Cooperative colony foundation by termite female pairs: altruism for survivorship in incipient colonies

摘要: Abstract To determine the costs and benefits of queen association in termites we examined for first time female–female interactions colonies founded by two unmated females. In termite Reticulitermes speratus, females that fail to pair with males found cooperatively partner reproduce parthenogenesis. We analysed relationship between dominance initial size ranking two-queen from viewpoint worker brood production weight gain. assign parentage offspring used mtDNA restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP); results suggested queens produced equally throughout colony foundation. Furthermore, initially smaller gained significantly more than larger This may have resulted altruistic behaviour towards ones. A simple mathematical model, which considered resource allocation survivorship, could explain why behave altruistically also responses when were placed a petri dish presence or absence male. If male was present, only one female survived colony. male, females, but never two, cooperatively. These show need found, retain, colony.Copyright 2002 The Association Study Animal Behaviour. Published Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved .