Co-founding ant queens prevent disease by performing prophylactic undertaking behaviour.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Social insects form densely crowded societies in environments with high pathogen loads, but have evolved collective defences that mitigate the impact of disease. However, colony-founding queens lack this protection and suffer high rates of mortality. The impact of pathogens may be exacerbated in species where queens found colonies together, as healthy individuals may contract pathogens from infectious co-founders. Therefore, we tested whether ant queens avoid founding colonies with pathogen-exposed conspecifics and how they might limit disease transmission from infectious individuals.

Results

Using Lasius niger queens and a naturally infecting fungal pathogen Metarhizium brunneum, we observed that queens were equally likely to found colonies with another pathogen-

SUBMITTER: Pull CD 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5639488 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature