numerous males in very large QR colonies. We compared these data with those available
in the literature for A. rudis, a congeneric species from North America that has independent colony founding. The sex ratio in this species was only five
males for each female, and sexuals were mostly found in QR nests, irrespective of colony size. We confirmed queen inhibition
of sexual production in A. senilis in laboratory experiments and provide evidence that this inhibition is mediated by a nonvolatile pheromone. To seek the potential
source of such a queen pheromone, we analyzed the secretions of two conspicuous exocrine glands, the Dufour’s and postpharyngeal
glands (DG and PPG, respectively) in both queens and workers. Both secretions were composed of hydrocarbons, but that of DG
also contained small quantities of tetradecanal and hexadecanal. The hydrocarbon profile of the DG and PPG showed notable
caste specificity suggesting a role in caste-related behavior. The PPG secretions also differed between colonies suggesting
its role in colony-level recognition. We suggest that in A. senilis, there are two modes of colony fission: First, in very large colonies, gynes are produced, probably because of the dilution
of the queen pheromone, and consequently one or more gynes leave the mother colony with workers and brood to found a new nest.
This is beneficial at the colony level because it avoids the production of costly sexuals in small colonies. However, because
the queen and workers have different optima for sexual production, we hypothesize that queens tend to overproduce the pheromone
to delay their production. This in turn may drive workers to leave the mother colony during nest relocation and to produce
sexuals once they are away from the queen’s influence, creating a second mode of colony fission. 相似文献
7.
Honey-bee (Apis mellifera) colonies exhibit extreme reproductive division of labour. Workers almost always have inactive ovaries and the queen monopolises
egg laying. Although extremely rare, ’anarchistic’ colonies exist in which workers produce male offspring despite the presence
of the queen. By comparing the rates of ovary activation in anarchistic and wild-type bees fostered to host colonies of different
genotype (i.e. anarchist and non-anarchist) and queen status (i.e. queenless and queenright), we investigated the factors
involved in inhibiting ovary activation. Fostered anarchist workers always had a higher level of ovary development than fostered
wild-type bees in both anarchist and non-anarchist host colonies. Fostered workers of both genotypes had more active ovaries
in anarchistic than in wild-type hosts. Fostered workers of both strains also had more active ovaries in queenless than in
queenright hosts. The results suggest that selection for worker reproduction in the anarchistic line has both reduced the
effects of brood and queen pheromones on worker ovary inhibition and increased the likelihood that workers of the anarchistic
line will develop ovaries compared to wild-type workers.
Received: 14 June 2000 / Revised: 26 September 2000 / Accepted: 7 October 2000 相似文献
8.
Dorte Bekkevold Jane Frydenberg Jacobus J. Boomsma 《Behavioral ecology and sociobiology》1999,46(2):103-109
Queen mating frequency of the facultatively polygynous ant Acromyrmex echinatior was investigated by analysing genetic variation at an (AG)n repeat microsatellite locus in workers and sexuals of 20 colonies from a single Panamanian population. Thirteen colonies
were found to be monogynous, 5 colonies contained multiple queens, whereas the queen number of 2 colonies remained unresolved.
Microsatellite genotypes indicated that 12 out of 13 queens were inseminated by multiple males (polyandry). The mean queen
mating frequency was 2.53 and the mean genetically effective paternity frequency was 2.23. These values range among the highest
found in ants, and the results are in keeping with the high mating frequencies reported for other species of leafcutter ants.
Consistent skew in the proportional representation of different patrilines within colonies was found, and this remained constant
in two consecutive samples of offspring. Dissections showed that all examined queens from multiple-queen colonies were mated
egg-layers. The mean relatedness value among nestmate workers in polygynous colonies was lower than that for monogynous colonies.
No diploid males were detected in a sample of 70 genotyped males. Worker production of males was detected in one queenless
colony. We discuss our findings in relation to known patterns of multiple maternity and paternity in other eusocial Hymenoptera.
Received: 2 September 1998 / Received in revised form: 3 February 1999 / Accepted: 7 February 1999 相似文献
9.
