Abstract
THE apex of animal social organization is eusociality, which has three characteristics: overlapping generations, reproductive division of labour, and cooperative care of young1,2. So far, eusociality has been recognized only among social insects and the African mole-rats3–5. Here I report the first case of eusociality in a marine animal. The sponge-dwelling shrimp Synalpheus regalis lives in colonies that may have >300 individuals, but that contain only one reproductive female. Direct-developing juveniles remain in the natal sponge, and allozyme data suggest that most colony members are full sibs. In laboratory experiments, larger colony members, most of whom apparently never breed, defended the colony against heterospecific intruders. Ecological similarities among mole-rats, termites and these sponge-dwelling shrimp, all of which are diploid animals, strengthen arguments that eusociality is favoured by gradual metamorphosis, parental care, and occupation of protected, expansible niches6.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Michener, C. D. A. Rev. Ent. 14, 229–342 (1969).
Wilson, E. O. The Insect Societies (Belknap, Harvard Univ. Press, Cambridge, MA, 1971).
Jarvis, J. U. M. Science 212, 571–573 (1981).
Sherman, P. W. Jarvis, J. U. M. & Alexander, R. D. The Biology of the Naked Mole-Rat (Princeton Univ. Press, NJ, 1991).
Jarvis, J. U. M., O'Riain, M. J., Bennett, N. C. & Sherman, P. W. Trends Ecol. Evol. 9, 47–51 (1994).
Alexander, R. D., Noonan, K. M. & Crespi, B. J. in The Biology of the Naked Mole-Rat (eds Sherman, P. W., Jarvis, J. U. M. & Alexander, R. D.) 3–44 (Princeton Univ. Press, NJ, 1991).
Snelgrove, P. V. R. & Lewis, J. B. Mar. Biol. 101, 249–257 (1989).
Duffy, J. E. Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser. 90, 127–138 (1992).
Duffy, J. E. Biol. J. Linn. Soc. Lond. (in the press).
Duffy, J. E. J. crust. Biol. (in the press).
Nakashima, Y. J. Ethol. 5, 145–159 (1987).
Hamilton, W. D. J. theor. Biol. 7, 1–52 (1964).
Queller, D. C. & Goodnight, K. F. Evolution 43, 258–275 (1989).
Rützler, K. Tetnys 7, 249–264 (1976).
Erdman, R. B. & Blake, N. J. J. crust. Biol. 7, 328–337 (1987).
Lin, N. & Michener, C. D. Q. Rev. Biol. 47, 131–159 (1972).
Michener, C. D. Proc. 10th Int. Congr. Ent., Montreal, 1956 Vol. 2, 442–447 (1958).
Wilson, E. O. Sociobiology: The New Synthesis (Belknap, Harvard Univ. Press, Cambridge, MA, 1975).
Evans, H. E. BioScience 27, 613–617 (1977).
Andersson, M. A. Rev. Ecol. Syst. 15, 165–189 (1984).
Hölldobler, B. & Wilson, E. O. The Ants (Belknap, Harvard Univ. Press, Cambridge, MA, 1990).
Kent, D. S. & Simpson, J. A. Naturwissenschaften 79, 86–87 (1992).
Itô, Y. Trends Ecol. Evol. 4, 69–73 (1989).
Crespi, B. J. Nature 359, 724–726 (1992).
Dardeau, M. R. Mem. Hourglass Cruises 7(2), 1–125 (1984).
Knowlton, R. E. J. nat. Hist. 7, 273–306 (1973).
Dobkin, S. R. F. A. O. Fish. Rep. 57, 935–946 (1969).
Knowlton, N. Evolution 34, 161–173 (1980).
Knowlton, N. & Keller, B. D. Bull. mar. Sci. 37, 893–904 (1985).
Spanier, E., Cobb, S. J. & James, M.-J. Oikos 67, 573–576 (1993).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Duffy, J. Eusociality in a coral-reef shrimp. Nature 381, 512–514 (1996). https://doi.org/10.1038/381512a0
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/381512a0
- Springer Nature Limited
This article is cited by
-
Sponge Presence Increases the Diversity and Abundance of Fish and Invertebrates in a Subtropical Seagrass Bed
Estuaries and Coasts (2023)
-
Parasite resistance and immunity across female castes in a social insect
Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology (2022)
-
Understanding of superorganisms: collective behavior, differentiation and social organization
Artificial Life and Robotics (2022)
-
Behavioral traits and territoriality in the symbiotic scaleworm Ophthalmonoe pettiboneae
Scientific Reports (2021)
-
The biology and ecology of coral rubble and implications for the future of coral reefs
Coral Reefs (2021)