scholarly journals Multiple Aggressions Among Nestmates Lead to Weak Dominance Hampering Primitively Eusocial Behaviour in an Orchid Bee

Sociobiology ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 64 (2) ◽  
pp. 202 ◽  
Author(s):  
SAMUEL BOFF ◽  
Claudia Akemi Saito ◽  
Isabel Alves-dos-Santos
Keyword(s):  
Overlapping Generations ◽  
Sister Group ◽  
Division Of Labour ◽  
Social Hymenoptera ◽  
Natal Nest ◽  
Weak Dominance ◽  
Aggressive Interactions ◽  
Dominant Female ◽  
Eusocial Species ◽  
Primitively Eusocial

Reproductive conflict expressed as aggression is common in social Hymenoptera. In eusocial species, as in honeybees, several mechanisms alleviate the conflicts and reduce aggressive interactions. Unlike their sister group, the orchid bees do not exhibit eusociality. Instead, most of the species seem to have lost sociality and some species have retained vestigial social behaviour. In the current study we investigated the aggressive interactions of females of Euglossa annectans Dressler through five generations of phylopatry and reuse of the natal nest. Although network analysis indicates that central individuals, those with more interactions, were more commonly the aggressors and others were more commonly the recipients, multiple attacks and several potential dominant female within the nest indicated a labile sociality. This suggests that there is an unstable social hierarchy in the species. Euglossa annectans, despite having overlapping generations, during which several individuals share a nest, there is no division of labour into reproductive and interactions are often competitive. Aggressive behaviours conducted by multiple fertile females were often followed by egg, larvae or pupae replacement.

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 The effect of age on non-reproductive division of labour in the tropical primitively eusocial wasp, Ropalidia cyathiformis

2020 ◽  
Vol 64 (4-5-6) ◽  
pp. 267-273
Author(s):  
Sruthi Unnikrishnan ◽  
Raghavendra Gadagkar
Keyword(s):  
Division Of Labour ◽  
Age Polyethism ◽  
Relative Age ◽  
Eusocial Insects ◽  
Primitively Eusocial Wasp ◽  
Eusocial Wasp ◽  
Reproductive Division Of Labour ◽  
Absolute Age ◽  
Reproductive Division ◽  
Primitively Eusocial

Division of labour among workers (non-reproductive division of labour), a characteristic feature of eusocial insects enables the efficient functioning of their colonies. In many advanced insect societies division of labour is based on age (age polyethism). Primitively eusocial insects however are believed to have a weak age polyethism. Here we investigated the role of age in non-reproductive division of labour in the tropical primitively eusocial wasp, Ropalidia cyathiformis and compared it with that in Ropalidia marginata, a congeneric species that exhibits relatively strong age polyethism. Age had a significant effect on the first performance of the four tasks studied; tasks were initiated in the sequence feed larva, build, bring food and bring building material. We measured task performance as the absolute frequency of tasks performed (FTP) and the probability of performing a task relative to other tasks (PTP) and age as absolute age in days since eclosion as well as relative age compared to nestmates. FTP varied significantly with both absolute and relative age, although absolute age explained more variance. PTP varied significantly with absolute age but not always with relative age. This is contrary to R. marginata, where more variation is explained by relative age than by absolute age. There was no trade-off between intranidal and extranidal tasks in R. cyathiformis unlike in R. marginata where the frequency of intranidal tasks decreased and that of extranidal tasks increased with age. We conclude that age polyethism is weak and less flexible in R. cyathiformis compared to that in R. marginata.

The Habitat Utilisation and Social Behaviour of Captive Rock-wallabies: Implications for Management.

