Inbreeding and reproductive investment in the ant Formica exsecta.

摘要: In social animals, inbreeding depression may manifest by compromising care or resources individuals receive from inbred group members. We studied the effects of worker on colony productivity and investment in ant Formica exsecta. The production biomass decreased with increasing inbreeding, as did produced per worker. Inbred colonies fewer gynes (unmated reproductive females), whereas numbers males remained unchanged. As a result, sex ratios showed increased male bias, fraction workers among diploid brood. Males raised were smaller, weight results probably reflect trade-off between number quality offspring, which is expected if success more dependent their condition than it for males. are haploid (with exception abnormal very low frequencies this population), therefore cannot be themselves, effect size must mediated through colony. suggest caused being less proficient feeding growing larvae. This represents new kind that affect well caste fate insects.