Increasing caste differences related to life cycle progression in some neotropical swarm-founding polygynic polistine wasps (Hymenoptera Vespidae Epiponini)

Noll, Fernando Barbosa; Zucchi, Ronaldo

doi:10.1080/03949370.2000.9728322

Cited by 47 publications

(52 citation statements)

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“…lenged by workers in ritualized behavioral contests (30), and lowquality queens can be eliminated from swarm founding paper wasp colonies (31). Our comparative data, and those of Molina et al (25), suggest that queens of all paper wasps may face especially strong social cognition challenges (26).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 69%

Comparative analysis of constraints and caste differences in brain investment among social paper wasps

O’Donnell

Clifford

Molina³

2011

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

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We compared species mean data on the size of functionally distinct brain regions to test the relative rates at which investment in higher-order cognitive processing (mushroom body calyces) versus peripheral sensory processing (optic and antennal lobes) increased with increasing brain size. Subjects were eusocial paper wasps from queen and worker castes of 10 species from different genera. Relative investment in central processing tissue increased with brain size at a higher rate than peripheral structure investment, demonstrating that tissue devoted to higher-order cognitive processing is more constrained by brain size. This pattern held for raw data and for phylogenetically independent contrasts. These findings suggest that there is a minimum necessary investment in peripheral sensory processing brain tissue, with little to gain from additional investment. In contrast, increased brain size provides opportunities to invest in additional higher-order cognitive processing tissue. Reproductive castes differed within species in brain tissue investment, with higher central-to-peripheral brain tissue ratios in queens than in workers. Coupled with previous findings that paper wasp queen, but not worker, brain architecture corresponds to ecological and social variation, queen brain evolution appears to be most strongly shaped by cognitive demands, such as social interactions. These evolutionary patterns of neural investment echo findings in other animal lineages and have important implications, given that a greater investment in higherorder processing has been shown to increase the prevalence of complex and flexible behaviors across the animal kingdom.Hymenoptera | mushroom bodies | social brain | Vespidae A s brains evolve, both relative expansion of specific brain regions and general increases in absolute brain size can enable changes in animal cognitive capacity (1). Of particular note is the frequent convergent evolution of central brain regions that perform higher-order cognitive processing. Larger central processing centers are associated with enhanced capacity for learning, memory, and behavioral innovation among species (1-3). In primates, increased investment in higher-order cognitive processing structures, such as the neocortex and hippocampus, has been linked to increased cognitive performance (4), and the neocortex is five times larger in primates than in insectivores after accounting for differences in whole brain size (5). Increased hippocampal size in passerine birds has been associated with improved memory and the advent of food-storing behavior (6). Increased size and complexity of the mushroom bodies (MB), the neural centers of higher-order cognitive processing in insects, are paired with an increase in the prevalence of generalist feeding ecologies across species (7) and with social dominance status within species (8-10).Molecular evidence supports a single origin of the CNS in bilaterally symmetrical animals, including insects and vertebrates, occurring before the protostome-deuterostome split (11). ...

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 69%

Comparative analysis of constraints and caste differences in brain investment among social paper wasps

O’Donnell

Clifford

Molina³

2011

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

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“…However, little is known about the mechanisms responsible for the caste production. Some authors suggest that intermediates are noninseminated younger queens (West-Eberhard 1978;Gastreich et al 1993;O'Donnell 1998), but other studies demonstrate divergent views, showing that in some species intermediates are similarly morphological to workers (Noll & Zucchi 2000). Richards (1971) and West-Eberhard (1978) considered that the level of ovarian development on intermediates was related with the number of queens in the colony.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Previously studies also showed that this measure was discriminant on Polybia paulista, P. scutellaris (White, 1841) (Noll & Zucchi 2000;Richards 1978) and P. occidentalis (Noll & Zucchi 2000).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Obviously dominance interactions can also influence the difference on this potential. Ovarian size is related with body size, and larger dimensions could be important on chemical and physical signalization (Noll & Zucchi 2000). In addition, ovarian development seems to be important in queens' selection to reward the reduction on their numbers (Jeanne 1991).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Morphological and physiological variation between queens and workers of Protonectarina sylveirae (de Saussure) (Hymenoptera, Vespidae, Epiponini)

Tanaka¹,

Soleman²,

Noll³

2010

Rev. Bras. entomol.

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ABSTRACT. Morphological and physiological variation between queens and workers of Protonectarina sylveirae (de Saussure) (Hymenoptera, Vespidae, Epiponini). The Neotropical swarm-founding wasps, Epiponini, range from the absence of morphological differentiation between castes to highly distinct castes. We measured eight body parts of females of two colonies of Protonectarina sylveirae (de Saussure, 1854). ANOVA and Discriminant Analysis evidenced significant differences between castes, as previously observed by other authors for other species of Epiponini. However, some females previously categorized as queens, were actually workers, supported by our statistic analyses. These individuals showed intermediate morphological features between queens and workers, having distinct patterns of hairs and clypeal spots. The castes of P. sylveirae are distinct, however intermediate individuals may be found in colonies promoting social flexibility.

