Skip to main content
Springer Nature Link
Log in

Evolution of advanced social traits in phylogenetically basal ants: striking worker polymorphism and large queens in Amblyopone australis

  • Research Article
  • Published:
Insectes Sociaux Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The ecological success of ants results notably from their ability to derive several phenotypes from the same genotype. In higher ants, polyphenism can be extreme: high queen–worker size dimorphism and worker polymorphism allow for better success at colony founding by lone queens, better division of tasks, and ultimately access to new ecological niches. However in basal ants, polyphenism is much more limited, restricting them to narrow niches. It is often assumed that basal ants lack the ability to produce a pronounced polyphenism. In Amblyopone, most species nest and hunt centipedes in soil and leaf litter, and polyphenism is weak, e.g. A. pallipes. Here we studied A. australis, which forages and nests in rotten logs. Using analyses of morphometry and allometry, we showed that queen–worker dimorphism and worker polymorphism are much higher in A. australis than in A. pallipes. Workers of A. australis exhibit various sizes and shapes, and large individuals could be better adapted for digging galleries in rotten logs. Moreover, larger queens are probably more efficient during non-claustral colony foundation. We conclude that the evolution of advanced social traits typical of higher ants is also possible in basal ants, but it is not often selected for.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Subscribe and save

Springer+ Basic
$34.99 /Month
  • Get 10 units per month
  • Download Article/Chapter or eBook
  • 1 Unit = 1 Article or 1 Chapter
  • Cancel anytime
Subscribe now

Buy Now

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3

Similar content being viewed by others

Explore related subjects

Discover the latest articles and news from researchers in related subjects, suggested using machine learning.

References

  • Bolton B. and Fisher B.L. 2008. Afrotropical ants of the ponerine genera Centromyrmex Mayr, Promyopias Santschi gen. rev. and Feroponera gen. n., with a revised key to genera of African Ponerinae (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Zootaxa 1929: 1-37

  • Brady S.G., Schultz T.R., Fisher B.L. and Ward P.S. 2006. Evaluating alternative hypotheses for the early evolution and diversification of ants. Proc. Nat. Acad. Sci. USA 103: 18172-18177

    Google Scholar 

  • Brown W.L. 1960. Contributions toward a reclassification of the Formicidae. III. Tribe Amblyoponini (Hymenoptera). Bull. Mus. Comp. Zool. 122: 143-230

    Google Scholar 

  • Crewe R., Peeters C. and Villet M. 1984. Frequency distribution of worker sizes in Megaponera foetens (Fabricius). S. Afr. J. Zool. 19: 247-248

    Google Scholar 

  • Dejean A. and Lachaud J.P. 1994. Ecology and behavior of the seed-eating ponerine ant Brachyponera senaarensis (Mayr). Insect. Soc. 41: 191-210

  • Dejean A. and Fénéron R. 1996. Polymorphism and oligogyny in the ponerine ant Centromyrmex bequaerti (Formicidae: Ponerinae). Insect. Soc. 43: 87-99

  • Gotwald W.H. and Lévieux J. 1972. Taxonomy and biology of a new West African ant belonging to the genus Amblyopone (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Ann. Entomol. Soc. Am. 65: 383-396

    Google Scholar 

  • Haskins C.P. 1928. Notes on the behavior and habits of Stigmatomma pallipes Haldeman. J. N.Y. Entomol. Soc. 36: 179-184

    Google Scholar 

  • Haskins C.P. 1970. Researches in the biology and social behavior of primitive ants. In: Development and Evolution of Behavior (L. Aronson, E. Tobach, D. Lehrman and J. Rosenblatt, Eds), Freeman, San Francisco. pp 355-388

  • Haskins C.P. 1978. Sexual calling behavior in highly primitive ants. Psyche 85: 407-416

    Google Scholar 

  • Haskins C.P. and Haskins E.F. 1951. Note on the method of colony foundation of the ponerine ant Amblyopone australis Erichson. Am. Midl. Nat. 45: 432-445

  • Hölldobler B. and Wilson E.O. 1986. Ecology and behavior of the primitive cryptobiotic ant Prionopelta amabilis (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Insect. Soc. 33: 45-58

    Google Scholar 

  • Ito F. 1993a. Observation of group recruitment to prey in a primitive ponerine ant, Amblyopone sp. (reclinata group) (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Insect. Soc. 40: 163-167

  • Ito F. 1993b. Social organization in a primitive ponerine ant: queenless reproduction, dominance hierarchy and functional polygyny in Amblyopone sp. (reclinata group). J. Nat. Hist. 27: 1315-1324

  • Ito F. 1993c. Queenless reproduction in a primitive ponerine ant Amblyopone bellii (Hymenoptera: Formicidae), in southern India. J. N.Y. Entomol. Soc. 101: 574-575

  • Ito F. 2010. Notes on the biology of the Oriental amblyoponine ant Myopopone castanea: queen-worker dimorphism, worker polymorphism and larval hemolymph feeding by workers (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Entomol. Science (in press)

  • Longhurst C. and Howse P. 1979. Foraging, recruitment and emigration in Megaponera foetens (Fab.) (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) from the Nigerian Guinea savanna. Insect. Soc. 26: 204-215

