Reproductive Status of the social wasp Polistes versicolor (Hymenoptera, Vespidae)

Abstract

Introduction An important feature for the ecological success of social insects is the division of labor among individuals in their colonies (Wilson, 1985). For this reason, many investigators have devoted their efforts to elucidate the parameters that determine this division, especially the distinction and determination of the caste (Robinson, 1992; O'Donnell, 1995; O'Donnell, 1998). The subfamily Polistinae has characteristics that are important to understand how the social behavior has evolved in the wasps (Ross & Matthews, 1991). The degree of morphological differences among castes in this group can range from total absence (Richards, 1971; Strassmann et al., 2002) to sharp differences among castes (Jeanne, 1991). This, indeed, may be a key feature in the evolution of social insects, since the presence of wide differentiation among castes indicates a higher degree of sociality (Bourke, 1999). In the basal Polistinae such as Mischocyttarus and Polistes, females are distinguished by their behavior, dominance hierarchy, degree of ovarian development and/or their Abstract A fundamental feature in the evolution of social insects is the separation of castes, and the presence of wide differentiation between castes indicates a more advanced degree of sociability. In this study, we evaluated factors indicating the reproductive status of females in colonies of the social wasp Polistes versicolor. The reproductive status of each female was examined by measuring nine morphometric characters, by tracing the cuticular chemical profile, by evidence of insemination and by recording the relative age. We conclude that P. versicolor colonies present 3 female groups according to cuticular chemical profile difference. The first group is made of females with filamentous ovarioles, typical of workers; the second one is females with intermediate ovarioles; and the third group is the group of the queens, which are older females, already inseminated and with the greatest degree of ovarian development. No significant external morphological differences were found among these female groups. Therefore, despite the lack of significant morphological differences among females, there are other factors such as the chemical composition of the cuticula, which are indicative of the reproductive physiological condition of the female in the colony.

Morphophysiological and cuticular chemical alterations caused byXenosentomophagus endoparasites in the social waspPolistes ferreri(Hymenoptera, Vespidae)

“…(2014) did not find any morphometric differences between the queen and worker castes of this species when they assessed females of non-parasitized colonies. The absence of morphometric differences between the castes has also been reported in Polistes versicolor (Torres et al 2014).…”

“…1999; Sledge et al . 2001; Heinze et al 2002; Kelstrup et al 2014; Soares et al 2014; Torres et al 2014), which consequently determines its role in the colony. The effect of the endoparasite in altering the chemical signature in P. dominula was reported by Dapporto et al .…”

Linear Alkanes and Reproductive Status of Polistes versicolor (Hymenoptera: Vespidae) Females in Winter Aggregates

“…According to our results, insemination also leads to significant differences between linear alkanes composition of females (Fig 3). Torres et al (2014) studying the relationship between cuticular chemical profile and physiological condition of P. versicolor females, found correlation between ovarian development and spermatheca condition. Soares et al (2014) also found similar results studying colonies of Polistes ferreri Saussure 1853.…”

Effect of Larval Topical Application of Juvenile Hormone on Cuticular Chemical Composition of Mischocyttarus consimilis (Vespidae: Polistinae) Females

“…This chemical profile is specific to each individual, signaling, for example, the role of each worker within the colony (Ferreira-Caliman et al, 2010;Kather et al, 2011). Specifically, alpha females responsible for reproduction possess cuticular chemical compounds different from those found in workers, as described in studies of the wasp species Polistes versicolor (Olivier) (Torres et al, 2014) and Polistes ferreri (Sassure) (Soares et al, 2014).…”