2012 Fiscal Year Final Research Report
The evolution and maintenance of supercolony in the invasive Argentine ant
| Project/Area Number |
22570031
|
|---|
| Research Category |
Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
|
| Allocation Type | Single-year Grants |
|---|
| Section | 一般 |
|---|
| Research Field |
Ecology/Environment
|
|---|
| Research Institution | National Institute for Environmental Studies |
|---|
Principal Investigator |
INOUE Maki 独立行政法人国立環境研究所, 生物・生態系環境研究センター, 特別研究員 (80512590)
|
|---|
| Co-Investigator(Renkei-kenkyūsha) |
ITO Fuminori 香川大学, 農学部, 教授 (50260683)
|
|---|
| Project Period (FY) |
2010 – 2012
|
| Keywords | 社会性昆虫 / 外来生物 / スーパーコロニー / 遺伝子流動 / マイクロサテライト |
|---|
| Research Abstract |
The Argentine ant, Linepithema humile, is highly polygynous and possesses a social structure, called supercolony (SC). In this study, different populations widely distributed across the continent share the same haplotype, whereas small SCs are pettily distributed in the restricted areas. The genetic analysis suggested that gene flow among SCs is very limited, and SCs are closed reproductive units. Furthermore, the workers from small SC showed their escape behavior and whereas the workers from massive SC attacked the workers from other SCs in groups. Our findings suggested that a massive SC displace other SCs and form the huge colonies across the globe
|
