Caste Differences in Polybia emaciata, a Mud-Nesting Eusocial Wasp (Hymenoptera: Vespidae) that Bears Pre-Imaginal Determination but not Size Differences.

• Processo: 09/00360-1
• Modalidade de apoio: Auxílio à Pesquisa - Publicações científicas - Artigo
• Data de Início da vigência: 01 de março de 2009
• Data de Término da vigência: 31 de agosto de 2009
• Área do conhecimento: Ciências Biológicas - Zoologia - Comportamento Animal
• Pesquisador responsável: Fernando Barbosa Noll
• Beneficiário: Fernando Barbosa Noll
• Instituição Sede: Instituto de Biociências, Letras e Ciências Exatas (IBILCE). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de São José do Rio Preto. São José do Rio Preto , SP, Brasil
• Assunto(s): Hymenoptera Vespas Insetos sociais Comportamento social
• Palavra(s)-Chave do Pesquisador: Comportamento Social | Hymenoptera | vespas sociais | Insetos Sociais

Resumo

The Epiponini is a group of social wasps living in polygynic societies. Thecaste dimorphism varies from incipient to well distinct. Morphometric analyseson twelve body parts and ovarian development of Polybia emaciata Lucas1879, were used to estimate the level of caste differentiation in seven colonies.Physiologic differences were found. The queens the ovaries were inseminatedand presented highly developed; in intermediaries as females, ovaries slightlydeveloped and uninseminated, and for the workers the ovaries were notdeveloped and inseminated. Besides, the coloration of the mesosoma andmetasoma were darker in workers and intermediates. Morphometric analysisevidenced slight morphological differences. Even though body proportionswere not enough to discriminate castes, the fifth sternite of the gaster hadimportant characters that were able to differentiate queens from workers andintermediates. We propose that P. emaciata presents a case of pre-imaginalcaste determination, which is not strictly based on size. (AU)