| Title: | "Reproductive status, endocrine physiology and chemical signaling in the Neotropical, swarm-founding eusocial wasp Polybia micans" |
| Author(s): | Kelstrup HC; Hartfelder K; Nascimento FS; Riddiford LM; |
| Address: | "Janelia Farm Research Campus, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Ashburn, VA 20147, USA kelstrup@sun.ac.za. Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirao Preto, Universidade de Sao Paulo, Av. Bandeirantes 3900, Ribeirao Preto, 14049-900 SP, Brazil. Departamento de Biologia da Faculdade de Filosofia, Ciencias e Letras de Ribeirao Preto, Universidade de Sao Paulo, Av. Bandeirantes 3900, Ribeirao Preto, 14040-900 SP, Brazil. Janelia Farm Research Campus, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Ashburn, VA 20147, USA" |
| ISSN/ISBN: | 1477-9145 (Electronic) 0022-0949 (Print) 0022-0949 (Linking) |
| Abstract: | "In the evolution of caste-based societies in Hymenoptera, the classical insect hormones juvenile hormone (JH) and ecdysteroids were co-opted into new functions. Social wasps, which show all levels of sociality and lifestyles, are an ideal group in which to study such functional changes. Virtually all studies on the physiological mechanisms underlying reproductive division of labor and caste functions in wasps have been done on independent-founding paper wasps, and the majority of these studies have focused on species specially adapted for overwintering. The relatively little-studied tropical swarm-founding wasps of the Epiponini (Vespidae) are a diverse group of permanently social wasps, with some species maintaining caste flexibility well into the adult phase. We investigated the behavior, reproductive status, JH and ecdysteroid titers in hemolymph, ecdysteroid content of the ovary and cuticular hydrocarbon (CHC) profiles in the caste-monomorphic, epiponine wasp Polybia micans Ducke. We found that the JH titer was not elevated in competing queens from established multiple-queen nests, but increased in lone queens that lack direct competition. In queenless colonies, JH titer rose transiently in young potential reproductives upon challenge by nestmates, suggesting that JH may prime the ovaries for further development. Ovarian ecdysteroids were very low in workers but higher and correlated with the number of vitellogenic oocytes in the queens. Hemolymph ecdysteroid levels were low and variable in both workers and queens. Profiles of P. micans CHCs reflected caste, age and reproductive status, but were not tightly linked to either hormone. These findings show a significant divergence in hormone function in swarm-founding wasps compared with independently founding ones" |
| Keywords: | Animals Ecdysteroids/*blood Female Hemolymph/chemistry Juvenile Hormones/*blood Ovary/chemistry Pheromones/metabolism Reproduction Social Behavior Wasps/*physiology Challenge hypothesis Cuticular hydrocarbons Ecdysteroids Epiponini Juvenile hormone Polist; |
| Notes: | "MedlineKelstrup, Hans C Hartfelder, Klaus Nascimento, Fabio S Riddiford, Lynn M eng Howard Hughes Medical Institute/ Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't England 2014/04/20 J Exp Biol. 2014 Jul 1; 217(Pt 13):2399-410. doi: 10.1242/jeb.096750. Epub 2014 Apr 17" |
