Paternity skew in seven species of honeybees (Hymenoptera: Apidae: Apis)

Schlüns, Helge, Moritz, Robin FA, Lattorff, H Michael G, and Koeniger, Gudrun (2005) Paternity skew in seven species of honeybees (Hymenoptera: Apidae: Apis). Apidologie, 36 (2). pp. 201-209.

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Abstract

Honeybees (Apis) show an extremely polyandrous mating system. In general honeybee queens mate with at least ten drones. The reproductive success of the drones is usually biased giving rise to speculations of a first or last male advantage. Especially for A. andreniformis and A. florea a first male advantage was hypothesized due to the peculiar anatomy of their male genitalia. We reanalyzed data from the literature by using a sample size calibration method to survey the differences and similarities in paternity skew among species in the genus Apis. The paternity skew among seven honeybee species differed significantly, particularly due to the rare patrilines. The sorting algorithm, i.e. the ranking of the patrilines, had, however, a considerable effect on the paternity skew pattern. The frequent patrilines appeared to be similarly distributed in all tested species. As a consequence the proposed first male advantage in the dwarf honeybees is not supported by empirical data.

Item ID: 824
Item Type: Article (Research - C1)
ISSN: 1297-9678
Keywords: Apis, Honeybee, Polyandry, Patrilines, Paternity skew
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© 2005 EDP Sciences. : Reproduced in accordance with publisher policy

Date Deposited: 24 Oct 2006
FoR Codes: 06 BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES > 0608 Zoology > 060808 Invertebrate Biology @ 50%
06 BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES > 0602 Ecology > 060201 Behavioural Ecology @ 50%
SEO Codes: 97 EXPANDING KNOWLEDGE > 970106 Expanding Knowledge in the Biological Sciences @ 100%
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