Abstract
BackgroundAccording to sexual conflict theory, males can increase their own fitness by transferring substances during copulation that increase the short-term fecundity of their mating partners at the cost of the future life expectancy and re-mating capability of the latter. In contrast, sexual cooperation is expected in social insects. Mating indeed positively affects life span and fecundity of young queens of the male-polymorphic ant Cardiocondyla obscurior, even though males neither provide nuptial gifts nor any other care but leave their mates immediately after copulation and die shortly thereafter.Principal FindingsHere, we show that mating with winged disperser males has a significantly stronger impact on life span and reproductive success of young queens of C. obscurior than mating with wingless fighter males.ConclusionsWinged males are reared mostly under stressful environmental conditions, which force young queens to disperse and found their own societies independently. In contrast, queens that mate with wingless males under favourable conditions usually start reproducing in the safety of the established maternal nest. Our study suggests that males of C. obscurior have evolved mechanisms to posthumously assist young queens during colony founding under adverse ecological conditions.
Highlights
During mating, males of many solitary insects transfer substances that increase the short-term fecundity of their mates at the cost of their future life expectancy and re-mating capability [1,2]
Queens that mate with wingless males under favourable conditions usually start reproducing in the safety of the established maternal nest
Our study suggests that males of C. obscurior have evolved mechanisms to posthumously assist young queens during colony founding under adverse ecological conditions
Summary
Males of many solitary insects transfer substances that increase the short-term fecundity of their mates at the cost of their future life expectancy and re-mating capability [1,2]. Males of social insects are expected to benefit from increasing the life span of their mates, because these need to produce large numbers of sterile workers before they begin rearing sexuals and do not re-mate later in life [3,4]. Like many plants and other sessile organisms living in unpredictable environments, the ant species C. obscurior has evolved alternative reproductive tactics that allow the colony to flexibly react to habitat changes: under favourable environmental conditions, young queens mate with wingless fighter males inside the maternal nest, and, assisted by workers, quickly begin to produce new workers and sexuals to increase the size of the maternal colony. Winged males mate inside the nest with virgin queens, but later leave the colony to mate with females from other nests Under such stressful conditions, local budding is not profitable, and young queens instead benefit from dispersing and founding their nests away from the maternal colonies (Figure 1). Mating positively affects life span and fecundity of young queens of the male-polymorphic ant Cardiocondyla obscurior, even though males neither provide nuptial gifts nor any other care but leave their mates immediately after copulation and die shortly thereafter
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
