Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Low mating frequency of queens in the stingless bee Scaptotrigona postica 1 and worker maternity of males

  • Original Article
  • Published:
Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Kin selection models of intracolonial conflict over the maternity of males predict that social hymenopteran workers should favour the production of sons and nephews over brothers when the effective mating frequency (m e) of the queen is low (m e<2) but that they should police other workers' reproductive efforts and favour the production of brothers when m e>2. Stingless bees have been used to support these models in that m e within the group is considered low and workers are thought often to monopolise the parentage of males. We genetically analysed 20 worker and 20 male pupae from each of 10 colonies of the stingless bee Scaptotrigona postica (= Scaptotrigona aff. depilis) using six microsatellite loci and demonstrate queen monandry in eight nests and apparent low m e in the other two. However, four colonies contained an additional matriline, possibly due to queen supersedure (serial polygyny), which complicated their genetic structure. Across colonies, workers were responsible for the maternity of 13% of all males. These data are broadly in agreement with predictions from kin selection theory, though the question remains open as to why workers do not secure a greater share of male maternity in this and other stingless bee species in which workers are more closely related to nephews than brothers.

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

Access this article

Log in via an institution

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

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • André J-B, Peeters C, Doums C (2001) Serial polygyny and colony genetic structure in the monogynous queenless ant Diacamma cyaneiventre. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 50:72–80

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Arévalo E, Strassmann JE, Queller DC (1998) Conflicts of interest in social insects: male production in two species of Polistes. Evolution 52:797–805

    Google Scholar 

  • Barron AB, Oldroyd BP, Ratnieks FLW (2001) Worker reproduction in honey-bees (Apis) and the anarchic syndrome: a review. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 50:199–208

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bego LR (1982) On social regulation in Nannotrigona (Scaptotrigona) postica Latreille, with special reference to male production cycles (Hym., Apidae, Meliponinae). Bolm Zool Univ S Paulo 7:181–196

    Google Scholar 

  • Bego LR (1990) On social regulation in Nannotrigona (Scaptotrigona) postica Latreille, with special reference to productivity of colonies (Hymenoptera, Apidae, Meliponinae). Rev Brasil Entomol 34:721–738

    Google Scholar 

  • Bego LR (1998) Aspectos da regulação social em Apidae, com especial ênfase à produção de machos (Hymenoptera, Apidae). Associate Professor Thesis, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, Brazil

  • Beig D (1972) The production of males in queenright colonies of Trigona (Scaptotrigona) postica. J Apic Res 11:33–39

    Google Scholar 

  • Beye M, Moritz RFA, Crozier RH, Crozier YC (1996) Mapping the sex locus of the honeybee (Apis mellifera). Naturwissenschaften 83:424–426

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Boleli IC, Paulino-Simõnes ZL, Bitondi MMG (2000) Regression of the lateral oviducts during larval-adult transformation of the reproductive system of Melipona quadrifasciata and Frieseomelitta varia. J Morphol 243:141–151

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Boomsma JJ, Ratnieks FLW (1996) Paternity in eusocial Hymenoptera. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B 351:947–975

    Google Scholar 

  • Bourke AFG, Franks NR (1995) Social evolution in ants. Princeton University Press, Princeton, N.J.

  • Cook JM, Crozier RH (1995) Sex determination and population biology in the Hymenoptera. Trends Ecol Evol 10:281–286

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Crespi BJ (1992) Cannibalism and trophic eggs in subsocial and eusocial insects. In: Elgar MA, Crespi BJ (eds) Cannibalism: ecological and evolutionary implications. Oxford University Press, Oxford, pp 176–213

    Google Scholar 

  • Crozier RH, Pamilo P (1996) Evolution of social insect colonies. Sex allocation and kin selection. Oxford University Press, Oxford

  • Drumond PM, Oldroyd BP, Osborne K (2000) Worker reproduction in Austroplebeia australis Friese (Hymenoptera, Apidae, Meliponini). Insectes Soc 47:333–336

    Google Scholar 

  • Engels W (1988) Fortpflanzungsstrategien bei Bienen. Verh Dtsch Zool Ges 81:155–167

