| Project/Area Number |
17207003
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| Research Category |
Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (A)
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| Allocation Type | Single-year Grants |
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| Section | 一般 |
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| Research Field |
Ecology/Environment
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| Research Institution | Hokkaido University |
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Principal Investigator |
HIGASHI Seigo Hokkaido University, Fac.of Environ.Earth Sci., Professor (90133777)
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| Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha) |
MIURA Toru Hoddaido University, Fac.of Environ.Earth Sci., Associate Professor (00332594)
KUBO Takuya Hokkaido University, Fac.of Environ.Earth Sci., Assistant Professor (80344498)
ITO Fuminori Kagawa University, Faculty of Agriculture, Professor (50260683)
TSUJI Mizuki Universityof the Ryukyus, Faculty of Agriculture, Professor (20222135)
OZAKI Mamiko Kobe University, Faculty of Science, Professor (00314302)
高田 壮則 北海道大学, 大学院・地球環境科学研究院, 教授 (80206755)
長谷川 英祐 北海道大学, 農学部, 助教授 (40301874)
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| Project Period (FY) |
2005 – 2007
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| Project Status |
Completed (Fiscal Year 2007)
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| Budget Amount *help |
¥51,220,000 (Direct Cost: ¥39,400,000、Indirect Cost: ¥11,820,000)
Fiscal Year 2007: ¥15,990,000 (Direct Cost: ¥12,300,000、Indirect Cost: ¥3,690,000)
Fiscal Year 2006: ¥15,470,000 (Direct Cost: ¥11,900,000、Indirect Cost: ¥3,570,000)
Fiscal Year 2005: ¥19,760,000 (Direct Cost: ¥15,200,000、Indirect Cost: ¥4,560,000)
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| Keywords | supercolony / Formica yessensis / kin recognition / hydrocarbon / invasive alien ants / Argentine ant / fire ant / 真社会性 / マイクロサテライトDNA / 個体判別 / 触覚感覚子 |
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| Research Abstract |
In this research on Formica yessensis which exhibits a supercolony on the coast of Ishikari, Hokkaido, We confirmed the presence of a chemosensory sensillum which was previously discovered in workers of a phylogenetically close ant Camponotus japonica. Whereas the sensillum responded even to hydrocarbons of nestmates, the response was less intense than that to hydrocarbons of workers from other colonies, indicating that this organ of F. yessensis retains the function of nestmate recognition. Within the supercolony, the response of the sensillum was significantly correlated with the geographic distance of the analyzed nests, suggesting that there is a little antagonistic relationship even between the nests which do not show any aggressive behaviors. The presence of the antagonistic relationship between the supercolonial nests was also suggested by a mathematical analysis of the behavioral data which was obtained in the outdoor observation of F. yessensis workers. Moreover, the analysis of microsatellite DNA demonstrated that the kin relatedness within the supercolony was as low as that between different colonies. Although the intranidal kin relatedness was a little higher, the standard deviation was high, indicating that the nestmates were composed not only of kins but also of non-related workers and queens. These results suggest that the kin selection is not an important factor to maintain the supercolony. Probably, one of more important factors is the strong wind which often blows flying alates to the sea and accordingly offers advantages to the post-mating queens which abandon the flight and enter the natal or neighboring nests. The relatively homogeneous habitat on seaside dune may be another key factor which facilitated the development of polygyny and the reduction of internidal antagonism on the Ishikari Coast.
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