Eusociality in a coral-reef shrimp

@article{Duffy1996EusocialityIA,
  title={Eusociality in a coral-reef shrimp},
  author={J. Emmett Duffy},
  journal={Nature},
  year={1996},
  volume={381},
  pages={512-514}
}
  • J. Duffy
  • Published 1 June 1996
  • Biology
  • Nature
THE apex of animal social organization is eusociality, which has three characteristics: overlapping generations, reproductive division of labour, and cooperative care of young1,2. So far, eusociality has been recognized only among social insects and the African mole-rats3–5. Here I report the first case of eusociality in a marine animal. The sponge-dwelling shrimp Synalpheus regalis lives in colonies that may have >300 individuals, but that contain only one reproductive female. Direct… 
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268 Citations
Highly Influential Citations
22
Background Citations
140
Methods Citations
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Results Citations
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268 Citations

Kin structure, ecology and the evolution of social organization in shrimp: a comparative analysis

It is shown that eusocial species are more abundant, occupy more sponges and have broader host ranges than non-social sister species, and that these patterns are robust to correction for the generally smaller body sizes of eussocial species.

MULTIPLE ORIGINS OF EUSOCIALITY AMONG SPONGE‐DWELLING SHRIMPS (SYNALPHEUS)

Data from the phylogeny of 13 species of sponge‐dwelling shrimps (Synalpheus) are consistent with hypotheses that cooperative social groups enjoy a competitive advantage over less organized groups or individuals, and that enemy pressure is of central importance in the evolution of animal sociality.

Why are There No Eusocial Fishes?

It is argued that the absence of eusocial fish is caused by a number of differences between aquatic (chiefly marine) and terrestrial ecosystems: (1) Greater offspring dispersal in aquatic ecosystems reduces the role of kin-selection, and (2) Lesser predictability of the environment at larger timescales in marine ecosystems disfavors eussociality.

Social Control of Reproduction and Breeding Monopolization in the Eusocial Snapping Shrimp Synalpheus elizabethae

It is shown that workers in Synalpheus elizabethae are reproductively totipotent and that female—but not male—gonadal development and mating are mediated by the presence of a queen, apparently without physical aggression.

Allometry of individual reproduction and defense in eusocial colonies: A comparative approach to trade-offs in social sponge-dwelling Synalpheus shrimps

These results suggest that in less cooperative species, intra-colony conflict selects for queen retention of weapons that have significant costs to fecundity, while reproducing females from highly eusocial species, i.e., those with a single queen, have been able to reduce the cost of weapons as a result of protection by other colony members.

Crustacean Social Evolution

Evolutionary transitions towards eusociality in snapping shrimps

‘family-centred’ origin of eusociality parallels observations in insects and vertebrates, reinforcing the role of kin selection in the evolution of eUSociality and suggesting a general model of animal social evolution.

Colony defense and behavioral differentiation in the eusocial shrimp Synalpheus regalis

Sampling of unmanipulated field colonies showed that colony reproductive output increased linearly, by a factor of 177 times, throughout the range in sampled colony sizes, whereas average per capita reproductive output decreased by only 61% over the same range, suggesting that non-breeding colony members may gain inclusive fitness benefits by remaining in and helping defend the natal sponge.

Influence of sociality on allometric growth and morphological differentiation in sponge-dwelling alpheid shrimp

Shrimp are similar to other eusocial animals in the morphological differentiation between breeders and nonbreeders, and in the indication that some larger nonbreingers might contribute more to defence than others.

Social transitions in sponge-dwelling snapping shrimp.

...

References

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