2011 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

Evolution of satellite-nest building in Polistinae

Research Project

Project/Area Number	21770017
Research Category	Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
Allocation Type	Single-year Grants
Research Field	Ecology/Environment
Research Institution	Niigata University
Principal Investigator	KUDO Kazuyuki 新潟大学, 人文社会・教育科学系, 准教授 (70444180)
Co-Investigator(Renkei-kenkyūsha)	KONISHI Kazuhiko 独立行政法人農業食品産業技術総合研究機構, 北海道農業研究センター, 主任研究員 (90414747)
Research Collaborator	KOMATSU Kazuma 新潟大学, 大学院・教育学研究科, 大学院生
Project Period (FY)	2009 – 2011
Keywords	サタンアシナガバチ / 血縁度 / マイクロサテライト / サテライト巣 / 新熱帯区 / 季節性
Research Abstract	Colony genetic structures were examined in a Brazilian independent-founding wasp Polistes satan. The number of reproductive females was significantly larger in colonies of wet season than in colonies of dry season, and consequently the relatedness within each developmental stage of brood was lower in colonies of wet season than in colonies of dry season. In both dry and wet seasons, the gene frequencies were significantly different between groups of consecutive cohorts, suggesting that this species exhibits serial polygyny. P. satan builds satellite nests, but the building behaviors might not be associated with the resolution of conflicts among dominant reproductive females.