Article ID | Journal | Published Year | Pages | File Type |
---|---|---|---|---|
143098 | Trends in Ecology & Evolution | 2007 | 6 Pages |
Abstract
Although most insect colonies are headed by a singly mated queen, some ant, wasp and bee taxa have evolved high levels of multiple mating or ‘polyandry’. We argue here that a contributing factor towards the evolution of polyandry is that the resulting genetic diversity within colonies provides them with a system of genetically based task specialization, enabling them to respond resiliently to environmental perturbation. An alternate view is that genetic contributions to task specialization are a side effect of multiple mating, which evolved through other causes, and that genetically based task specialization now makes little or no contribution to colony fitness.
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Authors
Benjamin P. Oldroyd, Jennifer H. Fewell,