Genetic and chemical divergence among host races of a socially parasitic ant.

ABSTRACT: Host-parasite associations facilitate the action of reciprocal selection and can drive rapid evolutionary change. When multiple host species are available to a single parasite, parallel specialization on different hosts may promote the action of diversifying natural selection and divergence via host race formation. Here, we examine a population of the kidnapper ant (Polyergus mexicanus) that is an obligate social parasite of three sympatric ant species: Formica accreta, F. argentea, and F. subaenescens (formerly F. fusca). Behavioral and ecological observations of P. mexicanus have shown that individual colonies parasitize only one species of host and that new Polyergus queens maintain host fidelity when establishing new colonies. To success

SUBMITTER: Torres CW 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6303767 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature