Effect of mono- and polygyne social forms on transmission and spread of a microsporidium in fire ant populations

Microsporidia Biological Control Agents and Pathogens of Beneficial Insects

“…In the territorial monogyne colonies, the infections are isolated, and demise of the single infected queen results in a rapid decline of the colony. This reduces the opportunity for spread and detection of K. solenopsae in monogyne populations (Fuxa et al 2005a;Oi 2006). However, the prevalence of K. solenopsae from monogyne S. invicta in limited sampling from Argentina was 55%.…”

The Association between Virus Prevalence and Intercolonial Aggression Levels in the Yellow Crazy Ant, Anoplolepis Gracilipes (Jerdon)

“…Additional support for pathogen transmission dynamics at population level can be obtained from red imported fire ant. Polygynous fire ant colonies harbor a significantly higher diversity of parasites and pathogens when compared to their monogyne conspecifics, and such differences are attributed to the presence of intensive intercolonial interactions among polygyne colonies, such as resource and worker exchanges between colonies [5,26,27]. Intensive intercolonial interaction as a result of social structure alteration following invasion may also help explain the finding of viruses (if present) generally persisting in a higher prevalence in introduced areas than those in the native ranges [28,29].…”

Prevalence and impact of the microsporidium Thelohania solenopsae (Microsporidia) on wild populations of red imported fire ants, Solenopsis invicta, in Louisiana

“…Polygyne S. invicta may be more likely to contract the disease as they freely exchange workers, brood, food, and newly mated females (Tschinkel, 1998;see Williams et al, 1998;Oi et al, 2004). Asynchronous, staggered infections among queens of the same colony may prolong the survival of polygyne colonies (Oi, 2006). Polygyne colonies may also survive longer because queens that die can be replaced through the adoption of newly mated females (Glancey and Lofgren, 1988;Vander Meer and Porter, 2001; see also Oi, 2006).…”

“…Asynchronous, staggered infections among queens of the same colony may prolong the survival of polygyne colonies (Oi, 2006). Polygyne colonies may also survive longer because queens that die can be replaced through the adoption of newly mated females (Glancey and Lofgren, 1988;Vander Meer and Porter, 2001; see also Oi, 2006).…”

“…S. invicta colonies are either monogyne and headed by a single fertile queen or polygyne with several egg laying queens (Ross and Keller, 1998). The majority of US colonies found to be infected with the microsporidium have been polygyne (Cook, 2002;Oi et al, 2004;Fuxa et al, 2005a,b;Oi, 2006), and until recently, T. solenopsae had not been detected in wild colonies of monogyne S. invicta (Fuxa et al, 2005a,b). As with several other entomopathogens, the prevalence of T. solenopsae infections may be dependent on host density and be a function of the number of S. invicta colonies at a site (e.g., Watanabe, 1987).…”