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Polistes paper wasps: emergence of a model genus
... In the present study, we investigate the effects of B. bassiana on the social wasp Polistes dominula, the most abundant and widespread species of paper wasp species in temperate Europe, which has also successfully established itself in North America and South Africa (Cervo et al., 2000;Roets et al., 2019). Besides its generalist predatory habit and potential as biocontrol agent (Armstrong and Stamp, 2003;Brock et al., 2021), the species is a model for sociobiological studies (Starks and Turillazzi, 2006), and a promising candidate as a bioindicator of environmental quality and pollution (Urbini et al., 2006). ...
... P. dominula is a temperate paper wasp species whose small colony size and phenotypic plasticity have made it a model organism for studies of social evolution and communication (Pardi, 1948;Starks and Turillazzi, 2006;Cappa et al., 2020). In the annual colony cycle, reproductive females (i.e., foundresses) leave their hibernacula in spring to build new nests; workers start to emerge at the end of spring and are active on nests until autumn, taking over the tasks of foraging, nest construction and colony defence; reproductive individuals (i.e., sexuals) emerge in summer (Pardi, 1948). ...
... The adoption of a holistic approach is a crucial step to conduct more realistic ecotoxicological studies on non-target beneficial social insects (Chapman, 2002;Sgolastra et al., 2020). Thus, we used the small colonies of the Polistes dominula, a predatory paper wasp that serves as a natural enemy of agricultural pests (Southon et al., 2019;Brock et al., 2021) easy to maintain and manipulate under laboratory conditions (Starks and Turillazzi, 2006). Our study clearly showed that field-realistic exposure to Beauveria bassiana, generally considered safe for non-target organisms (Zimmermann, 2007), can alter individual activity, reduce the survival of exposed workers either isolated or maintained on their natal colonies, impair the reproductive ability of foundresses, and induce the removal of exposed brood, ultimately leading to premature colony failure. ...
... In-depth analysis of the social dynamics of reproductive replacement in cooperatively breeding societies requires the collection of detailed behavioral and physiological data that are not readily available for most vertebrates. By contrast, cooperatively breeding invertebrate societies such as those of Polistes paper wasps are relatively small, short-lived, and easily manipulable, making them excellent systems with which to analyze the dynamics of reproductive conflict resolution (Starks and Turillazzi 2006;Jandt et al. 2014). ...
... The European paper wasp Polistes dominula is the most intenselystudied species within its genus (Starks and Turillazzi 2006;Jandt et al. 2014), and partial evidence exists for both convention-based and contest-based resolution mechanisms following queen succession in this species (Table 1). We thus chose P. dominula as a focal system with which to perform an in-depth analysis of the queen replacement process in Polistes. ...
Reproduction in cooperative animal groups is often dominated by one or a few individuals, with the remaining group members relegated to nonreproductive helping roles. This reproductive skew can evolve if helpers receive fitness benefits such as potential future inheritance of the breeding position, but the mechanisms by which inheritance is determined are not well resolved. Polistes paper wasps form highly reproductively skewed groups and inheritance of the breeding position is likely to play a key role in the maintenance of this social structure, making them excellent models for the processes by which simple societies are maintained. Reproductive succession is thought to be determined via an age-based convention in some Polistes species, but there is also evidence for contest-based succession systems in which the replacement queen uses physical aggression to overpower and thereby subordinate her nestmates. Here, we provide evidence that queen succession in colonies of the European paper wasp Polistes dominula is determined via convention rather than contest, with little disruption to the colony’s social functioning. We use queen removal experiments and fine-scale behavioral analyses to confirm that age is a strong predictor of succession, and that behavioral responses to queen removal are restricted to the oldest individuals rather than being experienced equally across the group. We provide the most comprehensive and detailed experimental analysis on the dynamics of breeder succession in a cooperatively breeding invertebrate to date, thereby shedding light on the mechanisms by which animal societies are able to maintain cohesion in the face of within-group conflict.
... Polistes wasps, form a group of various sub genera which live in the temperate and tropical zones of Northern and Southern hemisphere [6]. Polistes dominula is and has been the most studied of all the paper wasps and became a model species for behavioral, evolutionary and ecological research [7]. Moreover, its colonies are common in Southern Europe but have now been introduced in many other countries (USA, Argentina, South Africa, East Australia and New Zealand) and we shall focus on it our attention; last, but not least it was the species on which our group has worked for more than 80 years Pardi L [8]. ...
... The adoption of a holistic approach is a crucial step to conduct more realistic 364 ecotoxicological studies on non-target beneficial social insects (Chapman, 2002; Sgolastra et al., 365 2020). Thus, we used the small colonies of the Polistes dominula, a predatory paper wasp that serves 366 as a natural enemy of agricultural pests (Southon et al., 2019; Brock et al., 2021) easy to maintain 367 and manipulate under laboratory conditions(Starks and Turillazzi, 2006). Our study clearly showed 368 that field-realistic exposure to Beauveria bassiana, generally considered safe for non-target 369 organisms(Zimmermann, 2007), can alter individual activity, reduce the survival of exposed workers 370 either isolated or maintained on their natal colonies, impair the reproductive ability of foundresses, 371 and induce the removal of exposed brood, ultimately leading to premature colony failure.372In ...
