Male reproductive success: paternity contribution to queens and workers in Formica ants |
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| Authors: | Laurent Keller Liselotte Sundström Michel Chapuisat |
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| Institution: | (1) Institute of Zoology and Animal Ecology, University of Lausanne, Biology Bldg., CH-1015 Lausanne, Switzerland Tel: (41-21) 692-41-73; Fax: (41-21) 692-41-05; e-mail: Laurent.keller@izea.unil.ch, CH;(2) Institute of Zoology, University of Berne, Ethological Station Hasli; Wohlenstrasse 50a, CH-3032 Hinterkappelen, Switzerland, CH;(3) Department of Ecology and Genetics, Aarhus University, Ny Munkegade Bldg. 540, DK-8000 Aarhus Denmark, DK;(4) Museum of Zoology, P.O. Box 448, CH-1000 Lausanne 17, Switzerland, CH |
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| Abstract: | The relative number of workers and female sexuals fathered by two males mated with a queen were directly assessed using microsatellite
and allozyme markers in field colonies of the ants Formica exsecta and F. truncorum. In both species one of the two males consistently fathered more offspring than the other. There was, however, no evidence
that one male might be particularly successful in fathering a disproportionally high proportion of female sexuals relative
to the proportion of workers. Moreover, in F. exsecta, the proportions of worker pupae and worker adults fathered by each male did not differ significantly between cohorts. The
most likely explanation for this pattern is that females store different amounts of sperm from the two males they mated with.
Received: 10 January 1997 / Accepted after revision: 22 March 1997 |
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| Keywords: | Male reproductive success Ants Caste determination Sperm competition |
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