Summary
27 nests ofLeptothorax acervorum were analysed for restriction fragment-length polymorphism (RFLP) in mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA), using four endonucleases. A substantial degree of variation was found between nests in the population (13 composite haplotypes). Intra-nest variation was detected in 15 % of the nests. The presence of occasional alien inseminated females indicates that polygyny in this species is caused by adoption of mated females. The occasional acceptance of alien females is difficult to explain, but interesting, since this behaviour could have given rise to inquilinism. Our results suggest that analysis of mtDNA RFLP is a method well suited for investigations of the population structure of ants.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Árnason, Ú., A. Gullberg, and B. Widegren, 1991. The complete nucleotide sequence of the mitochondrial DNA of the fin whale (Balaenoptera physalus).J. Mol. Evol. 33:556–568.
Bourke, A. F. G. and N. R. Franks, 1991. Alternative adoptions, sympatric speciation, and the evolution of parasitic, inquiline ants.Biol. J. Linn. Soc. 43:157–178.
Buschinger, A., 1965.Leptothorax (Mychothorax)kutteri n.sp., eine sozialparasitische Ameise (Hymenoptera, Formicidae).Ins. Soc. 12:327–334.
Buschinger, A., 1967. Verbreitung und Auswirkung von Mono- und Polygynie bei Arten der GattungLeptothorax Mayr (Hymenoptera, Formicidae).Inaugural Dissertation, Würzburg.
Buschinger, A., 1970. Neue Vorstellungen zur Evolution des Socialparasitismus und der Dulosis bei Ameisen (Hym., Formicidae).Biol. Zbl. 88:273–299.
Buschinger, A., 1990. Sympatric speciation and radiative evolution of socially parasitic ants — Heretic hypotheses and their factual background.Z. zool. Syst. Evolut.-forsch. 28:241–260.
Elmes, G. W., 1973. Observations on the density of queens in natural colonies ofMyrmica rubra L. (Hymenoptera: Formicidae).J. Anim. Ecol. 42:761–771.
Elmes, G. W., 1987. Temporal variation in colony populations of the antMyrmica sulcinodis I. Changes in queen number, worker number and spring production.J. Anim. Ecol. 56:559–571.
Hölldobler, B. and E. O. Wilson, 1990.The Ants. The Belknap Press of Harvard University Press, Cambridge, Massachusetts. 732 pp.
Nonacs, P., 1988. Queen number in colonies of social Hymenoptera as a kin selected adaption.Q. Rev. Biol. 42:566–580.
Pearson, B., 1982. Relatedness of normal queens (macrogynes) in nests of the polygynous antMyrmica rubra Latreille.Evolution. 36:107–112.
Plante, Y., P. T. Boag, and B. N. White, 1989. Microgeographic variation in mitochondrial DNA of meadow voles (Microtus pennsylvaticus) in relation to population density.Evolution. 43:1522–1537.
Sambrook, J., E. F. Fritsch, and T. Maniatis, 1989.Molecular Cloning: A laboratory manual. Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press, New York.
Schaffer, H. E. and R. R. Sederoff, 1981. Improved estimation of DNA fragment lengths from agarose gels.Anal. Biochem. 115:113–122.
Stille, M., B. Stille and P. Douwes, 1991. Polygyny, relatedness and nestfounding in the polygynous myrmicine antLeptothorax acervorum (Hymenoptera; Formicidae).Behav. Ecol. Sociobiol. 28:91–96.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Stille, M., Stille, B. Intra- and inter-nest variation in mitochondrial DNA in the polygynous antLeptothorax acervorum (Hymenoptera; Formicidae). Ins. Soc 39, 335–340 (1992). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01323953
Received:
Revised:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01323953