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| Author(s): |
Wilson França de Oliveira Neto
Total Authors: 1
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| Document type: | Master's Dissertation |
| Press: | Ribeirão Preto. |
| Institution: | Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Faculdade de Filosofia, Ciências e Letras de Ribeirão Preto (PCARP/BC) |
| Defense date: | 2021-09-13 |
| Examining board members: |
Fabio Santos do Nascimento;
Nicolas Gerard Chaline;
Fabio Prezoto
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| Advisor: | Fabio Santos do Nascimento |
| Abstract | |
Dominance hierarchies are an evolutionarily stable strategy present in various social systems that regulate the organization and performance of collective activities. Social insects are model systems to investigate social interactions. Dominance hierarchies are widespread across animal taxa. In primitively eusocial paper wasps, this type of social interaction often involves aggressive dominance and subordination behaviors that ultimately affect the partitioning of reproduction, foraging and nest defense among colony mates. However, the structure of dominance hierarchies can vary across species. Mischocyttarus metathoracicus is a Neotropical species whose social organization remains poorly investigated. Using tools provided by social network analysis (SNA) and M. metathoracicus as model organism system the work proposed to investigate how morphophysiological characteristics are associated with reproductive and social dominance (1), verify if there is participation of males in the dominance hierarchy (2), understand the dynamics of interactions in the context of dominance relationships and their resulting hierarchical structure (3). Results show that M. metathoracicus has a reproductive and social system associated with age and ovarian development, but not with body size. Older females with developed ovaries are more aggressive, occupy the top of the dominance hierarchy and are more likely to dominate reproduction (IO). Non-egg-layer inseminated females (INO) have developed ovaries, vary in age, and occupy positions just below the most dominant in the hierarchy. The most subordinate females are younger and non-reproductive (NINO). Males are also part of the dominance hierarchy and equally direct their aggression towards INO and NINO females. The dynamics of interactions between individuals is more flexible between adjacent rankings suggesting that there is a linear rise in social dominance status. The hierarchical structure is quite asymmetric and transitive, and its topology varies from quasi-linear to totally linear. The work brings contributions to the study of dominance hierarchies and information about the social biology of an extremely diverse group of Neotropical wasps that can later be used in comparisons between other species and groups with similar systems. (AU) | |
| FAPESP's process: | 19/08029-4 - A network analysis of dominance and colonial activity in Mischocyttarus metathoracicus (Hymenoptera: Vespidae) |
| Grantee: | Wilson França de Oliveira Neto |
| Support Opportunities: | Scholarships in Brazil - Master |