Abstract
Background: Reproductive division of labor is one of the key features of social insects. Queens are adapted for reproduction while workers are adapted for foraging and colony maintenance. In many species, however, workers retain functional ovaries and can lay unfertilized male eggs or trophic eggs. Here we report for the first time on the occurrence of physogastric workers and apparent worker reproduction in the invasive yellow crazy ant Anoplolepis gracilipes (Fr. Smith). We further examined the reproductive potential and nutritional role of physogastric workers through multidisciplinary approaches including morphological characterization, laboratory manipulation, genetic analysis and behavioral observation. Results: Egg production with two types of eggs, namely reproductive and trophic eggs, by physogastric workers was found. The reproductive egg was confirmed to be haploid and male-destined, suggesting that the workers produced males via arrhenotokous parthenogenesis as no spermatheca was discovered. Detailed observations suggested that larvae were mainly fed with trophic eggs. Along with consumption of trophic eggs by queens and other castes as part of their diet, the vital role of physogastric workers as "trophic specialist" is confirmed. Conclusion: We propose that adaptive advantages derived from worker reproduction for A. gracilipes may include 1) trophic eggs provisioned by physogastric workers likely assist colonies of A. gracilipes in overcoming unfavorable conditions such as paucity of food during critical founding stage; 2) worker-produced males are fertile and thus might offer an inclusive fitness advantage for the doomed orphaned colony.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Article number | 24 |
| Journal | Frontiers in Zoology |
| Volume | 14 |
| Issue number | 1 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 2017 May 8 |
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All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes
- Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics
- Animal Science and Zoology
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Worker reproduction of the invasive yellow crazy ant Anoplolepis gracilipes. / Lee, Ching Chen; Nakao, Hirotaka; Tseng, Shu Ping; Hsu, Hung Wei; Lin, Gwo Li; Tay, Jia Wei; Billen, Johan; Ito, Fuminori; Lee, Chow Yang; Lin, Chung Chi; Yang, Chin Cheng Scotty.
In: Frontiers in Zoology, Vol. 14, No. 1, 24, 08.05.2017.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
TY - JOUR
T1 - Worker reproduction of the invasive yellow crazy ant Anoplolepis gracilipes
AU - Lee, Ching Chen
AU - Nakao, Hirotaka
AU - Tseng, Shu Ping
AU - Hsu, Hung Wei
AU - Lin, Gwo Li
AU - Tay, Jia Wei
AU - Billen, Johan
AU - Ito, Fuminori
AU - Lee, Chow Yang
AU - Lin, Chung Chi
AU - Yang, Chin Cheng Scotty
PY - 2017/5/8
Y1 - 2017/5/8
N2 - Background: Reproductive division of labor is one of the key features of social insects. Queens are adapted for reproduction while workers are adapted for foraging and colony maintenance. In many species, however, workers retain functional ovaries and can lay unfertilized male eggs or trophic eggs. Here we report for the first time on the occurrence of physogastric workers and apparent worker reproduction in the invasive yellow crazy ant Anoplolepis gracilipes (Fr. Smith). We further examined the reproductive potential and nutritional role of physogastric workers through multidisciplinary approaches including morphological characterization, laboratory manipulation, genetic analysis and behavioral observation. Results: Egg production with two types of eggs, namely reproductive and trophic eggs, by physogastric workers was found. The reproductive egg was confirmed to be haploid and male-destined, suggesting that the workers produced males via arrhenotokous parthenogenesis as no spermatheca was discovered. Detailed observations suggested that larvae were mainly fed with trophic eggs. Along with consumption of trophic eggs by queens and other castes as part of their diet, the vital role of physogastric workers as "trophic specialist" is confirmed. Conclusion: We propose that adaptive advantages derived from worker reproduction for A. gracilipes may include 1) trophic eggs provisioned by physogastric workers likely assist colonies of A. gracilipes in overcoming unfavorable conditions such as paucity of food during critical founding stage; 2) worker-produced males are fertile and thus might offer an inclusive fitness advantage for the doomed orphaned colony.
AB - Background: Reproductive division of labor is one of the key features of social insects. Queens are adapted for reproduction while workers are adapted for foraging and colony maintenance. In many species, however, workers retain functional ovaries and can lay unfertilized male eggs or trophic eggs. Here we report for the first time on the occurrence of physogastric workers and apparent worker reproduction in the invasive yellow crazy ant Anoplolepis gracilipes (Fr. Smith). We further examined the reproductive potential and nutritional role of physogastric workers through multidisciplinary approaches including morphological characterization, laboratory manipulation, genetic analysis and behavioral observation. Results: Egg production with two types of eggs, namely reproductive and trophic eggs, by physogastric workers was found. The reproductive egg was confirmed to be haploid and male-destined, suggesting that the workers produced males via arrhenotokous parthenogenesis as no spermatheca was discovered. Detailed observations suggested that larvae were mainly fed with trophic eggs. Along with consumption of trophic eggs by queens and other castes as part of their diet, the vital role of physogastric workers as "trophic specialist" is confirmed. Conclusion: We propose that adaptive advantages derived from worker reproduction for A. gracilipes may include 1) trophic eggs provisioned by physogastric workers likely assist colonies of A. gracilipes in overcoming unfavorable conditions such as paucity of food during critical founding stage; 2) worker-produced males are fertile and thus might offer an inclusive fitness advantage for the doomed orphaned colony.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85018392345&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=85018392345&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1186/s12983-017-0210-4
DO - 10.1186/s12983-017-0210-4
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85018392345
VL - 14
JO - Frontiers in Zoology
JF - Frontiers in Zoology
SN - 1742-9994
IS - 1
M1 - 24
ER -