    Google Scholar 

  • Masuko K. 1993. Predation of centipedes by the primitive ant Amblyopone silvestrii. Bull. Assoc. Nat. Sci. Senshu 24: 35-44

    Google Scholar 

  • Masuko K. 1996. Temporal division of labor among workers in the ponerine ant, Amblyopone silvestrii (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Sociobiology 28: 131-151

  • Masuko K. 2003. Analysis of brood development in the ant Amblyopone silvestrii, with special reference to colony bionomics. Entomol. Science 6: 237-245

    Google Scholar 

  • Masuko K. 2010. Nest density and distribution of subterranean ants in an evergreen broadleaf forest in Japan with special reference to Amblyopone silvestrii (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Entomol. Science (in press)

  • Molet M., Peeters C. and Fisher B.L. 2007a. Permanent loss of wings in queens of the ant Odontomachus coquereli from Madagascar. Insect. Soc. 54: 174-182

  • Molet M., Peeters C. and Fisher B.L. 2007b. Winged queens replaced by reproductives smaller than workers in Mystrium ants. Naturwissenschaften 94: 280-287

  • Molet M., Peeters C., Follin I. and Fisher B.L. 2007c. Reproductive caste performs intranidal tasks instead of workers in the ant Mystrium oberthueri. Ethology 113: 721-729

  • Molet M., Fisher B., Ito F. and Peeters C. 2009. Shift from independent to dependent colony foundation and evolution of ‘multi-purpose’ ergatoid queens in Mystrium ants (subfamily Amblyoponinae). Biol. J. Linn. Soc. 98: 198-207

    Google Scholar 

  • Paul J. and Gronenberg W. 1999. Optimizing force and velocity: mandible muscle fibre attachments in ants. J. Exp. Biol. 202: 797-808

    Google Scholar 

  • Passera L. and Aron S. 2005. Les Fourmis. Comportement, Organisation Sociale et Evolution. Presses Scientifiques du CNRC, Ottawa, Canada. 480 pp

  • Peeters C. 1987. The diversity of reproductive systems in ponerine ants. In: Chemistry and Biology of Social Insects (J. Eder and H. Rembold, Eds), Verlag J. Peperny, Munich. pp 253-254

  • Peeters C. 1997. Morphologically “primitive” ants: comparative review of social characters, and the importance of queen-worker dimorphism. In: The Evolution of Social Behavior in Insects and Arachnids (J.C. Choe and B.J. Crespi, Eds), Cambridge University Press, Cambridge. pp 372-391

  • Peeters C. and Molet M. 2010. Colonial reproduction and life histories. In: Ant Ecology (L. Lach, C. Parr and K. Abbott, Eds), Oxford University Press, New York. pp 159-176

  • Shattuck S.O. 1999. Australian Ants—Their Biology and Identification. CSIRO Publishing, Melbourne. 256 pp

  • Thorne B.L. and Traniello J.F.A. 2003. Comparative social biology of basal taxa of ants and termites. Annu. Rev. Entomol. 48: 283-306

    Google Scholar 

  • Traniello J. 1982. Population structure and social organization in the primitive ant Amblyopone pallipes (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Psyche 89: 65-80

    Google Scholar 

  • Villet M. 1990. Division of labour in the Matabele ant Megaponera foetens (Fabr.) (Hymenoptera Formicidae). Ethol. Ecol. Evol. 2: 397-417

  • Warton D.I. and Weber N.C. 2002. Common slope tests for bivariate errors-in-variables models. Biom. J. 44: 161-174

    Google Scholar 

  • Wheeler W.M. 1933. Colony-Founding among Ants with an Account of Some Primitive Australian Species. Harvard University Press, Cambridge. 179 pp

  • Wheeler W.M. 1936. Ecological relations of ponerine and other ants to termites. Proc. Am. Acad. Arts Sci. 71: 159-243

    Google Scholar 

  • Wilson E.O. 1971. The Insect Societies. Harvard University Press, Cambridge. 548 pp

Download references

Acknowledgments

We are grateful to Thibaud Monnin for collecting colonies of Amblyopone pallipes. We thank Fuminori Ito, Keiichi Masuko and Thibaud Monnin for valuable comments on this manuscript. Preliminary data were obtained while C. Peeters was in Ross Crozier’s laboratory, funded by the Australian Research Council (1985–1989). We are grateful to M. Bonner and the Caloundra City Council for allowing collection in Mary Cairncross Park. An export permit was issued by Environment Australia. Travelling funds were obtained from the CNRS (Direction Relations Européennes et Internationales).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratoire Ecologie et Evolution, CNRS UMR 7625, Université Pierre et Marie Curie, 7 quai Saint Bernard, 75005, Paris, France

    C. Peeters & M. Molet

Authors
  1. C. Peeters
    View author publications

    Search author on:PubMed Google Scholar

  2. M. Molet
    View author publications

    Search author on:PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to M. Molet.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Peeters, C., Molet, M. Evolution of advanced social traits in phylogenetically basal ants: striking worker polymorphism and large queens in Amblyopone australis . Insect. Soc. 57, 177–183 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00040-010-0067-4

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00040-010-0067-4

Keywords