Analysis of dominance relations and food distribution patterns between individuals of primitively eusocial wasp Mischocyttarus cerberus (Polistinae; Mischocyttarinii)

• Grant number: 17/17018-0
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: November 01, 2017
• End date: October 31, 2018
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Zoology - Animal Behavior
• Principal Investigator: Fábio Santos do Nascimento
• Grantee: Wilson França de Oliveira Neto
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Filosofia, Ciências e Letras de Ribeirão Preto (FFCLRP). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Ribeirão Preto , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Mischocyttarus cerberus is one among the 245 species of wasps of the Mischocyttarini's tribe, belonging to the Polistinae subfamily. These wasps are independent-founders and primitively eusocial, presenting a single unenveloped comb made of cellulose and few individuals per colony. The dominance hierarchy establishes the social structure and dynamic of this group, both at the reproductive level, foraging activity and feeding. Commonly the dominant female being the first to request the resource at the moment that the forager comes back to the nest. However, it's still not well understood if the food distribution pattern between larvae/ adults and adults/adults follow preferably the dominance rank of adult female or there's an occasional multidirectionality of food. The Social Network analysis application has been growing among behavior studies because it can provide an objective and systematic way to identify and determine central individuals, dominance roles and interactions with the social group. Thus, the aim of this work is to verify in which way the social dynamic and structure of Mischocyttarus cerberus colonies relate with trophic interactions among individuals, for this we are going to use approaches of Social Network analysis. (AU)