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Cryptic lineages hybridize for worker production in the harvester ant Messor barbarus

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posted on 2023-06-09, 04:44 authored by Victoria Norman, Hugo Darras, Christopher Tranter, Serge Aron, William HughesWilliam Hughes
The reproductive division of labour between queen and worker castes in social insects is a defining characteristic of eusociality and a classic example of phenotypic plasticity. Whether social insect larvae develop into queens or workers has long been thought to be determined by environmental cues, i.e. larvae are developmentally totipotent. Contrary to this paradigm, several recent studies have revealed that caste is determined by genotype in some ant species, but whether this is restricted to just a few exceptional species is still unclear. Here, we show that the Mediterranean harvester ant Messor barbarus possesses an unusual reproductive system, in which the female castes are genetically determined. Using both nuclear and mitochondrial data, we show that Iberian populations have two distinct, cryptic lineages. Workers are always inter-lineage hybrids whereas queens are always produced from pure-lineage matings. The results suggest that genetic caste determination may be more widespread in ants than previously thought, and that further investigation in other species is needed to understand the frequency and evolution of this remarkable reproductive system.

Funding

DTA - Determining the environmental and genetic basis of phenotypic plasiticity in leaf-cutting ants; G1011; BBSRC-BIOTECHNOLOGY & BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES RESEARCH COUNCIL; BB/J011339/1

History

Publication status

  • Published

File Version

  • Published version

Journal

Biology Letters

ISSN

1744-9561

Publisher

Royal Society

Issue

11

Volume

12

Department affiliated with

  • Evolution, Behaviour and Environment Publications

Full text available

  • Yes

Peer reviewed?

  • Yes

Legacy Posted Date

2017-01-16

First Open Access (FOA) Date

2017-01-16

First Compliant Deposit (FCD) Date

2017-01-14

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