TRAIT MAPPING AND SALIENCE IN THE EVOLUTION OF EUSOCIAL VESPID WASPS.
1Department of Biology, University of Missouri-St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri, 63121.
Summary
Eusociality in Hymenoptera evolved from specific infraordinal traits, not just order-level characteristics. Key factors include nesting and provisioning behaviors, with haplodiploidy enabling all-female clutches.
Area of Science:
- Entomology
- Evolutionary Biology
- Behavioral Ecology
Background:
- Eusociality in Hymenoptera has multiple origins, concentrated in specific families.
- Previous studies lacked phylogenetic integration when assessing traits' roles in eusocial evolution.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze the phylogenetic appearance of traits associated with eusociality in Hymenoptera, specifically Vespidae.
- To identify high-salience traits contributing to the evolution of eusociality in wasps.
Main Methods:
- Phylogenetic analysis using cladograms of Hymenoptera superfamilies, families, and the Vespidae family.
- Trait mapping to ordinate the appearance of traits relative to the origin of eusociality in Vespidae.
Main Results:
- Nesting, oviposition into empty cells, progressive larval provisioning, and inequitable food distribution are high-salience traits.
- Life-long alloparental care by uninseminated female offspring characterizes Polistes-grade eusociality.
- Haplodiploidy is crucial for producing all-female clutches, but relatedness asymmetry is not a primary driver.
Conclusions:
- Eusocial evolution in Hymenoptera is driven by infraordinal traits, not solely ordinal characteristics.
- Specific behavioral and reproductive traits, alongside haplodiploidy, are key to the evolution of eusociality in wasps.
