ISSN:
1420-9071
Keywords:
Divison of labor
;
Polybia occidentalis
;
Hymenoptera
;
Vespidae
;
age polyethism
;
lipid content
;
colony efficiency
Source:
Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000
Topics:
Biology
,
Medicine
Notes:
Abstract Recent models of energetically efficient division of labor in eusocial insects predict that risky tasks will be performed by workers with low nutrient content. We measured changes in workers' nutrient stores (chloroform: methanol extractable lipids) in relation to age-based division of labor in the eusocial waspPolybia occidentalis to test this prediction. Distributions of age of first performance differed among task sets; tasks at increasing distance from the nest interior were performed later in life. However, individuals varied in the rate of passage through the task sequence. Weight of extractable lipids, corrected for differences in body weight, decreased with time elapsed since first performance of tasks outside the nest. Lipid content had a weaker negative relationship with adult age. Therefore, patterns of lipid decrease reflected individual differences in age polyethism. Age-based division of labor, with performance of risky tasks delayed until late in life by workers with depleted nutrient stores, may have evolved as an energy saving mechanism for insect colonies.
Type of Medium:
Electronic Resource
URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/BF01941274
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