Caste: Worker Polyethism in Social Hymenoptera

2021 ◽  
pp. 205-216
Author(s):  
Elva J. H. Robinson ◽  
Jennifer M. Jandt
Keyword(s):  
Social Hymenoptera

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

scholarly journals Hormone-mediated dispersal and sexual maturation in males of the social paper wasp Polistes lanio

2020 ◽  
Vol 223 (23) ◽  
pp. jeb226472
Author(s):  
Robin J. Southon ◽  
Andrew N. Radford ◽  
Seirian Sumner
Keyword(s):  
Sexual Maturation ◽  
Paper Wasp ◽  
Social Hymenoptera ◽  
Natal Nest ◽  
Male Dispersal ◽  
Accessory Glands ◽  
Social Species ◽  
The Social ◽  
Males And Females

ABSTRACTSex-biased dispersal is common in social species, but the dispersing sex may delay emigration if associated benefits are not immediately attainable. In the social Hymenoptera (ants, some bees and wasps), newly emerged males typically disperse from the natal nest whilst most females remain as philopatric helpers. However, little information exists on the mechanisms regulating male dispersal. Furthermore, the conservation of such mechanisms across the Hymenoptera and any role of sexual maturation are also relatively unknown. Through field observations and mark–recapture, we observed that males of the social paper wasp Polistes lanio emerge from pupation sexually immature, and delay dispersal from their natal nest for up to 7 days whilst undergoing sexual maturation. Delayed dispersal may benefit males by allowing them to mature in the safety of the nest and thus be more competitive in mating. We also demonstrate that both male dispersal and maturation are associated with juvenile hormone (JH), a key regulator of insect reproductive physiology and behaviour, which also has derived functions regulating social organisation in female Hymenoptera. Males treated with methoprene (a JH analogue) dispersed earlier and possessed significantly larger accessory glands than their age-matched controls. These results highlight the wide role of JH in social hymenopteran behaviour, with parallel ancestral functions in males and females, and raise new questions on the nature of selection for sex-biased dispersal.

scholarly journals Plasticity and modulation of olfactory circuits in insects

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sylvia Anton ◽  
Wolfgang Rössler
Keyword(s):  
Adult Life ◽  
Postembryonic Development ◽  
Social Hymenoptera ◽  
Abiotic Environment ◽  
Adult Age ◽  
Olfactory Systems ◽  
Short And Long Term ◽  
Behavioral Maturation ◽  
Olfactory Plasticity

AbstractOlfactory circuits change structurally and physiologically during development and adult life. This allows insects to respond to olfactory cues in an appropriate and adaptive way according to their physiological and behavioral state, and to adapt to their specific abiotic and biotic natural environment. We highlight here findings on olfactory plasticity and modulation in various model and non-model insects with an emphasis on moths and social Hymenoptera. Different categories of plasticity occur in the olfactory systems of insects. One type relates to the reproductive or feeding state, as well as to adult age. Another type of plasticity is context-dependent and includes influences of the immediate sensory and abiotic environment, but also environmental conditions during postembryonic development, periods of adult behavioral maturation, and short- and long-term sensory experience. Finally, plasticity in olfactory circuits is linked to associative learning and memory formation. The vast majority of the available literature summarized here deals with plasticity in primary and secondary olfactory brain centers, but also peripheral modulation is treated. The described molecular, physiological, and structural neuronal changes occur under the influence of neuromodulators such as biogenic amines, neuropeptides, and hormones, but the mechanisms through which they act are only beginning to be analyzed.

scholarly journals Mechanisms of recognition in birds and social Hymenoptera: from detection to information processing

2020 ◽  
Vol 375 (1802) ◽  
pp. 20190483 ◽  
Author(s):  
Natacha Rossi ◽  
Sébastien Derégnaucourt
Keyword(s):  
Individual Recognition ◽  
Experimental Tests ◽  
Mate Recognition ◽  
Social Hymenoptera ◽  
Song Control System ◽  
Recognition Systems ◽  
Song Control ◽  
Avian Song ◽  
Evolving Models ◽  
Nest Mate Recognition

In this opinion piece, we briefly review our knowledge of the mechanisms underlying auditory individual recognition in birds and chemical nest-mate recognition in social Hymenoptera. We argue that even though detection and perception of recognition cues are well studied in social Hymenoptera, the neural mechanisms remain a black box. We compare our knowledge of these insect systems with that of the well-studied avian ‘song control system’. We suggest that future studies on recognition should focus on the hypothesis of a distributed template instead of trying to locate the seat of the template as recent results do not seem to point in that direction. This article is part of the theme issue ‘Signal detection theory in recognition systems: from evolving models to experimental tests’.

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