Multiple mating of queens and the sterility of workers among eusocial hymenoptera

Woyciechowski, Michał; Łomnicki, Adam

doi:10.1016/s0022-5193(87)80074-7

Cited by 148 publications

(102 citation statements)

References 9 publications

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“…Hence, multiple mating might have been selected since it represents the only source of colony genetic diversity. Second, according to the 'polyandry for social harmony' hypothesis, an increase in genetic diversity within colonies is expected to favour a social harmony by reducing the conflicts between the queen and the workers regarding the maternity of males (Woyciechowski & Lomnicki 1987;Ratnieks 1988). Workers of many social Hymenoptera have functional ovaries and may lay haploid-male eggs.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Nevertheless, in most species they do not reproduce and, when they do so, the proportion of worker-produced males is usually weak compared to queen-produced males (Hammond & Keller 2004). Selection for the lack of worker reproduction depends on two variables: the colony-level cost of workers reproducing (Ratnieks 1988;Hammond & Keller 2004) and the relatedness of workers to queen-and worker-produced males (Woyciechowski & Lomnicki 1987;Ratnieks 1988). The relatedness hypothesis predicts that under polyandry, workers should forego reproduction and/or police worker reproduction (worker-policing) by selectively removing worker-laid eggs or by directing aggression towards workers with developing ovaries (Ratnieks 1988).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Genetic diversity, worker size polymorphism and division of labour in the polyandrous ant Cataglyphis cursor

et al. 2008

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Understanding the adaptive significance of multiple mating (polyandry) by females has long been a challenge in evolutionary biology. Several genetic and nongenetic benefits have been proposed to explain the evolution and maintenance of polyandry. In eusocial Hymenoptera, a prominent hypothesis is that increased genetic diversity within colonies results in more polymorphic workers and facilitates division of labour. We analysed the genetic basis of worker size (i.e. worker head width) and task preference in Cataglyphis cursor, an ant showing natural variations in queen-mating frequency. Our data show that increased genetic diversity within colonies does not result in more polymorphic workers. Moreover, worker head width is not different between patrilines within colonies. Consistent with these findings, worker size has a low heritable component. Moreover, task performance is not correlated with patriline. By contrast, it is significantly associated with worker size: the first foragers leaving the nest at sunrise are significantly larger than workers remaining in the nest. Overall, these results do not support the hypothesis that multiple mating is favoured because increased genetic diversity within colonies translates into more polymorphic workers and facilitates genetic polyethism. We discuss other hypotheses to account for the evolution of polyandry in C. cursor.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Genetic diversity, worker size polymorphism and division of labour in the polyandrous ant Cataglyphis cursor

et al. 2008

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“…This kind of destruction of worker-laid eggs is actually a case of worker policing, i.e., the mutual control of the workers' reproduction (13,32). Because C. floridanus is monogynous with a singly mated queen (50), workers should be selected to lay eggs even in the presence of their mother to maximize their inclusive fitness (13,51). On the other hand, if worker reproduction reduces colony efficiency they should police each other's reproduction despite their greater relatedness to their sons and nephews than to their brothers (13); this seems to be the case in C. floridanus.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Surface hydrocarbons of queen eggs regulate worker reproduction in a social insect

Endler

Liebig

Schmitt

et al. 2004

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

258

219

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A hitherto largely unresolved problem in behavioral biology is how workers are prevented from reproducing in large insect societies with high relatedness. Signals of the queen are assumed to inform the nestmates about her presence in the colony, which leads to indirect fitness benefits for workers. In the ant Camponotus floridanus, we found such a signal located on queen-laid eggs. In groups of workers that were regularly provided with queen-laid eggs, larvae, and cocoons, with larvae and cocoons alone, or with no brood, only in the groups with queen-laid eggs did workers not lay eggs. Thus, the eggs seem to inform the nestmates about the queen's presence, which induces workers to refrain from reproducing. The signal on queen-laid eggs is presumably the same that enables workers to distinguish between queen-and worker-laid eggs. Despite their viability, the latter are destroyed by workers when given a choice between both types. Queen-and worker-laid eggs differ in their surface hydrocarbons in a way similar to the way fertile queens differ from workers in the composition of their cuticular hydrocarbons. When we transferred hydrocarbons from the queen cuticle to worker-laid eggs, the destruction of those eggs was significantly mitigated. We conclude that queen-derived hydrocarbon labels inform workers about the presence of a fertile queen and thereby regulate worker reproduction.

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“…The best model for investigating these issues is the honeybee (Apis mellifera ) colony, where queen mandibular pheromones (QMPs) play a crucial regulatory role in inhibiting ovarian development in adult workers and suppressing their reproduction (Van Oystaeyen et al 2014). A large body of evidence indicates that queen pheromones also inform workers about the presence of the queen or her reproductive potential, which suggests that these pheromones have a signalling rather than control function (Woyciechowski and Lomnicki 1987;Tan et al 2015). However, it is unknown whether QMPs communicate information only between queen and adult workers or are also instrumental in larval development.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Honeybee worker larvae perceive queen pheromones in their food

et al. 2016

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-Honeybee workers develop from fertilised eggs, but those reared in a queenless colony develop into 'rebel' workers, which are more queen-like than typical workers. Rebels develop after an old queen leaves with a swarm and before a new queen hatches. We hypothesised that larval food lacking queen mandibular pheromones trigger the rebel phenotype. Larvae reared under queenright or queenless conditions were additionally fed with water or a drop of macerated queen mandibular glands. After following development of the bees and subjecting them to dissection, we found that those reared with a queen or fed the macerated glands under queenless conditions developed into typical workers. Only those workers reared without a queen and without macerated glands added to their food developed into rebels; these rebels had more ovarioles, smaller hypopharyngeal glands, and larger mandibular and Dufour's glands than did typical workers. This is the first evidence that larval perception of the presence or absence of queen pheromones causes an alternative development strategy.Apis mellifera / honeybee / queen pheromones / queen recognition / rebel workers

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Multiple mating of queens and the sterility of workers among eusocial hymenoptera

Cited by 148 publications

References 9 publications

Genetic diversity, worker size polymorphism and division of labour in the polyandrous ant Cataglyphis cursor

Genetic diversity, worker size polymorphism and division of labour in the polyandrous ant Cataglyphis cursor

Surface hydrocarbons of queen eggs regulate worker reproduction in a social insect

Honeybee worker larvae perceive queen pheromones in their food

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