Tay, W.T., and Crozier, R.H. (2000) Microsatellite analysis of gamergate relatedness of the queenless ponerine ant Rhytidoponera sp. 12. Insectes Sociaux, 47 (2). pp. 188-192.

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Abstract

Rhytidoponera sp. 12 is a queenless ponerine ant. Reproduction is only by several to many mated workers (gamergates). Until now there has been no information on the variation in relatedness between colonies of such ants. Here we use data from five highly polymorphic microsatellite markers to determine the intracolony relatednesses of cohabiting gamergates (bgg) collected from five colonies. Contrary to expectations from previous work, cohabiting gamergates are highly related, and colonies were provisionally classified into 2 types based on bgg: Type 1 colonies have full sister gamergates, while in Type 2 colonies gamergates are not full sisters, although still significantly related. The high relatedness observed between nestmate gamergates despite the low relatedness expected on theoretical grounds, the observed low relatedness between unmated nestmates, and the genetic signatures of migration between colonies indicates frequent bottlenecking, such as from colony founding events or catastrophic reductions in the numbers of gamergates per colony.

Item ID:	27486
Item Type:	Article (Research - C1)
ISSN:	1420-9098
Keywords:	queenless ants, relatedness, microsatellites, gamergates, Rhytidoponera sp. 12
Date Deposited:	05 Jun 2013 22:52
FoR Codes:	06 BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES > 0604 Genetics > 060411 Population, Ecological and Evolutionary Genetics @ 75% 06 BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES > 0602 Ecology > 060202 Community Ecology (excl Invasive Species Ecology) @ 25%
SEO Codes:	97 EXPANDING KNOWLEDGE > 970106 Expanding Knowledge in the Biological Sciences @ 100%
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