Roux, Estelle A. and Korb, J. (2004) Evolution of eusociality and the soldier caste in termites: a validation of the intrinsic benefit hypothesis. JOURNAL OF EVOLUTIONARY BIOLOGY, 17 (4). pp. 869-875. ISSN 1010-061X,
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In termites the evolution of reproductive altruism is not based on a particularly high relatedness between nestmates. For the evolution and maintenance of the ancestral sterile soldier caste, the benefits generated by the soldiers' presence must compensate the loss of the soldiers' reproductive potential. To study the impact of soldiers on colony's fitness, we manipulated the proportion of soldiers to nonsoldiers in colonies of the dry-wood termite Cryptotermes secundus.'Soldier-less' colonies were obtained by removing soldiers and inhibiting their development with an extract of soldier heads. The colonies were set up for 1 year in experimental nests in the field. 'Soldier-less' colonies produced fewer soldiers. The reduction of soldiers neither affected colony survival nor helper growth, but fewer dispersing sexuals were produced in 'soldier-less' than in control colonies. This confirms what was only supposed so far, that in termites soldiers are maintained for their intrinsic benefit to cost ratio.
| Item Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | COPTOTERMES-FORMOSANUS SHIRAKI; LABORATORY EXPERIMENTAL GROUPS; NASUTITERMES-EXITIOSUS HILL; AUSTRALIAN GALL THRIPS; TRUE WORKER CASTE; NAKED MOLE-RAT; ZOOTERMOPSIS-NEVADENSIS; PHYLOGENETIC EVIDENCE; GENETIC-STRUCTURE; DAMPWOOD TERMITE; eusociality; evolution; indirect fitness benefit; Isoptera; soldier; sterile caste |
| Subjects: | 500 Science > 590 Zoological sciences |
| Divisions: | Biology, Preclinical Medicine > Institut für Zoologie |
| Depositing User: | Dr. Gernot Deinzer |
| Date Deposited: | 12 Jul 2021 07:16 |
| Last Modified: | 12 Jul 2021 07:16 |
| URI: | https://pred.uni-regensburg.de/id/eprint/37499 |
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