Policing behavior that prevents workers from laying male eggs was examined in the monogynous and monandrous ponerine ant Diacamma sp. from Japan, in which a singly mated worker called a “gamergate” reproduces as the functional queen in each colony. Since oviposition by virgin workers is rare in the presence of a gamergate, we separated a portion of workers from the gamergates and induced their oviposition experimentally. When orphaned workers had started to oviposit, they were returned to the original colonies, where they continued to lay eggs for a while. The gamergates and other workers interfered with the laying workers by aggressively taking and finally eating the eggs. In total, 60% and 29% of the worker-derived eggs were eaten by gamergates and non-mother workers, respectively. The observed worker-worker interactions were not driven simply by competition to leave own sons, because non-laying non-orphaned workers interfered with worker reproduction. Furthermore, orphaned workers were usually attacked by non-orphaned workers soon after colony reunification. These results indicate that both queen policing by gamergates and worker policing in this species are mechanisms inhibiting worker oviposition. The gamergate contribution to policing was proportionately larger than that of workers, but among virgin workers, the relationship between dominance rank and contribution to policing was not clear. But about 11% of the eggs were not policed and were added to egg piles, especially in large colonies. Worker policing in a monandrous and monogynous eusocial Hymenoptera contrasts to other recent findings, and possible genetic, social, and ecological factors for its evolution in Diacamma sp. are discussed. Received: 16 November 1998 / Received in revised form: 9 February 1999 / Accepted: 21 February 1999 相似文献
10.
When to be neighbourly: differential agonistic responses in the lizard Platysaurus broadleyi 总被引:1,自引:0,他引:1
Martin J. Whiting 《Behavioral ecology and sociobiology》1999,46(3):210-214
Differential treatment of neighbours and strangers (the dear enemy phenomenon) can reduce the costly effects of territory
defence. Individual recognition, and by extension the dear enemy phenomenon, was examined in the cordylid lizard Platysaurus broadleyi. I had no knowledge of familiarity between individuals and therefore classed intruders as neighbours or non-neighbours and
tested for differences in agonistic response consistent with the dear enemy phenomenon. In the dear enemy phenomenon, levels
of aggression are inversely related to degree of familiarity such that residents are more tolerant of immediate neighbours
than distant territory holders. A manipulative field experiment in conjunction with field observations of known territory
holders revealed that resident males allowed neighbours to approach more closely than non-neighbours before challenging them,
residents were more aggressive towards non-neighbours than neighbours, contests between neighbours were significantly longer
than between neighbours and non-neighbours and contests between residents and non-neighbours were likely to result in a win
for the resident, while neighbours frequently drew contests. These results suggest a level of recognition consistent with
the dear enemy phenomenon. I also manipulated front leg colour to test the hypothesis that it alone could serve as a cue for
individual recognition. I found no support for this hypothesis and suggest that multiple cues operate in individual recognition.
Received: 4 March 1999 / Received in revised form: 11 April 1999 / Accepted: 19 April 1999 相似文献
11.
Joël Meunier Luma Delaplace Michel Chapuisat 《Behavioral ecology and sociobiology》2010,64(10):1655-1663
The ability to discriminate against competitors shapes cooperation and conflicts in all forms of social life. In insect societies,
workers may detect and destroy eggs laid by other workers or by foreign queens, which can contribute to regulate reproductive
conflicts among workers and queens. Variation in colony kin structure affects the magnitude of these conflicts and the diversity
of cues used for discrimination, but the impact of the number of queens per colony on the ability of workers to discriminate
between eggs of diverse origin has so far not been investigated. Here, we examined whether workers from the socially polymorphic
ant Formica selysi distinguished eggs laid by nestmate workers from eggs laid by nestmate queens, as well as eggs laid by foreign queens from
eggs laid by nestmate queens. Workers from single- and multiple-queen colonies discriminated worker-laid from queen-laid eggs,
and eliminated the former. This suggests that workers collectively police each other in order to limit the colony-level costs
of worker reproduction and not because of relatedness differences towards queens’ and workers’ sons. Workers from single-queen
colonies discriminated eggs laid by foreign queens of the same social structure from eggs laid by nestmate queens. In contrast,
workers from multiple-queen colonies did not make this distinction, possibly because cues on workers or eggs are more diverse.
Overall, these data indicate that the ability of F. selysi workers to discriminate eggs is sufficient to restrain worker reproduction but does not permit discrimination between matrilines
in multiple-queen colonies. 相似文献
12.
