Queen polymorphism in the Australian ant Monomorium sp.10

摘要

The Australian ant Monomorium sp.10 exhibits a queen polymorphism with initially winged gynomorphs and wingless intermorphs. Female sexuals eclosing from brood produced by a gynomorphic queen are always winged, whereas offspring of intermorphic queens consists of both winged and wingless female sexuals. The exchange of brood between colonies suggests that queen morph is determined either genetically or by a maternal effect. We discuss the occurrence of genetically based queen polymorphism in ants and its ecological significance.