Facultative asexual reproduction and genetic diversity of populations in the humivorous termite Cavitermes tuberosus.

ABSTRACT: Termite colonies are typically founded by a pair of sexually reproducing dispersers, which can sometimes be replaced by some of their offspring. Some Reticulitermes and Embiratermes species routinely practice asexual queen succession (AQS): the queen is replaced by neotenic daughters produced by parthenogenesis, which mate with the primary king. Here, to cast light on the evolution of AQS, we investigated another candidate species, Cavitermes tuberosus (Termitinae). Of 95 nests, 39 contained a primary queen and 28 contained neotenic females (2-667 individuals), usually with the primary king. Microsatellite analyses confirmed that colonies were initiated by single pairs after large dispersal flights. More than 80% of the neotenic females were of exclusively maternal origin and completely ho

SUBMITTER: Fournier D 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4920309 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature