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The evolution of caste plasticity and caste dimorphism in insect societies

Abstract

The evolution of sociality in ants, bees and wasps is a prime example of a major transition in evolution, where individuals went to live in societies characterised by the presence of an advanced reproductive division of labour. In primitively eusocial species, the allocation to reproductive and nonreproductive roles in the colony is highly plastic, while in more advanced eusocial species, the queen and worker castes are morphologically distinct. Recently, it was shown that the caste plasticity in a primitively eusocial ant species showed reversible changes in brain volume in function of reproductive role, with breeding females reducing their brain size to allow for an increased investment in egg production. In the present project, we will study the occurrence of such caste plasticity in function of reproductive role across a wider range of primitively and advanced eusocial temperate and Neotropical ants, bees and wasps using a combination of state - of - the - art genomic, light sheet fluorescence microscopy (LSFM) brain imaging and behavioural experiments. This will allow us to study shifting patterns in the evolution of behavioural plasticity in eusocial insects, including possible tissue trade-offs and changes in the modularity in brain gene expression patterns. In addition, we will study how pre-existing gene regulatory ground plans in primitively eusocial wasps could have laid the basis for the evolution of morphologically defined castes in advanced eusocial wasps (AU)

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VEICULO: TITULO (DATA)
VEICULO: TITULO (DATA)

Scientific publications (11)
(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)
KELSTRUP, H. C.; WEST-EBERHARD, M. J.; NASCIMENTO, F. S.; RIDDIFORD, L. M.; HARTFELDER, K.. Behavior, ovarian status, and juvenile hormone titer in the emblematic social wasp Zethus miniatus (Vespidae, Eumeninae). BEHAVIORAL ECOLOGY AND SOCIOBIOLOGY, v. 77, n. 5, p. 13-pg., . (21/05598-8, 21/03040-0)
DA SILVA, RAFAEL CARVALHO; AGUIAR, JOAO MARCELO ROBAZZI BIGNELLI VALENTE; OI, CINTIA AKEMI; BATISTA, JAQUELINE ETERNA; GURFA, MARTIN; DO NASCIMENTO, FABIO SANTOS. Sex and lifestyle dictate learning performance in a neotropical wasp. ISCIENCE, v. 26, n. 4, p. 16-pg., . (18/22461-3, 21/05598-8, 18/10996-0)
ROLDAO-SBORDONI, Y. S.; HRNCIR, M.; NASCIMENTO, F. S.. Brood thermogenesis effects on the thermal dynamics in stingless bee nests (Melipona scutellaris). Insectes Sociaux, v. 71, n. 2, p. 11-pg., . (21/05598-8)
DA SILVA, RAFAEL CARVALHO; PRATO, AMANDA; TANNURE-NASCIMENTO, IVELIZE; OI, CINTIA AKEMI; WENSELEERS, TOM; NASCIMENTO, FABIO. Cuticular hydrocarbons as caste-linked cues in Neotropical swarm-founding wasps. PeerJ, v. 10, p. 23-pg., . (21/05598-8, 18/10996-0, 18/22461-3)
LIMA, LUAN DIAS; CEBALLOS-GONZALEZ, AMALIA VICTORIA; PRATO, AMANDA; KAMINSKI, LUCAS AUGUSTO; DO NASCIMENTO, FABIO SANTOS. Plant-treehopper convergence may trick butterflies into trophic oviposition mistakes. Biotropica, v. N/A, p. 7-pg., . (18/10996-0, 21/05598-8, 21/00984-7)
AGUIAR, JOAO MARCELO ROBAZZI BIGNELLI VALENTE; NOCELLI, ROBERTA CORNELIO FERREIRA; GIURFA, MARTIN; NASCIMENTO, FABIO SANTOS. Neonicotinoid effects on tropical bees: Imidacloprid impairs innate appetitive responsiveness, learning and memory in the stingless bee Melipona quadrifasciata. Science of The Total Environment, v. 877, p. 8-pg., . (17/21097-3, 21/05598-8, 19/20408-0)
DA SILVA, RAFAEL CARVALHO; WENSELEERS, TOM; OI, CINTIA AKEMI; DO NASCIMENTO, FABIO SANTOS. Tiny but socially valuable: eggs as sources of communication in the social wasp Mischocyttarus cerberus. BEHAVIORAL ECOLOGY AND SOCIOBIOLOGY, v. 77, n. 4, p. 14-pg., . (18/22461-3, 21/05598-8, 18/10996-0)
DE SOUZA, ANDRE RODRIGUES; BERNARDES, RODRIGO CUPERTINO; BARBOSA, WAGNER FARIA; VIANA, THAIS ANDRADE; DO NASCIMENTO, FABIO SANTOS; LIMA, MARIA AUGUSTA P.; MARTINS, GUSTAVO FERREIRA. Ingestion of polystyrene microparticles impairs survival and defecation in larvae of Polistes satan (Hymenoptera: Vespidae). Environmental Science and Pollution Research, v. 30, n. 20, p. 9-pg., . (21/05598-8, 20/14464-2)
LIMA, LUAN DIAS; CEBALLOS-GONZALEZ, AMALIA VICTORIA; PRATO, AMANDA; CAVALLERI, ADRIANO; TRIGO, JOSE ROBERTO; DO NASCIMENTO, FABIO SANTOS. Chemical Camouflage Induced by Diet in a Pest Treehopper on Host Plants. PLANTS-BASEL, v. 13, n. 2, p. 12-pg., . (21/00984-7, 11/17708-0, 21/05598-8, 18/10996-0)
DA SILVA, RAFAEL CARVALHO; DO NASCIMENTO, FABIO SANTOS; OI, CINTIA AKEMI. The multifaceted role of brood communication in wasp societies. CURRENT RESEARCH IN INSECT SCIENCE, v. 7, p. 8-pg., . (21/05598-8, 18/22461-3)
LIMA, LUAN DIAS; ASSIS, DIEGO SANTANA; DO NASCIMENTO, FABIO SANTOS; KAMINSKI, LUCAS AUGUSTO. Chemical conspicuousness, ant organs, and specificity in myrmecophilous caterpillars partitioning ant-plant systems. Insect Science, v. N/A, p. 14-pg., . (15/17358-0, 21/05598-8, 18/10996-0, 21/00984-7)