Multicoloniality in the highly polygynous ant Crematogaster pygmaea (Formicidae: Myrmicinae)

Hamidi, Rachid; Debout, Gabriel; Heredia, Ana; Fournier, Denis; Quinet, Yves; Biseau, Jean‐Christophe de

doi:10.14411/eje.2012.012

Cited by 4 publications

(5 citation statements)

References 70 publications

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“…Those “monogynous” traits are, nonetheless, very surprising in view of the high degree of polygyny found in C . pygmaea colonies [ 28 , 32 ], since polygyny generally results from an opposite reproductive strategy, namely the adoption/re-adoption, in an established colony, of newly mated queens coming from other colonies after long-range dispersal with mating flights (adoption), or of young queens that mated close to or, even, inside the parental nest (re-adoption) [ 6 , 43 , 44 ]. As proposed for other highly polygynous ant species like Anoplepis gracilipes , Plagiolepis pygmaea , or Pseudomyrmex peperi [ 45 – 49 ], or polygynous species of the Formica group [ 24 , 25 , 50 ], polygyny in C .…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Such a hypothesis is supported by the genetic data obtained in a previous study: using the analysis of polymorphic microsatellites, this study showed that the workers of C . pygmaea colonies are highly related (mean index of relatedness (r) between workers of a colony: 0.58) despite high polygyny, thereby indicating strong relatedness among queens within the same colony [ 32 ].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…e . workers from different colonies show aggressiveness) [ 32 ] and queens show strong, although not yet quantified, dimorphism with workers [ 28 , 33 ]. Furthermore, C .…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…On the other hand, the highly polydomous structure of C . pygmaea colonies, the seasonal variation of colony polydomy [ 28 ], and the genetic structure of colonies (low genetic diversity of workers, despite high polygyny) [ 32 ] suggests that its reproductive strategy and/or foraging strategy also includes budding events (short-range dispersal).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Dispersal strategies in the highly polygynous ant Crematogaster (Orthocrema) pygmaea Forel (Formicidae: Myrmicinae)

et al. 2017

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In ants, dispersal strategies and morphology of female sexuals are generally linked to the mode of colony founding. In species using long-range dispersal tactics, queen/worker dimorphism is generally high and young queens are able to initiate new colonies by themselves, using their metabolic reserves. By contrast, in species using short-range dispersal strategies, queen/worker dimorphism is generally low and, due to their limited metabolic reserves, queens have lost the capacity to raise their brood alone and to found their colony independently. Moreover, polygyny is also often associated with short-range dispersal strategies, although the relationship between the number of queens and the dispersal strategy in ants is not clear-cut. Here, dispersal strategies were investigated in C. pygmaea, a highly polygynous and polydomous ant species from northeastern Brazil. Field observations and laboratory experiments show that this ant exhibits a suite of traits that are more commonly associated with long-range dispersal and independent colony foundation: functional wings in both males and females, high queen/worker dimorphism, strong weight loss in mature queens, nuptial flights and, in the lab, ability of young queens to found new colonies in haplometrotic conditions. On the other hand, this species shows a high degree of polygyny with a strong seasonal component, and, at least under laboratory conditions, mature queens seem able to develop propagules if they are accompanied by at least 10 workers. These features strongly suggest that (1) some of the gynes do not engage in a long-range dispersal but become new queens in their mother colony and (2) that budding events are possible in this species. We therefore speculate that C. pygmaea has a dual dispersal strategy probably related to environmental conditions: some gynes engage in long-range dispersal followed by independent colony foundation at the beginning of rainy season, while others mate in the parental colony and are re-adopted leading to high polygyny. During the rainy season, budding events can lead to colony extension and increased polydomy. Polydomy is commonly thought to improve resource discovery and exploitation through decentralized foraging behavior, a significant advantage during the rainy season when food ressources (mainly floral/extrafloral nectaries and hemipteran honeydew) are more abundant and when colony needs for food supplies are highest.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…e . workers from different colonies show aggressiveness) [ 32 ] and queens show strong, although not yet quantified, dimorphism with workers [ 28 , 33 ]. Furthermore, C .…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Dispersal strategies in the highly polygynous ant Crematogaster (Orthocrema) pygmaea Forel (Formicidae: Myrmicinae)

et al. 2017

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“…In the same vein, a positive relationship between the chemical distance and the genetic distance between colonies was reported in some species ( M . rubra , [ 38 ]; Cataglyphis niger , [ 109 ]) but not in others ( Crematogaster pygmaea , [ 110 ]; C . scutellaris , [ 94 ]).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Social Structure and Genetic Distance Mediate Nestmate Recognition and Aggressiveness in the Facultative Polygynous Ant Pheidole pallidula

et al. 2016

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In social insects, the evolutionary stability of cooperation depends on the privileged relationships between individuals of the social group, which is facilitated by the recognition of relatives. Nestmate recognition is based on genetically determined cues and/or environmentally derived chemical components present on the cuticle of individuals. Here, we studied nestmate recognition in the ant Pheidole pallidula, a species where both single-queen (monogyne) and multiple-queen (polygyne) colonies co-occur in the same population. We combined geographical, genetic and chemical analyses to disentangle the factors influencing the level of intraspecific aggressiveness. We show that encounters between workers from neighbouring colonies (i.e., nests less than 5 m away) are on average less aggressive than those between workers from more distant colonies. Aggressive behaviour is associated with the level of genetic difference: workers from monogyne colonies are more aggressive than workers from polygyne colonies, and the intensity of aggressiveness is positively associated with the genetic distance between colonies. Since the genetic distance is correlated with the spatial distance between pairs of colonies, the lower level of aggression toward neighbours may result from their higher relatedness. In contrast, the analysis of overall cuticular hydrocarbon profiles shows that aggressive behaviour is associated neither with the chemical diversity of colonies, nor with the chemical distances between them. When considering methyl-branched alkanes only, however, chemical distances differed between monogyne and polygyne colonies and were significantly associated with aggressiveness. Altogether, these results show that the social structure of colonies and the genetic distances between colonies are two major factors influencing the intensity of agonistic behaviours in the ant P. pallidula.

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Queens defense by workers in the highly polygynous ant Crematogaster pygmaea (Hymenoptera: Myrmicinae)

Segundo

Biseau

Quinet

2012

Behavioural Processes

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Multicoloniality in the highly polygynous ant Crematogaster pygmaea (Formicidae: Myrmicinae)

Cited by 4 publications

References 70 publications

Dispersal strategies in the highly polygynous ant Crematogaster (Orthocrema) pygmaea Forel (Formicidae: Myrmicinae)

Dispersal strategies in the highly polygynous ant Crematogaster (Orthocrema) pygmaea Forel (Formicidae: Myrmicinae)

Social Structure and Genetic Distance Mediate Nestmate Recognition and Aggressiveness in the Facultative Polygynous Ant Pheidole pallidula

Queens defense by workers in the highly polygynous ant Crematogaster pygmaea (Hymenoptera: Myrmicinae)

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