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Polistes smithii vs. Polistes dominula: the contrasting endocrinology and epicuticular signaling of sympatric paper wasps in the field

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Abstract

Paper wasps of the family Vespidae exhibit a wide range of social lifestyles, from facultative eusocial groups to highly ritualistic swarm-founding societies. Even so, adult caste flexibility is widespread throughout the eusocial tribes. Thus, a common endocrine mechanism for caste determination and maintenance in paper wasps is expected, with Polistes dominula serving as a model for the study of mechanisms controlling phenotypic plasticity. In P. dominula, juvenile hormone (JH) and ecdysteroids have been shown to have important caste-determining functions, are important for reproductive growth, and correlate with hydrocarbon signals on the cuticle. Yet research on swarm-founding vespids has shown that JH functions are surprisingly labile, begging the question as to how conserved JH functions are within Polistes, a non-swarming genus. Here, we compared the JH and ecdysteroid titers, cuticular hydrocarbon (CHC) profiles, and prospective visual signals of dominance of free-living foundresses from two sympatric and closely related species of Polistes in South Africa, the indigenous Polistes smithii and the invasive P. dominula. In contrast to P. dominula, neither the JH titer nor the CHC profile was linked to dominance or reproduction in P. smithii, and in both species, hemolymph ecdysteroids were essentially absent. Moreover, many of the relationships between hormones, reproduction, dominance, and social signals in P. dominula are in contrast to studies performed on northern hemisphere populations. The divergence of endocrine and chemical profiles within Polistes offers an unforeseen opportunity to study the evolution of proximate mechanisms underlying phenotypic plasticity.

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Acknowledgments

We thank Sarah at Le Verger B&B, Marisska at Die Eiland Campsite (SCAS), PC from Dornier Wine Estate, CapeNature employees at Assegaaibosch Nature Reserve, Paddy and Raymond Bouma, and John and Sylvery Marrison for allowing us to research Polistes on their properties. Tiago Falcón Lopes helped with hydrocarbon identifications and analyses of the CHC data, and Natasha Mothapo provided valuable feedback on the various statistical tests used. HCK was funded by the National Research Foundation of South Africa, KH received funding from CNPq 300311/2010-9, and TCW by the DST-NRF Centre of Excellence for Invasion Biology.

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  1. Department of Botany and Zoology, Stellenbosch University, Private Bag XI, Matieland, WC, South Africa

    Hans C. Kelstrup

  2. Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Av. Bandeirantes 3900, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil

    Klaus Hartfelder

  3. Centre of Invasion Biology, Department of Botany and Zoology, Stellenbosch University, Private Bag XI, Matieland, WC, South Africa

    Theresa C. Wossler

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  1. Hans C. Kelstrup
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Correspondence to Hans C. Kelstrup.

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Kelstrup, H.C., Hartfelder, K. & Wossler, T.C. Polistes smithii vs. Polistes dominula: the contrasting endocrinology and epicuticular signaling of sympatric paper wasps in the field. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 69, 2043–2058 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00265-015-2015-9

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