    Google Scholar 

  • Engels W, Imperatriz-Fonseca V (1990) Caste development, reproductive strategies, and control of fertility in honey bees and stingless bees. In: Engels W (ed) Social insects an evolutionary approach to castes and reproduction. Springer, Berlin Heidelberg, New York, pp 167–230

  • Estoup A, Solignac M, Cornuet J-M (1994) Precise assessment of the number of patrilines and of genetic relatedness in honeybee colonies. Proc R Soc Lond B 258:1–7

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Evans JE (1998) Parentage and sex allocation in the facultatively polygynous ant Myrmica tahoensis. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 44:35–42

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Foster KR, Ratnieks FLW (2000) Facultative worker policing in a wasp. Nature 407:692–693

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Foster KR, Ratnieks FLW (2001a) Convergent evolution of worker policing by egg eating in the honeybee and common wasp. Proc R Soc Lond B 268:169–174

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Foster KR, Ratnieks FLW (2001b) The effect of sex allocation biasing on the evolution of worker policing in hymenopteran societies. Am Nat 158:615–623

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Foster KR, Seppä P, Ratnieks FLW, Thorén PA (1999) Low paternity in the hornet Vespa crabro indicates that multiple mating by queens is derived in vespine wasps. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 46:252–257

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Foster KR, Ratnieks FLW, Raybould AF (2000) Do hornets have zombie workers? Mol Ecol 9:735–742

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Foster KR, Ratnieks FLW, Gyllenstrand N, Thorén PA (2001) Colony kin structure and male production in Dolichovespula wasps. Mol Ecol 10:1003–1010

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Gardner MG, Bull CM, Cooper SJB, Duffield GA (2000) Microsatellite mutations in litters of the Australian lizard Egernia stokesii. J Evol Biol 13:551–560

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Goodisman MAD, Matthews RW, Crozier RH (2002) Mating and reproduction in the wasp Vespula germanica. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 51:497–502

    Google Scholar 

  • Goodnight KF, Queller DC (1999) Computer software for performing likelihood tests of pedigree relationship using genetic markers. Mol Ecol 8:1231–1234

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Green CL, Oldroyd BP (2002) Queen mating frequency and maternity of males in the stingless bee Trigona carbonaria Smith. Insectes Soc 49:196–202

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hasselmann M, Fondrk MK, Page RE, Beye M (2001) Fine scale mapping in the sex locus region of the honey bee (Apis mellifera). Insect Mol Biol 10:605–608

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Hastings MD, Queller DC, Eischen F, Strassmann JE (1998) Kin selection, relatedness, and worker control of reproduction in a large-colony epiponine wasp, Brachygastra mellifica. Behav Ecol 9:573–581

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Heinze J, Keller L (2000) Alternative reproductive strategies: a queen perspective in ants. Trends Ecol Evol 15:508–512

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Heinze J, Puchinger W, Hölldobler B (1997) Worker reproduction and social hierarchies in Leptothorax ants. Anim Behav 54:849–864

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Henshaw MT, Strassmann JE, Quach SQ, Queller DC (2000) Male production in Parachartergus colobopterus, a neotropical swarm-founding wasp. Ethol Ecol Evol 12:161–174

    Google Scholar 

  • Henshaw MT, Queller DC, Strassmann JE (2002) Control of male production in the swarm-founding wasp, Polybioides tabidus. J Evol Biol 15:262–268

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Imperatriz-Fonseca VL, Cruz-Landim Cd, Moraes RLMSd (1997) Dwarf gynes in Nannotrigona testaceicornis (Apidae, Meliponinae, Trigonini). Behaviour, exocrine gland morphology and reproductive status. Apidologie 28:113–122

    Google Scholar 

  • Imperatriz-Fonseca VL, Matos ET, Ferreira F, Velthuis HHW (1998) A case of multiple mating in stingless bees (Meliponinae). Insectes Soc 45:231–233

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kleinert AMP, Piva L (1992) Periódo de desenvolvimento em Scaptotrigoa bipunctata. Cienc Cult Sao Paulo 44:838

    Google Scholar 

  • Koedam D, Contrera FAL, Imperatriz-Fonseca VL (1999) Clustered male production by workers in the stingless bee Melipona subnitida. Insectes Soc 46:387–391

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kukuk PF (1992) Oophagy as cannibalism in social bees. In: Elgar MA, Crespi BJ (eds) Cannibalism: ecological and evolutionary implications. Oxford University Press, Oxford, pp 214–237

    Google Scholar 

  • Nei M (1978) Estimation of average heterozygosity and genetic distance from a small number of individuals. Genetics 89:583–590

    Google Scholar 

  • Page RE, Kerr WE (1990) The evolution of monandry and queen replacement in Melipona (Hymenoptera: Apidae). Braz J Genetics 13:209–229

    Google Scholar 

  • Palmer KA, Oldroyd BP, Quezada-Euán JJG, Paxton RJ, May-Itza WDeJ (2002) Paternity frequency and maternity of males in some stingless bee species. Mol Ecol 11:2107–2113

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Paxton RJ (2000) Genetic structure of colonies and a male aggregation in the stingless bee Scaptotrigona postica, as revealed by microsatellite analysis. Insectes Soc 47:63–69

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Paxton RJ, Thorén PA, Tengö J, Estoup A, Pamilo P (1996) Mating structure and nestmate relatedness in a communal bee, Andrena jacobi (Hymenoptera: Andrenidae), using microsatellites. Mol Ecol 5:511–519

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Paxton RJ, Weißschuh N, Engels W, Hartfelder K, Quezada-Euan JJG (1999a) Not only single mating in stingless bees. Naturwissenschaften 86:143–146

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Paxton RJ, Weißschuh N, Quezada-Euán JJG (1999b) Characterization of dinucleotide microsatellite loci for stingless bees. Mol Ecol 8:690–692

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Paxton RJ, Thorén PA, Gyllenstrand N, Tengö J (2000) Microsatellite DNA analysis reveals low diploid male production in a communal bee with inbreeding. Biol J Linn Soc 68:483–502

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Paxton RJ, Thorén PA, Estoup A, Tengö J (2001) Queen-worker conflict over male production and the sex ratio in a facultatively polyandrous bumble bee, Bombus hypnorum: the consequences of nest usurpation. Mol Ecol 10:2489–2498

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Peters JM, Queller DC, Strassmann JE, Solís CR (1995) Maternity assignment and queen replacement in a social wasp. Proc R Soc Lond B 260:7–12

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Peters JM, Queller DC, Imperatriz-Fonseca VL, Strassmann JE (1998) Microsatellite loci for stingless bees. Mol Ecol 7:784–787

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Peters JM, Queller DC, Imperatriz-Fonseca VL, Roubik DW, Strassmann JE (1999) Mate number, kin selection and social conflicts in stingless bees and honeybees. Proc R Soc Lond B 266:379–384

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Queller DC, Goodnight KF (1989) Estimating relatedness using genetic markers. Evolution 43:258–275

    Google Scholar 

  • Queller DC, Strassmann JE (1998) Kin selection and social insects. BioScience 48:165–175

    Google Scholar 

  • Queller DC, Strassmann JE (2002) The many selves of social insects. Science 296:311-313

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Ratnieks FLW (1988) Reproductive harmony via mutual policing by workers in eusocial Hymenoptera. Am Nat 132:217–236

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ratnieks FLW (1990) The evolution of polyandry by queens in social Hymenoptera: the significance of the timing of removal of diploid males. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 26:343–348

    Google Scholar 

  • Ratnieks FLW, Visscher PK (1989) Worker policing in the honeybee. Nature 342:796–797

    Google Scholar 

  • Raymond M, Rousset F (1995) GENEPOP (V. 1.2): population genetics software for exact tests and ecumenicism. J Hered 86:248–249

    Google Scholar 

  • Rousset F, Raymond M (1995) Testing heterozygote excess and deficiency. Genetics 140:1413–1419

