Morphological Differences between Reproductive and Non-reproductive Females in the Social Wasp Mischocyttarus consimilis Zikán (Hymenoptera: Vespidae)

Abstract

Phenotypic divergence plays an important role in establishment of the reproductive division of labor among castes in eusocial insects; however, little is known about this subject in social wasps. We tested the hypothesis that alpha foundressesin colonial foundations of the independent-founding polistine wasp Mischocyttarus consimilis Zikán show greater body size and ovarian development than auxiliary and solitary foundresses. The hypothesis was also tested that females produced in the late post-emergence stage (gynes) are larger than those produced at the beginning (workers) of the colony cycle of this species. Our results showed that the body size of alpha foundresses was significantly greater than that of auxiliary foundresses, but did not differ from that of solitary foundresses. In addition, the alpha had greater ovarian development than the auxiliary and solitary. We also demonstrated that gynes were significantly larger than workers. These results therefore suggest that the phenotype of females emerging in colonies of M. consimilis can vary with the progress of the colony cycle, and that body size and ovarian state are closely linked to the function performed by the foundress.

Social complexity, life-history and lineage influence the molecular basis of castes in vespid wasps

“…1). The simplest societies in our study are represented by Mischocyttarus basimacula basimacula (Cameron) and Polistes canadensis (Linnaeus); wasps in these two genera are all independent nest founders and lack morphological castes (defined as allometric differences in body shape, rather than overall size) or any documented form of life-time caste-role commitment [59][60][61][62] . They live in small family groups of reproductively totipotent females, one of whom usually dominates reproduction (the queen); if the queen dies she is succeeded by a previously-working individual 22 .…”

Evaluation of Chemical Signatures in the Developmental Stages of Mischocyttarus consimilis Zikán (Hymenoptera, Vespidae) Employing Gas Chromatography Coupled to Mass Spectrometry

“…4,8,13,18,19,21,22 M. consimilis is a Neotropical social wasp, previously restricted to Paraguay, but now also found in the south of Mato grosso do Sul and west of Paraná. [23][24][25] Therefore, this is the first study with the Mischocyttarus genus to test the hypothesis that there is a pattern of changes in chemical composition during the course of the developmental stages. It was also investigated whether there is a relationship between the nest and the compounds present in the cuticle of immature and adult individuals.…”

Social complexity, life-history and lineage influence the molecular basis of caste in a major transition in evolution

“…1). The simplest societies in our study are represented by Mischocyttarus basimacula basimacula (Cameron) and Polistes canadensis (Linnaeus); wasps in these two genera are all independent nest founders and lack morphological castes (defined as allometric differences in body shape, rather than overall size) or any documented form of life-time caste-role commitment [59][60][61][62] . They live in small family groups of reproductively totipotent females, one of whom usually dominates reproduction (the queen); if the queen dies she is succeeded by a previously-working individual 21 .…”