The role of breeding system on ant ecological dominance: genetic analysis of Ectatomma tuberculatum

Zinck, Léa; Jaisson, Pierre; Hora, Riviane R.; Denis, Damien; Poteaux, Chantal; Doums, Claudie

doi:10.1093/beheco/arm033

Cited by 22 publications

(32 citation statements)

References 54 publications

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“…This unequal sharing of reproduction among highly related nestmate queens is then unexpected according to theoretical predictions and egg eating would contribute to direct reproductive competition. However, no reproductive skew was observed in a study of polygynous colonies of E. tuberculatum from Brazilian populations (Zinck et al. in press).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 98%

Egg Cannibalism in a Facultative Polygynous Ant: Conflict for Reproduction or Strategy to Survive?

et al. 2007

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Policing, i.e. all behaviours that prevent a nestmate from reproducing, is currently observed in social insects. It is presumed to have evolved to regulate potential conflicts generated by genetic asymmetries or to enhance colony efficiency by avoiding surplus reproductives and brood. In the ant, Ectatomma tuberculatum, individual queen fecundity was similar in monogynous and polygynous colonies issued from a Mexican population. Egg cannibalism, however, occurred in the polygynous colonies. The stealing and destruction of reproductive queen‐laid eggs involved only nestmate queens, even if they were highly related. No queen appeared to monopolize reproduction in the polygynous colonies. But, the observed value of relatedness among workers differed from the expected value, suggesting an unequal sharing of reproduction between queens. We discussed whether the cannibalism of queen‐laid eggs in E. tuberculatum results from a competition for reproduction among queens or if this phenomenon is related to constraints on nutritional resources.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 98%

Egg Cannibalism in a Facultative Polygynous Ant: Conflict for Reproduction or Strategy to Survive?

et al. 2007

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“…In the field, polydomy (i.e., colonies with multiple satellite nests), a condition which has been proposed for E. tuberculatum (Hora et al 2005b;Zinck et al 2007), could reduce reproductive competition. This phenomenon has been suggested for the parasite ant Plagiolepis xene infesting P. pygmaea colonies (Passera et al 2001).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Social interactions between an inquiline ant, Ectatomma parasiticum, and its host, Ectatomma tuberculatum (Formicidae, Ectatomminae)

Hora

Blatrix

Fresneau

et al. 2008

J Ethol

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Inquilines, workerless social parasites, frequently show advanced adaptations to their parasitic life style that indicate a long co-evolutionary history with their host. Ectatomma parasiticum, the first inquiline described in the poneromorph group, usurps established colonies of E. tuberculatum and produces only sexuals. In laboratory colonies, parasites were specifically attacked by the host workers, showing a failure in their social integration. Social interactions were frequent between parasites and their hosts, especially antennation, interpreted as attempts to promote colonial odor transfer. Inquilines destroyed eggs laid by the other queens (67 out of 209 eggs laid), including conspecific parasites, which is unusual. Such partial integration into the host colony and potential parasite virulence argue for a recent evolution of social parasitism in E. tuberculatum.

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“…The semiclaustral nest foundation in E. tuberculatum (Dejean and Lachaud 1992) may have selected for more robust cuticular surfaces of the queens to protect them during their necessary foraging before the first workers emerge. Furthermore, the occurrence of polydomy (a single colony having multiple nests) and colony reproduction by budding (departure of young queens and workers to found a new colony near the mother colony (reviewed in Peeters and Ito 2001) were suggested to occur in Brazilian populations (Hora et al 2005;Zinck et al 2007). Thus, queens may be exposed more then usual to environmental stress, against which the wax coat present in mated-fertile queens could provide a protective barrier.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Postmating changes in cuticular chemistry and visual appearance in Ectatomma tuberculatum queens (Formicidae: Ectatomminae)

Hora

Ionescu-Hirsh

Simon

et al. 2007

Naturwissenschaften

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In the ectatommine ant Ectatomma tuberculatum, the visual appearance of queens changes after mating and ovarian development in that their cuticle turns from shiny to matte. In this study, we have shown that this change seems to be caused by 15-fold accumulation of hydrocarbons, in particular heptacosane that covers the multiple grooves present on the cuticular surface creating a wax coat in mated fully fertile queens. Analyses of the scrapped wax revealed that it is composed largely of heptacosane. Peak-by-peak comparison of the cuticular hydrocarbon (CHC) composition of mated, virgin with developed ovaries and virgin with nondeveloped ovaries revealed significant differences between the queen groups. Although the total amount of the CHC of virgin queens with developed ovaries was not higher than virgin queens that did not have developed ovaries, the composition showed a shift toward the mated queen. While it is possible that the large accumulation of hydrocarbons may give extra physical and chemical protection to queens, we propose that the switch in the relative abundance of heptacosane and nonacosane and perhaps of other components is indicative of being a mating and fertility cue. This is the first report in social insects where external chemical changes are accompanied by changes in visual appearance.

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The role of breeding system on ant ecological dominance: genetic analysis of Ectatomma tuberculatum

Cited by 22 publications

References 54 publications

Egg Cannibalism in a Facultative Polygynous Ant: Conflict for Reproduction or Strategy to Survive?

Egg Cannibalism in a Facultative Polygynous Ant: Conflict for Reproduction or Strategy to Survive?

Social interactions between an inquiline ant, Ectatomma parasiticum, and its host, Ectatomma tuberculatum (Formicidae, Ectatomminae)

Postmating changes in cuticular chemistry and visual appearance in Ectatomma tuberculatum queens (Formicidae: Ectatomminae)

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