1996 ◽  
Vol 19 (2) ◽  
pp. 191
Author(s):  
J. Bulinski ◽  
D. Goldney ◽  
J. Bauer
Keyword(s):  
Small Group ◽  
Social Behaviour ◽  
Habitat Type ◽  
Line Frequency ◽  
Aggressive Interactions ◽  
Resting Sites ◽  
Adult Females ◽  
Preferred Habitat ◽  
Dominant Female ◽  
The Social

As part of a breeding program a small group of Brush-tailed Rock-wallabies, Petrogale penicillata, was captured within the Jenolan Caves reserve and transferred to a nearby enclosure. This study examined the social behaviour and habitat utilisation of these captive rock-wallabies. The subjects were observed in slightly over half (52.2%) of the area available within the enclosure. Sightings were concentrated around a small cliff line. Frequency of sightings within grid cells was significantly correlated with scat density but unrelated to a measure of visibility suggesting the rock-wallabies exhibit strong preference for certain habitats. A Poisson analysis indicated that preferred habitat was characterised as having a northerly aspect, high levels of rock coverage and high shrub density. There was only a small amount of this habitat type within the enclosure which may account for the high levels of aggression which we observed (23.9% of all social behaviour). Aggression was particularly prevalent between adult females (64.8% of all aggressive interactions). The subordinate female was the only animal observed to use resting sites to the south of the cliff line. We suggest that aggression from the dominant female forced the subordinate female to use these less preferred areas.

scholarly journals Termite colonies from mid-Cretaceous Myanmar demonstrate their early eusocial lifestyle in damp wood

2019 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 381-390 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zhipeng Zhao ◽  
Xiangchu Yin ◽  
Chungkun Shih ◽  
Taiping Gao ◽  
Dong Ren
Keyword(s):  
Overlapping Generations ◽  
Division Of Labour ◽  
Brood Care ◽  
Burmese Amber ◽  
Multiple Generations ◽  
Large Aggregation ◽  
Rotting Wood ◽  
Reproductive Division Of Labour ◽  
Reproductive Division

Abstract Insect eusociality is characterized by cooperative brood care, reproductive division of labour and multiple generations of adults within a colony. The morphological specializations of the different termite castes from Burmese amber were recently reported, indicating the termites possessed advanced sociality in the mid-Cretaceous. Unfortunately, all the reported Cretaceous termites are individually preserved, which does not cover the behaviours of the cooperative brood care and multiple generations of adults in the nests of the Cretaceous termites. Herein, we report three eusocial aggregations from colonies of the oldest known Stolotermitidae, Cosmotermesgen. nov., in 100 Ma mid-Cretaceous Burmese amber. One large aggregation, comprising 8 soldiers, 56 workers/pseudergates and 25 immatures of different instars, additionally presents the behaviours of cooperative brood care and overlapping generations. Furthermore, taphonomic evidence indicates Cosmotermes most probably dwelled in damp/rotting wood, which provides a broader horizon of the early societies and ecology of the eusocial Cosmotermes.

scholarly journals Molecular underpinnings of division of labour among workers in a socially complex termite

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniel Elsner ◽  
Klaus Hartfelder ◽  
Judith Korb
Keyword(s):  
Molecular Mechanisms ◽  
Storage Proteins ◽  
Division Of Labour ◽  
Social Hymenoptera ◽  
Evolutionary Transitions ◽  
Macrotermes Bellicosus ◽  
Reproductive Division Of Labour ◽  
Multicellular Organisms ◽  
Reproductive Division ◽  
Task Division

AbstractDivision of labour characterizes all major evolutionary transitions, such as the evolution of eukaryotic cells or multicellular organisms. Social insects are characterized by reproductive division of labour, with one or a few reproducing individuals (queens) and many non-reproducing nestmates (workers) forming a colony. Among the workers, further division of labour can occur with different individuals performing different tasks such as foraging, brood care or building. While mechanisms underlying task division are intensively studied in social Hymenoptera, less is known for termites, which independently evolved eusociality. We investigated molecular mechanisms underlying task division in termite workers to test for communality with social Hymenoptera. We compared similar-aged foraging workers with builders of the fungus-growing termite Macrotermes bellicosus using transcriptomes, endocrine measures and estimators of physiological condition. Based on results for social Hymenoptera and theory, we tested the hypotheses that (i) foragers are in worse physiological conditions than builders, (ii) builders are more similar in their gene expression profile to queens than foragers are, and (iii) builders invest more in anti-ageing mechanism than foragers. Our results support all three hypotheses. We found storage proteins to underlie task division of these similar-aged termite workers and these genes also characterize reproductive division of labour between queens and workers. This implies a co-option of nutrient-based pathways to regulate division of labour across lineages of termites and social Hymenoptera, which are separated by more than 133 million years.

