Acceptance of alien queens by the ruby ant Myrmica rubra (Hymenoptera: Formicidae): Gene flow by queen flow

: Jouni Sorvari

Publisher: CZECH ACAD SCI, INST ENTOMOLOGY

: 2017

European Journal of Entomology

: EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF ENTOMOLOGY

: EUR J ENTOMOL

: 114

: 230

: 234

: 5

: 1802-8829

DOI: https://doi.org/10.14411/eje.2017.028

: http://www.eje.cz/artkey/eje-201701-0028_acceptance_of_alien_queens_by_the_ruby_ant_myrmica_rubra_hymenoptera_formicidae_gene_flow_by_queen_flow.php

: https://research.utu.fi/converis/portal/detail/Publication/31062512

Social insect colonies, especially of ants, often include several egg-laying queens that are not always closely related to each other. At least in some cases, the ants seem to accept non-related queens into their colonies. Here I test whether the colony queen status (with or without a queen), genetic and geographic differences between source and recipient nests and the average relatedness of the workers in the recipient colony affect the acceptance of alien queens. I used field collected ruby ant Myrmica rubra colonies as a model system. Only the queen status significantly affected the acceptance process. Colonies without queens accepted alien queens more frequently than colonies with a queen. The nests without queens and nest fragments may act as vectors for gene flow by the movement of queens between nests, i.e., queen flow.

formicidae, Myrmica rubra, polygyny, relatedness, social insects

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