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“…Recently, Noll and Zucchi (2002) recognized fi ve forms of caste differentiation due to the infl uence of the colonial cycle in the Epiponini: 1) Morphological differences between queens and workers absent during the whole colonial cycle, associated with ovarian activation in unmated females (intermediates); 2) Absence of pronounced morphological differences in queens and workers during the whole colonial cycle, but with clear physiological distinction; 3) Morphological discontinuities among castes are subject to variations during colony cycle. In early stages of the cycle, queens possess a variable size and later queens tend to be monomorphic, usually the largest individuals (Noll & Zucchi 2000). In this case, ovarian activation in intermediates occurs during the whole colony cycle; 4) Similar to 3, but intermediates appear only in some phases of the colonial cycle; 5).…”

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confidence: 99%

Castes and asynchronous colony cycle in Polybia bistriata (Fabricius) (Hymenoptera: Vespidae)

Oliveira¹,

Noll²,

Mateus³

et al. 2007

Neotrop. entomol.

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RESUMO -Os Epiponini, vespas sociais neotropicais, são um grupo de insetos sociais com sociedades poligínicas, construtoras de ninhos complexos. O dimorfi smo das castas varia de incipiente até altamente distinto. Análises morfométricas de nove partes corporais, estágio de desenvolvimento ovariano, idade relativa e desenvolvimento da glândula do quinto esternito do gáster (glândula de Richards) de Polybia bistriata (Fabricius) foram utilizados para calcular o nível de diferenciação das castas de nove colônias. Dados morfológicos e fi siológicos foram usados em análises multivariadas para avaliar o nível de discriminação entre fêmeas inseminadas e não-inseminadas. Foram encontradas diferenças fi siológicas claras: rainhas tinham ovários altamente desenvolvidos e inseminados, e as operárias não estavam inseminadas e tinham ovários não desenvolvidos ou uns poucos oócitos desenvolvidos (em duas colônias). ANOVA e análise da função discriminante detectaram diferenças signifi cantes entre as castas. Considerou-se, pelos dados obtidos, que as colônias estavam nas seguintes fases em relação ao ciclo colonial: uma em pré-emergência, quatro em produção de operárias ;.e quatro em produção de sexuados. Análises das glândulas de Richards indicaram o seu menor desenvolvimento em rainhas de colônias pequenas (< 100 fêmeas) do que aquelas de colônias médias (100-200 fêmeas), e grandes (> 200 fêmeas). Considerando-se todos os dados, é possível concluir que as diferenças entre as castas são pequenas, mas evidentes em algumas fases do ciclo colonial, um fenômeno previamente descrito para outros epiponíneos. PALAVRAS-CHAVE: Inseto social, diferenciação de castas, vespa social, morfometria ABSTRACT -Neotropical swarm-founding wasps, the Epiponini, are an outstanding group of social insects whose societies are polygynic and complex nest builders. Caste dimorphism in these wasps ranges from incipient to highly distinct. Morphometric analyses of nine body parts, ovarian status, relative age and development of the 5 th gastral sternite gland (Richards´ gland) of Polybia bistriata Fabricius were undertaken in order to estimate caste differentiation in nine colonies. Morphological and physiological data were used in multivariate analyses in order to evaluate the level of discrimination between inseminated and non-inseminated females. Clear physiological differences were found: queens had highly developed ovaries and they were inseminated, and workers had totally undeveloped ovaries or they had few developed oocytes (only in two colonies), but in both cases insemination was not detected. ANOVA and discriminant function analysis detected slight, but signifi cant differences between castes. In relation to colony cycle, colonies were considered to be in the following stages: one in pre-emergence, four in worker production and four in sexuals production. Richards´ gland analyses indicated that in small colonies (<100 females) queens had a less developed gland than in medium (100-200 females), and large colonies (>200 females). Taking the whole...

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Increasing caste differences related to life cycle progression in some neotropical swarm-founding polygynic polistine wasps (Hymenoptera Vespidae Epiponini)

Cited by 47 publications

References 20 publications

Comparative analysis of constraints and caste differences in brain investment among social paper wasps

Comparative analysis of constraints and caste differences in brain investment among social paper wasps

Morphological and physiological variation between queens and workers of Protonectarina sylveirae (de Saussure) (Hymenoptera, Vespidae, Epiponini)

Castes and asynchronous colony cycle in Polybia bistriata (Fabricius) (Hymenoptera: Vespidae)

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