scholarly journals Reproductive workers show queen-like gene expression in an intermediately eusocial insect, the buff-tailed bumble beeBombus terrestris.

2014 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mark C Harrison ◽  
Robert L Hammond ◽  
Eamonn B Mallon
Keyword(s):  
Differential Expression ◽  
Bombus Terrestris ◽  
Expression Patterns ◽  
Differential Expression Analysis ◽  
Division Of Labour ◽  
Differentially Expressed ◽  
Bumble Bee ◽  
Strong Shift ◽  
Single Genome ◽  
Eusocial Species

Bumble bees represent a taxon with an intermediate level of eusociality within Hymenoptera. The clear division of reproduction between a single founding queen and the largely sterile workers is characteristic for highly eusocial species, whereas the morphological similarity between the bumble bee queen and the workers is typical for more primitively eusocial hymenopterans. Also, unlike other highly eusocial hymenopterans, division of labour among worker sub-castes is plastic and not predetermined by morphology or age. We conducted a differential expression analysis based on RNA-seq data from 11 combinations of developmental stage and caste to investigate how a single genome can produce the distinct castes of queens, workers and males in the buff-tailed bumble beeBombus terrestris. Based on expression patterns, we found males to be the most distinct of all adult castes (2,411 transcripts differentially expressed compared to non-reproductive workers). However, only relatively few transcripts were differentially expressed between males and workers during development (larvae: 71, pupae: 162). This indicates the need for more distinct expression patterns to control behaviour and physiology in adults compared to those required to create different morphologies. Among female castes, reproductive workers and their non-reproductive sisters displayed differential expression in over ten times more transcripts compared to the differential expression found between reproductive workers and their mother queen. This suggests a strong shift towards a more queen-like behaviour and physiology when a worker becomes fertile. This contrasts with eusocial species where reproductive workers are more similar to non-reproductive workers than the queen.

scholarly journals Reproduction and signals regulating worker policing under identical hormonal control in social wasps

2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Cintia Akemi Oi ◽  
Robert L. Brown ◽  
Rafael Carvalho da Silva ◽  
Tom Wenseleers
Keyword(s):  
Experimental Treatment ◽  
Division Of Labour ◽  
Hormonal Control ◽  
Social Hymenoptera ◽  
Vespula Vulgaris ◽  
Chemical Profiles ◽  
Signal Honesty ◽  
Reproductive Division Of Labour ◽  
Egg Marking ◽  
Reproductive Division

Abstract In social Hymenoptera, fertility and fertility signalling are often under identical hormonal control, and it has been suggested that such hormonal pleiotropies can help to maintain signal honesty. In the common wasp Vespula vulgaris, for example, fertile queens have much higher juvenile hormone (JH) titers than workers, and JH also controls the production of chemical fertility cues present on the females’ cuticle. To regulate reproductive division of labour, queens use these fertility cues in two distinct ways: as queen pheromones that directly suppress the workers’ reproduction as well as to mark queen eggs and enable the workers to recognize and police eggs laid by other workers. Here, we investigated the hormonal pleiotropy hypothesis by testing if experimental treatment with the JH analogue methoprene could enable the workers to lay eggs that evade policing. In support of this hypothesis, we find that methoprene-treated workers laid more eggs, and that the chemical profiles of their eggs were more queen-like, thereby causing fewer of their eggs to be policed compared to in the control. Overall, our results identify JH as a key regulator of both reproduction and the production of egg marking pheromones that mediate policing behaviour in eusocial wasps.

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