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Population- and sociogenetic structure of the leaf-cutter ant Atta colombica (Formicidae, Myrmicinae)

Title data

Helmkampf, M. ; Gadau, Jürgen ; Feldhaar, Heike:
Population- and sociogenetic structure of the leaf-cutter ant Atta colombica (Formicidae, Myrmicinae).
In: Insectes Sociaux. Vol. 55 (2008) . - pp. 434-442.
ISSN 0020-1812
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00040-008-1024-3

Abstract in another language

Relatedness and genetic variability in colonies of social insects are strongly influenced by the number of queens present and the number of matings per queen, but also by the genetic variability in the population. Thus, multiple paternity will enhance within-colony genetic variability more strongly when the males a queen mates with are unrelated. To study the kin-structure within colonies of the leaf-cutter ant Atta colombica and the population structure of this species around Barro Colorado Island, Panama, we developed five polymorphic microsatellite loci with a range of three to 17 alleles in At. colombica, all of which cross-amplify in other higher attines as well. The average effective mating frequency calculated from four-locus microsatellite genotypes was 1.89 +/- 0.12 (harmonic mean +/- SE) and thus slightly lower than the average observed mating frequency of 2.50 +/- 0.11 (arithmetic mean +/- SE) over the 55 colonies studied, confirming former studies that utilized fewer loci. The discrepancy between observed mating frequency and effective mating frequency is most probably due to paternity skew within colonies. The study population proved to be genetically diverse and in Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium, suggesting random mating within the study area. No population substructure was observed, neither considering nuclear (global F(ST) = 0.011 +/- 0.003 SE) nor mitochondrial markers (mean phi(ST) = 0.008). Consequently, gene flow is obviously promoted by both sexes across the range investigated here. Thus, multiple mating and long-distance dispersal appear to be two interconnected behavioural mechanisms to create and maintain genetic diversity in At. colombica. The advantages of this system are partly offset by paternity skew and the non-zero relatedness among colony fathers found in the study population.

Further data

Item Type: Article in a journal
Refereed: Yes
Additional notes: BAYCEER102021
Institutions of the University: Faculties
Faculties > Faculty of Biology, Chemistry and Earth Sciences
Faculties > Faculty of Biology, Chemistry and Earth Sciences > Department of Biology
Faculties > Faculty of Biology, Chemistry and Earth Sciences > Department of Biology > Chair Animal Ecology I
Faculties > Faculty of Biology, Chemistry and Earth Sciences > Department of Biology > Professor Animal Population Ecology
Faculties > Faculty of Biology, Chemistry and Earth Sciences > Department of Biology > Professor Animal Population Ecology > Professor Animal Population Ecology - Univ.-Prof. Dr. Heike Feldhaar
Research Institutions > Research Centres > Bayreuth Center of Ecology and Environmental Research- BayCEER
Research Institutions
Research Institutions > Research Centres
Result of work at the UBT: Yes
DDC Subjects: 500 Science > 500 Natural sciences
500 Science > 570 Life sciences, biology
500 Science > 590 Animals (Zoology)
Date Deposited: 30 Apr 2015 08:43
Last Modified: 17 May 2023 07:36
URI: https://eref.uni-bayreuth.de/id/eprint/10797