T. Giraud R. Blatrix C. Poteaux M. Solignac P. Jaisson 《Behavioral ecology and sociobiology》2001,49(2-3):128-134
Gnamptogenys striatula is a polygynous ant species, in which all workers are potentially able to mate. The reproductive status, relatedness and
pedigree relationships among nestmate queens and winged females in a Brazilian population were investigated. We collected
all the sexual females of 12 colonies (2–44 queens per colony, plus 2–18 winged females in 3 colonies). Dissections revealed
that 98% of the queens were inseminated and that the queens in the most polygynous colonies did not lay equal numbers of eggs.
The sexual females and a sample of the population were genotyped using eight microsatellite markers. Relatedness among nestmate
queens was among the highest recorded to date (0.65±0.25), and tests of pedigree relationship showed that they were likely
to be full-sisters, and sometimes cousins. Mated winged females were always full-sisters, the estimated genetically effective
queen numbers were low and tests of pedigree relationship showed that only a few queens in the colony could be the mothers.
These results suggest that the high queen-queen relatedness in polygynous colonies of G. striatula is maintained by an unusual mechanism: winged females are mostly produced by only one or a few queens, and these groups of
full-sisters are recruited back into their original nest after mating.
Received: 26 November 1999 / Revised: 7 September 2000 / Accepted: 7 September 2000 相似文献
13.
The small cichlid fish Neolamprologus multifasciatus is endemic to Lake Tanganyika and is unique among fish because it lives in complex social groups with several reproductive
males and females, all of which participate in defending their territory against neighbors and intruders. Individuals use
empty snail shells for breeding and shelter. Previous parentage analysis using microsatellites suggested occasional exchange
of individuals between groups. In field experiments, we found that females showed a higher tendency than males to migrate
into territories already occupied by a resident pair. The phenomenon and causes of female-biased immigration were further
investigated in aquarium experiments: Nine of 15 females, but only 2 of 15 equally sized males, settled in territories of
established pairs. Territorial males exhibited more aggression toward strange males (potential reproductive competitors) than
toward strange females (potential additional mates); their females were more aggressive toward strange females (probably competitors
for shells) than toward strange males. Apparently, a conflict exists between the sexes regarding the immigration of additional
females. This conflict seems to be the selective basis for observed active male interference in aggressive disputes between
females in the territory. Interfemale tolerance in a group was greater in the male’s presence than in his absence.
Received: 1 February 2000 / Received in revised form: 2 May 2000 / Accepted: 5 May 2000 相似文献
14.
In this paper we have two goals. First, we examine the effects of sample size on the statistical power to detect a given amount
of inbreeding in social insect populations. The statistical power to detect a given level of inbreeding is largely a function
of the number of colonies sampled. We explore two sampling schemes, one in which a single individual per colony is sampled
for different sample sizes and a second sampling scheme in which constant sampling effort is maintained (the product of the
number of colonies and the number of workers per colony is constant). We find that adding additional workers to a sample from
a colony makes it easier to detect inbreeding in samples from given number of colonies; however, adding more colonies rather
than more workers per colony always gives greater power to detect inbreeding. Because even relatively large amounts of sib-mating
generate relatively small inbreeding coefficients, detection of even substantial deviations from random mating will require
very large samples. Second, we look at the amount of inbreeding in a large population of the western harvest ant, Pogonomyrmex occidentalis. We find deviations from Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium equivalent to approximately 27% sib-mating in our population ( f = 0.09). Review of past studies on the population structure of other Pogonomyrmex species suggests that inbreeding may be a regular feature of the mating system of these ants. Although P. occidentalisis a swarm-mating species, there are a number of features of its population biology which suggest that the effective population
size may be small. These include topographical variation that potentially breaks the population into demes, variation in the
reproductive output of colonies, and variation in the size of reproductives produced by colonies.
Received: 6 May 1996 / Accepted after revision: 6 October 1996 相似文献
15.
Some territorial animals exhibit a form of social recognition, commonly termed the "dear enemy effect", in which territory residents display lower levels of aggression toward familiar neighbors compared to unfamiliar individuals who are non-territorial "floaters". Despite the widespread occurrence of territorial social systems and use of acoustic signals for communication in anuran amphibians, only two previous studies have demonstrated vocally mediated dear enemy behavior in a territorial frog. In this study, I conducted neighbor-stranger discrimination playback experiments in a third species of territorial frog, the strawberry dart-poison frog, Dendrobates pumilio (Anura, Dendrobatidae). In the first experiment (n=24), I broadcast the calls of a subject's nearest neighbor and the calls of an unfamiliar individual from the approximate midpoint between the subject's and the neighbor's territories. Although males responded to the stimuli, they did not exhibit differential responses to the calls of neighbors and strangers. In a second experiment (n=22), I broadcast the calls of a neighbor and a stranger to subjects through a speaker located in the approximate center of the neighbor's territory. Males also responded to the playback, although less intensely than in the first experiment, but no discrimination between the calls of neighbors and strangers was found. Thus, territorial males of the strawberry dart-poison frog appear not to discriminate behaviorally between the advertisement calls of neighbors and strangers. Several proximate and ultimate-level hypotheses for this lack of vocally mediated neighbor-stranger discrimination are discussed.Communicated by T. Czeschlik 相似文献
16.
