Contribution a l'ÉTUDE d'UNE Abeille Du Mexique Melipona Beecheii B. (Hymenoptère : Apide). Le Déterminisme Des Castes Chez Les Mélipones

Darchen, Roger; Delage-Darchen, Bernadette

doi:10.1051/apido:19750401

Cited by 24 publications

(15 citation statements)

References 2 publications

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“…We, therefore, conclude that caste fate in Melipona is controlled both genetically and by a factor associated with larval provision: Female larvae that are genetically predisposed towards being queens only will follow this developmental pathway if they received sufficient amounts of a caste determining compound, which, in the case of M. beecheii, is geraniol. From the observation that the proportion of queens among larvae in Melipona nests is typically less than 25% (Kerr 1948;Darchen and Delage-Darchen 1975;Moo-Valle et al 2001;Sommeijer et al 2003;Morais et al 2006), we conclude that the concentration of geraniol usually is below this critical threshold in the majority of cells in nature. This indicates that nurse bees only add labial gland secretions to the normal provision (pollen, carbohydrates, hypopharyngeal gland secretions; Velthuis and Sommeijer 1991) in selected brood cells (we are currently investigating the distribution of geraniol among naturally provisioned brood cells).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 80%

“…However, queen production in bees of the genus Melipona is unique among social bees because brood cells that produce queens and workers are indistinguishable, and all larvae feed on similar amounts of food (Sakagami 1982). Furthermore, Melipona queens are reared in significant numbers all year round (Kerr 1948;Darchen and Delage-Darchen 1975;Moo-Valle et al 2001;Sommeijer et al 2003;Morais et al 2006). To explain the observation that up to 25% of female larvae in Melipona nests develop into queens, Kerr proposed a mechanistic, proximate model of genetic caste determination, based on two unlinked loci, each with two alleles, in which only double heterozygous females could develop into queens (Kerr 1948(Kerr , 1950a (the original assumption of 3 loci for some species was later dismissed; Kerr 1969).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…One of the assumptions of this model is that all larvae not only feed on the same amount of food, but also on food of the same quality. However, this assumption overlooks existing experimental evidence, which demonstrates that caste fate can be influenced by quantitative, and possibly qualitative, differences in nutrition (Kerr et al 1966;Kerr 1969;Darchen and Delage-Darchen 1975;Maciel-Silva and Kerr 1991). Nevertheless, specific nutrients that influence the developmental pathway of a female Melipona larva have not been described.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Workers Make the Queens in Melipona Bees: Identification of Geraniol as a Caste Determining Compound from Labial Glands of Nurse Bees

Jarau

Veen

Twele³

et al. 2010

J Chem Ecol

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Reproductive division of labor in advanced eusocial honey bees and stingless bees is based on the ability of totipotent female larvae to develop into either workers or queens. In nearly all species, caste is determined by larval nutrition. However, the mechanism that triggers queen development in Melipona bees is still unresolved. Several hypotheses have been proposed, ranging from the proximate (a genetic determination of caste development) to the ultimate (a model in which larvae have complete control over their own caste fate). Here, we showed that the addition of geraniol, the main compound in labial gland secretions of nurse workers, to the larval food significantly increases the number of larvae that develop into queens. Interestingly, the proportion of queens in treated brood exactly matched the value (25%) predicted by the twolocus, two-allele model of genetic queen determination, in which only females that are heterozygous at both loci are capable of developing into queens. We conclude that labial gland secretions, added to the food of some cells by nurse bees, trigger queen development, provided that the larvae are genetically predisposed towards this developmental pathway. In Melipona beecheii, geraniol acts as a primer pheromone representing the first caste determination substance identified to date.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 80%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Workers Make the Queens in Melipona Bees: Identification of Geraniol as a Caste Determining Compound from Labial Glands of Nurse Bees

Jarau

Veen

Twele³

et al. 2010

J Chem Ecol

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“…Many published studies that dealt with worker reproduction failed to include colony size so we collected colony size from a limited number of other studies (Table 2). Only three studies give colony sizes that are based on exact counts (von Ihering (1903), Darchen and Delage-Darchen (1975) and Wenseleers unpublished); the others are estimates carried out in diverse ways. Though we tested for an effect of colony size using these literature data, we also conducted the test a second time using, wherever possible, newly collected data from our personal observations and personal communications on the particular species (see acknowledgements).…”

Section: Data On Worker Oviposition In Stingless Beesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Conflict over male parentage in stingless bees

Tóth

Queller

Dollin³

et al. 2004

Insectes Sociaux

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Stingless bees usually have one, singly-mated queen. This can lead to a genetic conflict of interest between the queen and the non-laying workers over who should produce the males. In many stingless bee species workers have developed ovaries and can produce male-destined eggs. In this study we compile the available data on who produces the males in stingless bees. Worker reproduction is common but less frequent than expected from predictions built on relatedness-based preferences of non-laying workers. We tested whether the pattern in worker reproduction can be explained best by queen control, by an arms race between workers and their queen, by the costs of losing workers to reproductive competition, or by phylogenetic constraints. The data are consistent with the view that there is ongoing conflict over male production that is resolved differently depending on the specific dynamics of costs and benefits of worker reproduction. There was also a role for phylogeny; Melipona workers often reproduced while Plebeia and Australian stingless bee workers seldom or never did. The high worker reproduction in Melipona may reflect low costs, because many of the replaced queen-laid eggs would become excess queens. * Some researchers classify M. panamica to include: M. fasciata, M. rufiventris, and M. burnea (Inoue et al., 1999).

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“…In Melipona beecheii Bennett. Darchen and Delage-Darchen (1975), described the five developmental stages only in worker larvae but a detailed account of the duration of each of the ontogenic phases in workers and for reproductives is not yet available for this species.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Caste ontogeny and the distribution of reproductive cells on the combs of Melipona beecheii (Apidae: Meliponini)

Moo-Valle

Quezada‐Euán²,

Canto-Martín

et al. 2004

Apidologie

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-The duration of the development phases of workers, males and gynes was studied in Melipona beecheii, an economically important stingless bee species in southern Mexico. We also determined if gynes and male cells were distributed in clusters on the combs as in other Melipona where laying workers exist. The results showed that the total length of development for the workers was 52.72 ± 1.28 days. In the case of the gynes and males, it was 50.80 (± 1.52) and 53.43 (± 1.12) days, respectively. We found that clustering of male cells in M. beecheii was an uncommon occurrence. We suggest that the main factor explaining the reduced frequency of male cell clusters is that males are not worker-produced in this species, compared to other species of Melipona in which males are worker-produced. Factors related to pollen availability could determine the presence of clustered males in some colonies of this species. stingless bees / Melipona / caste ontogeny / drone production / gyne production

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Contribution a l'ÉTUDE d'UNE Abeille Du Mexique Melipona Beecheii B. (Hymenoptère : Apide). Le Déterminisme Des Castes Chez Les Mélipones

Cited by 24 publications

References 2 publications

Workers Make the Queens in Melipona Bees: Identification of Geraniol as a Caste Determining Compound from Labial Glands of Nurse Bees

Workers Make the Queens in Melipona Bees: Identification of Geraniol as a Caste Determining Compound from Labial Glands of Nurse Bees

Conflict over male parentage in stingless bees

Caste ontogeny and the distribution of reproductive cells on the combs of Melipona beecheii (Apidae: Meliponini)

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