ISSN:
1432-1939
Keywords:
Formicidae
;
Leptothorax
;
Queen polymorphism
;
Wing reduction
;
Colony founding
Source:
Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000
Topics:
Biology
Notes:
Abstract In two nearctic ants, Leptothorax canadensis and Leptothorax sp. A, young queens may either found their own nest solitarily after mating or seek adoption into an established colony. Whether a queen disperses or not is associated with genetically determined queen morphology in Leptothorax sp. A. Whereas a majority of winged queens attempt solitary colony founding after mating, most wingless, intermorphic queens return to their maternal nests and new colonies are founded by budding after hibernation. The latter strategy appears to be correlated with patchy, isolated habitats, whereas in extended boreal forests dispersal on the wing is probably more common. Alternative dispersal strategies strongly affect the average number of queens per colony and seasonal fluctuations of colony structure.
Type of Medium:
Electronic Resource
URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/BF00318027
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