Summary
For species ofLasioglossum, subgenusDialictus, the amount of seasonal body size variation of worker bees is correlated with indicators of the level of sociability attained by the species, such as queen longevity. Interspecific comparison of the amount of variation gives a simple measure of the level of sociality of the species. Different patterns of seasonal body size variation can be controlled by factors such as temperature and day length which are exogenous to the colony but in species with higher levels of sociality these patterns may be controlled endogenously.
Zusammenfassung
Die jahreszeitliche Variation der Körpergrösse der Arbeiterinnen vonLasioglossum (Dialictus)-Arten ist mit dem Grad der Sozialität (gesessen etwa an der Lebensdauer der Königinnen) korreliert, den die betreffenden Arten erreicht haben. Ein interspezifischer Vergleich der Grösse der Variation ergibt ein einfaches Mass der Sozialität der Arten. Verschiedene Muster der jahreszeitlichen Variation der Körpergrösse können unterschieden werden. In Arten mit niedriger Sozialität scheinen diese Muster von exogenen Faktoren, wie Temperatur und Tageslänge, kontrolliert zu werden, in sozial höheren Arten dagegen von endogenen (kolonieeigenen).
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Contribution number 1590 from the Department of Entomology, University of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas 66045.
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Breed, M.D. Sociality and seasonal size variation in Halictine bees. Ins. Soc 22, 375–379 (1975). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02224112
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02224112