Male same-sex pairing as an adaptive strategy for future reproduction in termites

Mizumoto, Nobuaki; Yashiro, Toshihisa; Matsuura, Kenji

doi:10.1016/j.anbehav.2016.07.007

Cited by 19 publications

(28 citation statements)

References 42 publications

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“…Additionally, it is reasonable to assume that the pair share the same goal of successful colony foundation. Predation risk is high during tandem [36], so pairs must establish a nest as soon as possible [37]. Their highest priority is not who they found a colony with but simply to found as soon as possible [38].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Coordination of movement via complementary interactions of leaders and followers in termite mating pairs

Mizumoto

Lee

Valentini

et al. 2021

Preprint

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Leadership of animal group movements depends on social feedback, hence leader′s signals and follower′s responses should be attuned to each other. However, leader and follower roles are difficult to disentangle in species with high levels of coordination. To overcome this challenge, we investigated a simple case of movement coordination: termite pairs in which a female leads a male as they search for a nest site. To tease apart leader and follower roles, we created conspecific and heterospecific pairs of Coptotermes gestroi and C. formosanus, which share a pairing pheromone so that males follow females of either species. Conspecific pairs were stable for both species, even though C. gestroi females produce less pheromone than C. formosanus. Heterospecific pairs with C. gestroi males were also stable, but not those with C. formosanus males. We attributed this difference to the C. gestroi male′s unique capacity to follow females that release small amounts of pheromone; C. formosanus males cannot follow or reject C. gestroi females as unsuitable. This conclusion was supported by an information-theoretic analysis that detected information flow from C. formosanus females to C. gestroi males as in conspecific pairs, but not from C. gestroi females to C. formosanus males. Despite their following ability, C. gestroi males lost to C. formosanus males in competitions to follow C. formosanus females. Thus, partner selection has shaped the species-specific association of mating pairs. Our results demonstrate that a similar level of coordination can emerge from distinct sets of complementary sender-receiver interactions.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Coordination of movement via complementary interactions of leaders and followers in termite mating pairs

Mizumoto

Lee

Valentini

et al. 2021

Preprint

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“…Moreover synchronization of search timing can avoid predator during mate search by a dilution of predation risk (Lloyd and Dybas 1966), and can save their energy required to run to search for mates (Tucker 1970). Considering the critical cost of being alone, where individual termites cannot survive without partner (Mizumoto et al 2016), it is reasonable that such a strong selection acts on eiciency of encounter even after the failure on the swarm occurrence day.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…After dispersing, individuals land on the ground, shed their wings and run to search for a mating partner (Vargo and Husseneder 2009). In this searching process, successfully encountered pairs run in tandem and establish their nests as soon as a suitable nest site is found (Vargo and Husseneder 2009;Mizumoto et al 2016). However, if they fail to encounter mates within the day, they rarely cease searching for mates and mate search on the ground can continue over several days (Matsuura and Nishida 2001;Mizumoto et al 2016).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In this searching process, successfully encountered pairs run in tandem and establish their nests as soon as a suitable nest site is found (Vargo and Husseneder 2009;Mizumoto et al 2016). However, if they fail to encounter mates within the day, they rarely cease searching for mates and mate search on the ground can continue over several days (Matsuura and Nishida 2001;Mizumoto et al 2016). This searching behavior over several days can be considered efective because swarming can occur across several days (e.g., Henderson and Delaplane 1994;Chouvenc et al 2015).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…This searching behavior over several days can be considered efective because swarming can occur across several days (e.g., Henderson and Delaplane 1994;Chouvenc et al 2015). On the other hand, dealates (wingless adults) searching on the ground are assumed to be under the high predation risk from the almost all classes of terrestrial predatory animals (Deligne et al 1981;Mizumoto et al 2016). Therefore, unpaired dealates must be under the necessity of temporally regulating their daily searching activity, so as to shorten the searching time on the ground.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Pairing strategy after today's failure: unpaired termites synchronize mate search using photic cycles

2017

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Animals must search for other individuals under spatially and temporally fluctuating environments. During mate searches, search timing is critical to increase encounter rate and internal oscillating clocks often play important roles in synchronization. On the other hands, some species living in areas with no or reduced periodicity do not show endogenous circadian rhythm, where little is known about how they determine search timing. Termites usually live within logs and underground with little light fluctuations, but also come out of their nests during mating flight season. After swarming, termites run on the ground to search for mates. If they fail to find mates on the flight day, they need to continue searching until a day to succeed. Here we found that unpaired termites show daily search–rest cycles and restrict searching activity to a certain period of the day by responding to photic cycles. The search–rest cycles were diel rhythmic and synchronized with light–dark cycles. Termites also showed periodic (period length ≈ 18 h) search–rest patterns under constant darkness. These results indicate that the diel rhythm is caused by the internal oscillating clocks which are entrained to the photic cycles. The search activity in light–dark cycles was observed only at a specific time during the light period, which matches approximately the time of swarming flight. Our results suggest that termites adaptively regulate their daily searching activity, if they fail to encounter mates at the flight day.

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Evolution of obligate asexuality in termites with mixed‐sex societies

Yashiro

2024

Population Ecology

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Males are a ubiquitous feature of animals and play crucial roles beyond the contribution of gametes in some species (e.g., paternal care for offspring and nuptial gifts for females). In termites, colonies commonly consist of both male and female reproductives, workers, and soldiers (i.e., mixed‐sex societies), where males and females both play critical roles beyond reproduction (e.g., brood care, foraging, nest construction and maintenance, and colony defense). Male‐specific roles may also exist in termite colonies. While obligate asexuality had not been observed in any termite population until recently, all‐female asexual populations of the termite Glyptotermes nakajimai were reported in 2018. This was the first and only known case of evolutionary transition from mixed‐sex to all‐female asexual societies in animals. Here, asexual reproduction in termites is first reviewed, followed by a discussion of how and why G. nakajimai evolved obligate asexuality. The study of the evolution of obligate asexuality in termites with mixed‐sex societies is important because it may enhance our understanding of the significance of males in animal societies and populations.

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Male same-sex pairing as an adaptive strategy for future reproduction in termites

Cited by 19 publications

References 42 publications

Coordination of movement via complementary interactions of leaders and followers in termite mating pairs

Coordination of movement via complementary interactions of leaders and followers in termite mating pairs

Pairing strategy after today's failure: unpaired termites synchronize mate search using photic cycles

Evolution of obligate asexuality in termites with mixed‐sex societies

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