Recognition of individual neighbors by song in the song sparrow,a species with song repertoires 总被引:2,自引:0,他引:2
Philip K. Stoddard Michael D. Beecher Cynthia L. Horning S. Elizabeth Campbell 《Behavioral ecology and sociobiology》1991,29(3):211-215
Summary Previous theory and research have suggested that bird species with song repertoires in general, and song sparrows (Melospiza melodia) in particular, cannot readily discriminate between the songs of neighbors and strangers. In a recent study (Stoddard et al. 1991) we showed that song sparrows can in fact discriminate neighbors from strangers on the basis of song. In this study we sought to demonstrate that song sparrows can make the finer discrimination between individual neighbors and that they can do so on the basis of a single song type. We compared the response of territorial males to song playback of neighbors and strangers at three locations: the neighbor's regular boundary, the opposite boundary, and the center of the territory. The birds showed strong neighbor-stranger discrimination at the regular boundary but not at the opposite boundary, nor in the center of the territory. The differences in song discrimination between different boundary locations indicate that song sparrows associate particular songs with particular territories, effectively discriminating between individual neighbors on the basis of song. Song repertoires themselves do not interfere with neighbor recognition to the extent originally postulated. As speakers are moved inside the territory from the border, however, the degree of discrimination diminishes. We believe that differences in speaker placement may have contributed to the variability in neighbor-stranger discrimination observed in previous studies of the song sparrow and perhaps other repertoire species as well. This interpretation is consistent with data from another song sparrow population showing that half the territory takeovers are by immediate neighbors. 相似文献
17.
Testing the limits of social resilience in ant colonies 总被引:4,自引:0,他引:4
Sarah J. Backen A. B. Sendova-Franks Nigel R. Franks 《Behavioral ecology and sociobiology》2000,48(2):125-131
Social resilience is the ability of Leptothorax ant colonies to re-assemble after dissociation, as caused, for example, by an emigration to a new nest site. Through social
resilience individual workers re-adopt their spatial positions relative to one another and resume their tasks without any
time being wasted in worker respecialisation. Social resilience can explain how an efficient division of labour can be maintained
throughout the trials and tribulations of colony ontogeny including the, often substantial, period after the queen dies when
the ability to conserve worker social relationships may be essential for efficiency to be maintained. The mechanism underlying
social resilience is, therefore, expected to be robust even in the absence of many of the colony’s components, such as the
queen, the brood and even a large proportion of the workers. Such losses are likely, given the ecology of this genus. Using
sociotomy experiments, we found that social resilience can occur in the absence of the queen. Furthermore, the spatial component
of social resilience can occur even when the queen, the brood, as well as a large proportion of the workers, are all absent
simultaneously and hence many of the tasks are missing. We conclude, therefore, that social resilience is indeed robust. This
does not, however, preclude worker flexibility in response to changes in task supply and demand. We propose a possible sorting
mechanism based on worker mobility levels which might explain the robustness underlying this phenomenon.
Received: 25 October 1999 / Accepted: 1 April 2000 相似文献
18.
