Colony size predicts division of labour in attine ants.

Andrew F G Bourke,Henry Ferguson-Gow,Kate E Jones,Seirian Sumner

doi:10.1098/rspb.2014.1411

Abstract

Division of labour is central to the ecological success of eusocial insects, yet the evolutionary factors driving increases in complexity in division of labour are little known. The size–complexity hypothesis proposes that, as larger colonies evolve, both non-reproductive and reproductive division of labour become more complex as workers and queens act to maximize inclusive fitness. Using a statistically robust phylogenetic comparative analysis of social and environmental traits of species within the ant tribe Attini, we show that colony size is positively related to both non-reproductive (worker size variation) and reproductive (queen–worker dimorphism) division of labour. The results also suggested that colony size acts on non-reproductive and reproductive division of labour in different ways. Environmental factors, including measures of variation in temperature and precipitation, had no significant effects on any division of labour measure or colony size. Overall, these results support the size–complexity hypothesis for the evolution of social complexity and division of labour in eusocial insects. Determining the evolutionary drivers of colony size may help contribute to our understanding of the evolution of social complexity.

Highlights

Insect eusociality represents one of the major transitions in evolution [1,2,3]
Controlling for environmental variation, we show that evolutionary increases in colony size across the Attini are associated with increases in both worker size variation and queen–worker dimorphism
These findings provide novel support for the size–complexity hypothesis; we detected a strong relationship between colony size and worker size variation independent of the effects of queen–worker dimorphism, we controlled for environmental factors and we separated social complexity into component traits

Summary

Introduction

Insect eusociality represents one of the major transitions in evolution [1,2,3]. In these events, groups of formerly free-living individuals become sufficiently integrated to be considered individuals in their own right. To test for evolutionary relationships between division of labour, colony size and environmental factors, we gathered species-specific data on social traits and evolutionary relationships and conducted a phylogenetically controlled comparative analysis within the neotropical ant tribe Attini.

Results

Conclusion