Do unicolonial wood ants favor kin?
نویسنده
چکیده
Vast supercolonies of interconnected nests formed by unicolonial ant species are the largest cooperative groups of animals known. Research published recently in BMC Evolutionary Biology reveals that a supercolony can be more genetically structured than previously thought, comprising several extended families. Surprisingly, the families coexist peacefully, even though they seem to recognize each other as non-kin.
منابع مشابه
Unicolonial ants: where do they come from, what are they and where are they going?
Unicolonial ant populations are the most extensive cooperative units known in nature, forming networks of interconnected nests extending sometimes hundreds of kilometers. Within such a supercolony, worker altruistic behavior might be maladaptive, because it seems to aid random members of the population instead of relatives. However, recent genetic and behavioral data show that, viewed on a suff...
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ورودعنوان ژورنال:
- Journal of Biology
دوره 8 شماره
صفحات -
تاریخ انتشار 2009