Sigal Lahav Victoria Soroker Robert K. Vander Meer Abraham Hefetz 《Behavioral ecology and sociobiology》1998,43(3):203-212
This study compares two basic models for the origin and maintenance of colony gestalt odor in the polygynous ant species
Cataglyphis niger. In the first model, queens are centers of de novo biosynthesis and distribution of recognition odors (“queen-centered” model);
in the second, colony odors are primarily synthesized and distributed by workers (“worker-centered” model). We tested the
behavioral patterns that are predicted from each model, and verified by biochemical means the distributional directionality
of these signals. Encounters between nestmates originating from split colonies were as amicable as between nestmates from
non-split colonies; queenless ants were as aggressive as their queenright nestmates, and both were equally aggressed by alien
ants. These results indicate that queens have little impact on the recognition system of this species, and lend credence to
the worker-centered model. The queen-centered model predicts that unique queen substances should be produced in appreciable
quantities and that, in this respect, queens should be more metabolically active than workers. Analysis of the chemical composition
of postpharyngeal glands (PPGs) or cuticular extracts of queens and workers revealed high similarity. Quantitatively, queens
possessed significantly greater amounts of hydrocarbons in the PPG than workers, but the amount on the thoracic epicuticle
was the same. Queens, however, possess a lower hydrocarbon biosynthesis capability than workers. The biochemical evidence
thus refutes the queen-centered model and supports a worker-centered model. To elucidate the directionality of cue distribution,
we investigated exchange of hydrocarbons between the castes in dyadic or group encounters in which selective participants
were prelabeled. Queens tended to receive more and give less PPG content, whereas transfer to the epicuticle was low and similar
in all encounters, as predicted from the worker-centered hypothesis. In the group encounters, workers transferred, in most
cases, more hydrocarbons to the queen than to a worker. This slight preference for the queen is presumably amplified in a
whole colony and can explain their copious PPG content. We hypothesize that preferential transfer to the queen may reflect
selection to maintain her individual odor as close to the average colony odor as possible.
Received: 4 November 1997 / Accepted after revision: 5 February 1998 相似文献
19.
Sebastian Pohl Volker Witte Susanne Foitzik 《Behavioral ecology and sociobiology》2011,65(11):2029-2036
In social insect societies, division of labor, i.e., workers of a colony specializing in different tasks, is thought to improve
colony performance. Workers of social parasitic slave-making ants focus on a single task, searching for and raiding host colonies
to replenish their slave workforce. However, in the North American slavemaker Protomognathus americanus, some workers do not partake in raids but remain inside the colony. We analyzed raid participation, fertility, and cuticular
hydrocarbon profiles of slavemaker workers and slaves to understand these behavioral differences and the regulation of division
of labor in slavemaker colonies. Raid observations showed that some workers were repeatedly involved in raiding activities
(exterior workers), whereas others stayed inside the nest (interior workers). Exterior workers were always infertile, while
half of the interior workers were fertile. Analysis of cuticular hydrocarbons demonstrated differences between the groups.
We also detected chemical differences between interior and exterior slaves, indicating an influence of the individuals’ tasks
on their cuticular profiles. Task- and fertility-related profiles may allow selective nestmate recruiting. Division of labor
should also adapt to varying conditions. Since slave raids are dangerous, they should only be initiated when the colony needs
additional slaves. Exclusively fed by their slaves, slavemaker workers could determine this need via their nutritional status.
In an experiment with various feeding regimes, colonies subjected to a lower food provisioning rate showed increased proportions
of slavemaker workers searching for host colonies. Division of labor in slave-making ants, therefore, might be flexible and
can change depending on the colonies’ needs. 相似文献
20.
Lack of kin recognition in swarming honeybees ( Apis mellifera ) 总被引:2,自引:0,他引:2
Honeybee colonies reproduce by colony fission and swarming. The primary swarm leaves the nest with the mated mother queen.
Further “after-swarms” can leave the nest. These are composed of virgin queens and sister workers. Since all workers in the
primary swarm have the same relationship to the mother queen, kin recognition cannot have any effect on the worker distribution
in the swarm. Because of polyandry of the mother queen, the after-swarm is composed of super- and halfsister workers of the
virgin queen. In this case kin recognition might affect swarm composition if workers increase their inclusive fitness by preferentially
investing in a supersister queen. The distribution of workers in the mother colony, the primary and the after-swarm was analyzed
using single-locus DNA fingerprinting in two colonies of the honeybee (Apis mellifera). The colonies were composed of 21 and 24 worker subfamilies because of multiple mating of the queen. The subfamily distribution
in the mother colonies before swarming was significantly different from the subfamily frequencies in the primary swarm. This
indicates different propensities for swarming in the various subfamilies. The subfamily distribution was also significantly
different between the mother colony and the after-swarm. There was however no significant difference between the subfamily
composition of the primary and the after-swarm. The average effects of kin recognition on the distribution of the subfamilies
in the two after-swarms were less than 2%. We conclude that colony-level selection sets the evolutionary framework for swarming
behaviour.
Received: 22 May 1996 / Accepted after revision: 2 November 1996 相似文献