Population and colony structure of an ant with territorial males, Cardiocondyla venustula.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Many species of social insects have large-scale mating and dispersal flights and their populations are therefore often relatively homogenous. In contrast, dispersal on the wing appears to be uncommon in most species of the ant genus Cardiocondyla, because its males are wingless and the winged queens mate in their natal nests before dispersing on foot. Here we examine the population structure of C. venustula from South Africa. This species is of particular interest for the analysis of life history evolution in Cardiocondyla, as it occupies a phylogenetic position between tropical species with multi-queen (polygynous) colonies and fighting males and a Palearctic clade with single-queen colonies and mutually peaceful males. Males of C. venustula exhibit an intermediate stra

SUBMITTER: Jacobs S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6551906 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature