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Nest inheritance is the missing source of direct fitness in a primitively eusocial insect

journal contribution
posted on 2023-06-08, 00:07 authored by Ellouise Leadbeater, Jonathan M. Carruthers, Jonathan P. Green, Neil S. Rosser, Jeremy Field
Animals that co-operate with non-relatives represent a challenge to inclusive fitness theory, unless co-operative behavior is shown to provide direct fitness benefits. Inheritance of breeding resources could provide such benefits, but this route to co-operation has been little investigated in the social insects. We show that nest inheritance can explain the presence of unrelated helpers in a classic social insect model, the primitively eusocial wasp Polistes dominulus. We found that subordinate helpers produced more direct offspring than lone breeders, some while still subordinate but most after inheriting the dominant position. Thus, while indirect fitness obtained through helping relatives has been the dominant paradigm for understanding eusociality in insects, direct fitness is vital to explain co-operation in P. dominulus.

History

Publication status

  • Published

Journal

Science

ISSN

0036-8075

Publisher

American Association for the Advancement of Science

Issue

6044

Volume

333

Page range

874-876

Department affiliated with

  • Evolution, Behaviour and Environment Publications

Full text available

  • No

Peer reviewed?

  • Yes

Legacy Posted Date

2012-02-06

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    University of Sussex (Publications)

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