Reproductive conflicts in cooperative associations of fire ant queens (Solenopsis invicta)

@article{Bernasconi1996ReproductiveCI,
  title={Reproductive conflicts in cooperative associations of fire ant queens (Solenopsis invicta)},
  author={Giorgina Bernasconi and Laurent Keller},
  journal={Proceedings of the Royal Society of London. Series B: Biological Sciences},
  year={1996},
  volume={263},
  pages={509 - 513}
}
  • G. Bernasconi, L. Keller
  • Published 1996
  • Biology
  • Proceedings of the Royal Society of London. Series B: Biological Sciences
In ants, unrelated queens frequently associate to initiate a colony cooperatively. The joint reproductive effort of the cofoundresses increases growth and survival of the incipient colony. However, such associations are unstable. Soon after emergence of the first workers, queen–queen and queen–worker fights lead to the death or expulsion of all but one cofoundress. Because no sexual offspring are produced in incipient colonies the surviving queen monopolizes the entire future reproductive… Expand
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Unequal partitioning of reproduction and investment between cooperating queens in the fire ant, Solenopsis invicta, as revealed by microsatellites
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Consider pleometrotic associations in L. niger as a ‘best of a bad job’, whereby the benefits of joint founding and the probability of surviving the conflict might be sufficient for smaller queens to embark on cooperative foundations. Expand
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The results indicate that pleometrosis increased and accelerated worker production via a nutritional boost to the larvae and are consistent with fecundity being central to the onset and outcome of Pleometrosis, a classic example of cooperation among unrelated animals. Expand
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The results indicate that pleometrosis increased and accelerated worker production via a nutritional boost to the larvae and are consistent with fecundity being central to the onset and outcome of Pleometrosis, a typical case of cooperation among unrelated animals. Expand
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This work investigated the importance of physical dominance in queen selection in orphaned groups by manipulating the fighting ability of first-born queens via mandibular ablation, and found first emerged queens were heavier than second emerged queens, performed almost all aggression, and were behaviourally dominant 92% of the time. Expand
Queen recruitment in a multiple-queen population of the fire ant Solenopsis invicta
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Queen recruitment in this population of S. invicta appears to occur at random with respect to the number of older queens present within nests, suggesting that newly recruited queens represent a random sample of potential reproductive queens in the population. Expand
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These findings indicate that, in S. invicta, social environment plays a major role in the determination of the patterns of gene expression, while the queen's physiological state is secondary, highlighting the powerful influence of social environment on regulation of the genomic state, physiology and ultimately, social behavior of animals. Expand
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