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Article
Open AccessTask-specific odorant receptor expression in worker antennae indicates that sensory filters regulate division of labor in ants
Division of labor (DOL) is a characteristic trait of insect societies, where tasks are generally performed by specialized individuals. Inside workers focus on brood or nest care, while others take risks by for...
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Article
Open AccessHistone acetylation regulates the expression of genes involved in worker reproduction in the ant Temnothorax rugatulus
In insect societies, queens monopolize reproduction while workers perform tasks such as brood care or foraging. Queen loss leads to ovary development and lifespan extension in workers of many ant species. Howe...
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Reference Work Entry In depth
Slave-Making in Ants (Dulosis)
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Article
Open AccessImmune challenge reduces gut microbial diversity and triggers fertility-dependent gene expression changes in a social insect
The gut microbiome can influence life history traits associated with host fitness such as fecundity and longevity. In most organisms, these two life history traits are traded-off, while they are positively lin...
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Living Reference Work Entry In depth
Slave-Making in Ants (Dulosis)
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Article
Ant personalities and behavioral plasticity along a climatic gradient
Variable environments can select for behavioral plasticity. Yet, along environmental gradients, personalities (consistent differences in behavior) and behavioral syndromes (associations between behavioral traits)...
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Article
Open AccessLong-lived Temnothorax ant queens switch from investment in immunity to antioxidant production with age
Senescence is manifested by an increase in molecular damage and a deterioration of biological functions with age. In most organisms, body maintenance is traded-off with reproduction. This negative relationship...
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Article
Open AccessComparative analyses of co-evolving host-parasite associations reveal unique gene expression patterns underlying slavemaker raiding and host defensive phenotypes
The transition to parasitism is a drastic shift in lifestyle, involving rapid changes in gene structure, function, and expression. After the establishment of antagonistic relationships, parasites and hosts co-...
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Article
What are the Mechanisms Behind a Parasite-Induced Decline in Nestmate Recognition in Ants?
Social insects have developed sophisticated recognition skills to defend their nests against intruders. They do this by aggressively discriminating against non-nestmates with deviant cuticular hydrocarbon (CHC...
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Article
Open AccessCondition-Dependent Trade-Off Between Weapon Size and Immunity in Males of the European Earwig
Investigating the expression of trade-offs between key life-history functions is central to our understanding of how these functions evolved and are maintained. However, detecting trade-offs can be challenging...
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Article
Intrinsic worker mortality depends on behavioral caste and the queens’ presence in a social insect
According to the classic life history theory, selection for longevity depends on age-dependant extrinsic mortality and fecundity. In social insects, the common life history trade-off between fecundity and long...
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Article
Open AccessAge, pathogen exposure, but not maternal care shape offspring immunity in an insect with facultative family life
To optimize their resistance against pathogen infection, individuals are expected to find the right balance between investing into the immune system and other life history traits. In vertebrates, several facto...
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Article
The placid slavemaker: avoiding detection and conflict as an alternative, peaceful raiding strategy
Host entry is a crucial step in a parasite’s life cycle. When parasites manage to circumvent host detection, exploitation of host resources is facilitated, as host defenses have not to be counteracted. Social ...
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Article
The role of per-capita productivity in the evolution of small colony sizes in ants
The evolution of colony size in social insects is influenced by both extrinsic and colony-intrinsic factors. An important intrinsic trait, per-capita productivity, often declines in larger colonies. This patte...
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Article
Selection for early emergence, longevity and large body size in wingless, sib-mating ant males
Sexual selection has led to male morphologies and behaviours that either increase male attractiveness or their success in male–male competition. We investigated male traits under selection in the ant Hypoponera o...
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Article
Geographic distribution of the anti-parasite trait “slave rebellion”
Social parasites exploit the brood care behavior of other species and can exert strong selection pressures on their hosts. As a consequence, hosts have developed defenses to circumvent or to lower the costs of...
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Article
Cold resistance depends on acclimation and behavioral caste in a temperate ant
Adjusting to low temperatures is important for animals living in cold environments. We studied the chill–coma recovery time in temperate ant workers (Temnothorax nylanderi) from colonies collected in autumn and s...
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Article
Two pathways ensuring social harmony
Reproductive division of labour is a characteristic trait of social insects. The dominant reproductive individual, often the queen, uses chemical communication and/or behaviour to maintain her social status. Q...
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Article
The advantage of alternative tactics of prey and predators depends on the spatial pattern of prey and social interactions among predators
Individual variation in behavioral strategies is ubiquitous in nature. Yet, explaining how this variation is being maintained remains a challenging task. We use a spatially-explicit individual-based simulation...
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Article
Division of labor and slave raid initiation in slave-making ants
In social insect societies, division of labor, i.e., workers of a colony specializing in different tasks, is thought to improve colony performance. Workers of social parasitic slave-making ants focus on a sing...
