A novel distribution of supergene genotypes is present in the socially polymorphic ant Formica neoclara.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Supergenes are chromosomal regions with tightly linked clusters of alleles that control compound phenotypic traits. Supergenes have been demonstrated to contribute to the maintenance of polymorphisms within populations in traits as diverse as mimetic wing coloration in butterflies, mating strategies in birds, and malarial susceptibility in mosquitoes. A large supergene also underlies variation in social organization in Formica ants. Alternative supergene haplotypes are associated with the presence of either a single queen (monogyny) or multiple queens (polygyny) within colonies. Here, we assess the social structure and supergene status of the North American species Formica neoclara.

Results

We sequenced a subset of the genome in 280 individuals sampled in populati

SUBMITTER: McGuire D 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9006578 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature