Genetic insights into family group co-occurrence inCryptocercus punctulatus, a sub-social woodroach from the southern Appalachian Mountains

Abstract

The wood-feeding cockroach Cryptocercus punctulatus Scudder (Blattodea: Cryptocercidae) is an important member of the dead wood (saproxylic) community in montane forests of the southeastern United States. However, its population biology remains poorly understood. Here, aspects of family group co-occurrence were characterized to provide basic information that can be extended by studies on the evolution and maintenance of sub-sociality. Broad sampling across the species’ range was coupled with molecular data (mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) sequences). The primary questions were: (1) what proportion of rotting logs contain two or more different mtDNA haplotypes and how often can this be attributed to multiple families inhabiting the same log, (2) are multi-family logs spatially clustered, and (3) what levels of genetic differentiation among haplotypes exist within a log, and how genetically similar are matrilines of co-occurring family groups? Multi-family logs were identified on the premise that three different mtDNA haplotypes, or two different haplotypes among adult females, is inconsistent with a single family group founded by one male–female pair. Results showed that of the 88 rotting logs from which multiple adult C. punctulatus were sampled, 41 logs (47%) contained two or more mtDNA haplotypes, and at least 19 of these logs (22% overall) were inferred to be inhabited by multiple families. There was no strong evidence for spatial clustering of the latter class of logs. The frequency distribution of nucleotide differences between co-occurring haplotypes was strongly right-skewed, such that most haplotypes were only one or two mutations apart, but more substantial divergences (up to 18 mutations, or 1.6% uncorrected sequence divergence) do occasionally occur within logs. This work represents the first explicit investigation of family group co-occurrence in C. punctulatus, providing a valuable baseline for follow-up studies.

Dual pathways in social evolution: Population genetic structure of group-living and solitary species of kleptoparasitic spiders (Argyrodinae: Theridiidae)

“…Inclusive fitness theory [8, 11–13] helps explain the evolution of the initial transitioning stage of social evolution [14–16] (but see [12]), although empirical evaluations of these ideas are strongly biased toward particular taxa [17]. Most empirical studies of the early stages of social evolution involve species that have attributes that favor either the sub-social route, e.g., woodroaches [18] and Belding’s ground squirrels [9], or communal route, e.g., vampire bats [10].…”