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Nest inheritance is the missing source of direct fitness in a primitively eusocial insect
journal contribution
posted on 2023-06-08, 00:07 authored by Ellouise Leadbeater, Jonathan M. Carruthers, Jonathan P. Green, Neil S. Rosser, Jeremy FieldAnimals that co-operate with non-relatives represent a challenge to inclusive fitness theory, unless co-operative behavior is shown to provide direct fitness benefits. Inheritance of breeding resources could provide such benefits, but this route to co-operation has been little investigated in the social insects. We show that nest inheritance can explain the presence of unrelated helpers in a classic social insect model, the primitively eusocial wasp Polistes dominulus. We found that subordinate helpers produced more direct offspring than lone breeders, some while still subordinate but most after inheriting the dominant position. Thus, while indirect fitness obtained through helping relatives has been the dominant paradigm for understanding eusociality in insects, direct fitness is vital to explain co-operation in P. dominulus.
History
Publication status
- Published
Journal
ScienceISSN
0036-8075Publisher
American Association for the Advancement of ScienceExternal DOI
Issue
6044Volume
333Page range
874-876Department affiliated with
- Evolution, Behaviour and Environment Publications
Full text available
- No
Peer reviewed?
- Yes
Legacy Posted Date
2012-02-06Usage metrics
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