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Sakagami SF (1982) Stingless bees. In: Hermann HR (ed) Social insects, vol 3. Academic Press, New York, pp 361–423

  • Sakagami SF, Zucchi R (1963) Oviposition process in a stingless bee, Trigona (Scaptotrigona) postica Latreille (Hymenoptera). Stud Entomol (Rio de Janeiro) 6:497–510

    Google Scholar 

  • Sakagami SF, Montenegro MJ, Kerr WE (1965) Behavior studies of stingless bees, with special reference to the oviposition process. V. Melipona quadrifasciata anthidoides Lepeletier. J Fac Sci Hokkaido Uni Ser VI 15:578–607

    Google Scholar 

  • Sommeijer MJ, Chinh TX, Meeuwsen FJAJ (1999) Behavioral data on the production of males by workers in the stingless bee Melipona favosa (Apidae, Meliponinae). Insectes Soc 46:92–93

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Starr CK (1984) Sperm competition, kinship, and sociality in the aculeate Hymenoptera. In: Smith RL (ed) Sperm competition and the evolution of animal mating systems. Academic Press, New York, pp 427–464

  • Strassmann JE (2001) The rarity of multiple mating by females in the social Hymenoptera. Insectes Soc 48:1–13

    Google Scholar 

  • Sundström L, Chapuisat M, Keller L (1996) Conditional manipulation of sex ratios by ant workers: a test of kin selection theory. Science 274:993–995.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Tóth E, Queller DC, Imperatriz-Fonseca VL, Strassmann JE (2002) Genetic and behavioral conflict over male production between workers and queens in the stingless bee Paratrigona subnuda. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 53:1–8

    Google Scholar 

  • Veen JW van, Sommeijer MJ (2000) Observations on gynes and drones around nuptial flights in the stingless bees Tetragonisca angustula and Melipona beecheii (Hymenoptera, Apidae, Meliponinae). Apidologie 31:47–54

    Google Scholar 

  • Velthuis HHW (1997) The biology of stingless bees. Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands

  • Velthuis HHW, Roeling A, Imperatriz-Fonseca VL (2001) Repartition of reproduction among queens in the polygynous stingless bee Melipona bicolor. Proc Exp Appl Entomol NEV (Amst) 12:45–49

    Google Scholar 

  • Walin L, Sundström L, Seppä P, Rosengren R (1998) Worker reproduction in ants—a genetic analysis. Heredity 81:604–612

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Woyciechowski M, Lomnicki A (1987) Multiple mating of queens and sterility of workers among eusocial Hymenoptera. J Theor Biol 128:317–327

    Google Scholar 

  • Zucchi R (1993) Ritualised dominance, evolution of queen-worker interactions and related aspects in stingless bees (Hymenoptera: Apidae). In: Inoue T, Yamane S (eds) Evolution of insect societies. Hakuhinsha, Tokyo, pp 207–249

Download references

Acknowledgements

We thank Wolf Engels and the referees for many useful comments on the manuscript and Sandra Mustafa for assistance in the laboratory. We gratefully acknowledge the support of the FAPESP and the DFG (Pa 632). The work described in this paper conforms to the current laws of Brazil and Germany.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Zoological Institute, University of Tübingen, Auf der Morgenstelle 28, 72076, Tübingen, Germany

    Robert J. Paxton & Mira M. Shah

  2. Department of Biology, Faculty of Philosophy, Science and Letters of Ribeirão Preto, University of São Paulo, 14040–901 Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo, Brazil

    Luci R. Bego & Sidnei Mateus

Authors
  1. Robert J. Paxton
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Luci R. Bego
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Mira M. Shah
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Sidnei Mateus
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Robert J. Paxton.

Additional information

1The species has also been termed S. aff. depilis in recent publications of L.R. Bego and others

Communicated by R.F.A. Moritz

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Paxton, R.J., Bego, L.R., Shah, M.M. et al. Low mating frequency of queens in the stingless bee Scaptotrigona postica 1 and worker maternity of males. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 53, 174–181 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00265-002-0561-4

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00265-002-0561-4

Keywords

Search

Navigation