Recurrent Evolution of Dependent Colony Foundation Across Eusocial Insects

The spectacular success of eusocial insects can be attributed to their sophisticated cooperation, yet cooperation is conspicuously absent during colony foundation when queens are alone. Selection against this solitary stage has led to a dramatically different strategy in thousands of eusocial insect...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Annual review of entomology 2013-01, Vol.58 (1), p.37-55
Main Authors: Cronin, Adam L, Molet, Mathieu, Doums, Claudie, Monnin, Thibaud, Peeters, Christian
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Animals
Biodiversity and Ecology
Biological and medical sciences
Biological Evolution
budding
Environmental Sciences
fission
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
Genetics of eukaryotes. Biological and molecular evolution
Hymenoptera
Hymenoptera - genetics
Hymenoptera - physiology
Isoptera
Isoptera - genetics
Isoptera - physiology
Nesting Behavior
Phylogeny
Reproduction
Social Behavior
swarming
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Summary:The spectacular success of eusocial insects can be attributed to their sophisticated cooperation, yet cooperation is conspicuously absent during colony foundation when queens are alone. Selection against this solitary stage has led to a dramatically different strategy in thousands of eusocial insect species in which colonies are started by groups of nestmates and the benefits of sociality are retained continuously. Dependent colony foundation (DCF) evolved recurrently multiple times across the ants, bees, and wasps, though its prevalence in termites remains unclear. We review adaptations at both the colony level (reproductive investment shifts from sexuals to workers) and the individual level (wingless queens evolve in ants), and other consequences for life history (invasiveness, parasite transmission). Although few studies have focused on DCF, the accumulated data from anecdotal reports, supported by indirect information including morphology, population genetics, and colony demographics, make it clear that this strategy is more diverse and widespread than is usually recognized.
ISSN:0066-4170
1545-4487
DOI:10.1146/annurev-ento-120811-153643