Die Pharaoameise,<i>Monomorium pharaonis</i>(L.) (Hym., Myrmicidae)

Berndt, K. P.; Eichler, Wolfdietrich

doi:10.1002/mmnz.19870630102

Cited by 34 publications

(18 citation statements)

References 188 publications

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“…This is different from the results obtained by Kretzschmar (1973), cited in Berndt and Eichler (1987). He seemed to find a negative correlation between the egg-laying rate and the number of large larvae, though no statistical information is available to confirm his results.…”

Section: Discussioncontrasting

confidence: 83%

Influence of larvae and workers on egg production of queens of the pharaoh's ant,Monomorium pharaonis (L.)

Børgesen

Jensen

1995

Ins. Soc

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SummarySocial regulation of egg production and weight in queens was studied in relation to presence and absence of larvae and workers in the pharaoh's ant, Monomorium pharaonis (L.).Results were obtained by counting eggs and weighing queens under various conditions. The results confirm the existence of a positive feed-back loop between mated queens and their larvae as evident from a correlation (Y = 4.575 * X + 6.452) between the number of large worker larvae (X) and the egg yield (Y). This correlation seems to relate to the queens preferential feeding on larval secretions. Queens without larvae maintained a low level of egg production of about 6 eggs/day. Queens deprived of larvae as well as workers stopped producing eggs within 24 hours.Repletes, special workers, with greatly distended gasters functioned as a buffer retarding decline of egg production by feeding the queens during short periods without larvae.

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Section: Discussioncontrasting

confidence: 83%

Influence of larvae and workers on egg production of queens of the pharaoh's ant,Monomorium pharaonis (L.)

Børgesen

Jensen

1995

Ins. Soc

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“…To experimental colonies with hatching queen pupae selected to become fertilized, a number of male pupae exceeding the number of gyne pupae were added. This increased the probability of successful copulation and sperm transfer as each male can inseminate 2-4 gynes, while gynes usually copulate only once (Berndt and Eichler 1987). Copulation may take place from an age of 2 days in some individuals, although generally virgin queens are receptive from the age of 4 days up to 4 weeks or more (Petersen and Buschinger 1971).…”

Section: Histological and Histochemical Investigationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Originally, it is a tropical species, but in more temperate regions, it is able to survive in heated buildings. Pharaoh ants thrive in hospitals, bakeries and residential properties where they are generally considered a serious nuisance and sometimes even a threat to public health, as they have been shown to be the vector of pathogenic organisms (Berndt and Eichler 1987). Features like small body size, absence of nuptial flight, mating in the nest, polygyny, colony foundation by budding of fractions of the maternal colony, high fecundity and a relatively short reproductive cycle all have contributed to the success of this ant as an invasive species (Passera 1994).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Functional morphology of the mandibular gland of queens of the ant Monomorium pharaonis (L.)

et al. 2012

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In this study, the functional morphology of the mandibular glands of pharaoh ant queens is investigated through histological and behavioural observations. The mandibular glands of queens of different age stages and mating status were examined at the light microscopical as well as the ultrastructural level. The results clearly show a high activity of the gland at the time of hatching, followed by a rapid degeneration independent of the queens' mating status. We therefore hypothesize the glandular secretion serves to stimulate workers to remove the queens' pupal skin. Experiments to compare hatching ability of isolated pupae and pupae assisted by workers confirmed the necessity of worker assistance, which is even more crucial to allow proper wing formation in queens and males. Together with the histological data, this suggests that the mandibular gland may indeed play a role in the social facilitation of hatching, although bioassays are required to give decisive answers about the mandibular gland's function.

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“…Pharaoh ants form large polygynous colonies and are commonly found as pests in buildings. New queens and males mate within their natal nest (all queens are singly inseminated) and pharaoh ants can thus potentially be kept in the laboratory indefinitely (Peacock & Baxter, 1949;Berndt & Eichler, 1987). They only spread to new areas by walking or by being inadvertently transported via human-mediated jump dispersal (Edwards & Baker, 1981;Schmidt et al, 2010), and gene flow between colonies may therefore be rare, at least in the semi-natural habitats associated with human settlement.…”

Section: Study Speciesmentioning

confidence: 99%

No benefit in diversity? The effect of genetic variation on survival and disease resistance in a polygynous social insect

Schmidt

Linksvayer

Boomsma

et al. 2011

Ecological Entomology

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1. Multiple mating by queens has been shown to enhance disease resistance in insect societies, because higher genetic diversity among nestmates improves collective immune defences or offers a certain level of herd immunity. However, it has remained ambiguous whether polygynous societies with large numbers of queens also benefit from increased genetic diversity.2. We used one of the very few ant species that can be reared across generations, the pharaoh ant, Monomorium pharaonis Linnaeus, to create experimental colonies with two types of enhanced genetic diversity: (i) mixed workers from three divergent inbred lineages representing the 'polygyny-equivalent' of multiple mating by queens (i.e. increased between-worker variation); and (ii) uniform workers whose overall heterozygosity was increased by two subsequent generations of crossing between the same divergent inbred lineages (i.e. increased within-worker variation).3. We found significant differences in worker survival among the three inbred lineages, with exposure to conidiospores of the fungal pathogen Beauveria bassiana causing significant mortality to the workers independently of their diversity type. Increased diversity did not improve the resistance to Beauveria.4. Enhanced heterozygosity colonies had worker survival rates similar to the most resistant inbred lineage, whereas colonies with mixed workers from the three inbred lineages had lower worker and larval survival. Workers did not show any infectionavoidance behaviour.5. Average larval survival appeared unaffected by the presence of conidiospores. It benefitted from increased heterozygosity but was reduced in mixed colonies independent of infection. This suggests that negative, but cryptic social interactions in mixed colonies may affect overall survival.6. The present results do not provide evidence for or against a link between increased genetic variation and increased disease resistance in pharaoh ants, but show that colonies differ considerably in general survival. Thus, increasing the genetic diversity of pharaoh ant colonies may not provide survival advantages in the face of pathogen exposure, and polygyny and polyandry may not be directly comparable mechanisms for creating adaptive resistance towards pathogens.

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Die Pharaoameise,Monomorium pharaonis(L.) (Hym., Myrmicidae)

Cited by 34 publications

References 188 publications

Influence of larvae and workers on egg production of queens of the pharaoh's ant,Monomorium pharaonis (L.)

Influence of larvae and workers on egg production of queens of the pharaoh's ant,Monomorium pharaonis (L.)

Functional morphology of the mandibular gland of queens of the ant Monomorium pharaonis (L.)

No benefit in diversity? The effect of genetic variation on survival and disease resistance in a polygynous social insect

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