... This paper wasp is a widespread invasive species with a very different biology than the Asian hornet. It has much smaller colonies, and queens are almost exclusively monogamous 42 . Our results show that gene drives can be used to suppress an invasive population of either species, but only when the gene drive achieves high efficiency. ...
Social insects are very successful invasive species, and the continued increase of global trade and transportation has exacerbated this problem. The yellow-legged hornet, Vespa velutina nigrithorax (henceforth Asian hornet), is drastically expanding its range in Western Europe. As an apex insect predator, this hornet poses a serious threat to the honey bee industry and endemic pollinators. Current suppression methods have proven too inefficient and expensive to limit its spread. Gene drives might be an effective tool to control this species, but their use has not yet been thoroughly investigated in social insects. Here, we built a model that matches the hornet’s life history and modelled the effect of different gene drive scenarios on an established invasive population. To test the broader applicability and sensitivity of the model, we also incorporated the invasive European paper wasp Polistes dominula. We find that, due to the haplodiploidy of social hymenopterans, only a gene drive targeting female fertility is promising for population control. Our results show that although a gene drive can suppress a social wasp population, it can only do so under fairly stringent gene drive-specific conditions. This is due to a combination of two factors: first, the large number of surviving offspring that social wasp colonies produce make it possible that, even with very limited formation of resistance alleles, such alleles can quickly spread and rescue the population. Second, due to social wasp life history, infertile individuals do not compete with fertile ones, allowing fertile individuals to maintain a large population size even when drive alleles are widespread. Nevertheless, continued improvements in gene drive technology may make it a promising method for the control of invasive social insects in the future.
... This 40 spread is in accordance with previous modelling of suitable 41 environments (7,8). Modelling also showed that there are 42 many more areas in Europe suitable for the Asian hornet to 43 invade (8). 44 The Asian hornet likely has a serious impact on commercial 45 bee colonies (9)(10)(11) and potentially on other pollinators such 46 as wild bees and syrphids (5,11). ...
Social insects are very successful invasive species, and the continued increase of global trade and transportation has exacerbated this problem. The yellow-legged hornet, Vespa velutina nigrithorax (henceforth Asian hornet), is drastically expanding its range in Western Europe. As an apex insect predator, this hornet poses a serious threat to the honey bee industry and endemic pollinators. Current suppression methods have proven too inefficient and expensive to limit its spread. Gene drives might be an effective tool to control this species, but their use has not yet been thoroughly investigated in social insects. Here, we built a model that matches the hornet's life history and modelled the effect of different gene drive scenarios on an established invasive population. To test the broader applicability and sensitivity of the model, we also incorporated the invasive European paper wasp Polistes dominula . We find that although a gene drive can spread through a social wasp population, it can only do so under stringent gene drive-specific conditions. The main issue is that the large number of offspring that social wasp colonies produce guarantees that, even with very limited formation of resistance alleles, such alleles will quickly spread and rescue the population. Furthermore, we find that only a gene drive targeting female fertility is promising for population control due to the haplodiploidy of social insects. Nevertheless, continued improvements in gene drive technology may make it a promising method for the control of invasive social insects.
... The European paper wasp Polistes dominula (Christ 1791) is a model organism often used in studies of social insect behavior 22,23 and, more recently, for analyses of caste gene expression [24][25][26] . In this species, removing the established queen from a single-foundress colony induces a queen succession process in which one (or very few) workers transition to a queen phenotype, with age playing a key role in predicting which individual will do so 27,28 : almost invariably, the new queen is one of the oldest individuals, and there is little conflict over succession 19,29 . ...
Phenotypic plasticity, the ability to produce multiple phenotypes from a single genotype, represents an excellent model with which to examine the relationship between gene expression and phenotypes. Analyses of the molecular foundations of phenotypic plasticity are challenging, however, especially in the case of complex social phenotypes. Here we apply a machine learning approach to tackle this challenge by analyzing individual-level gene expression profiles of Polistes dominula paper wasps following the loss of a queen. We find that caste-associated gene expression profiles respond strongly to queen loss, and that this change is partly explained by attributes such as age but occurs even in individuals that appear phenotypically unaffected. These results demonstrate that large changes in gene expression may occur in the absence of outwardly detectable phenotypic changes, resulting here in a socially mediated de-differentiation of individuals at the transcriptomic level but not at the levels of ovarian development or behavior.
... All the collected species belong from one order Hymenoptera, 3 [17] . Philip T. Stacks & Stefano Turillazzi works on a model ''Polistes paper wasps: emergence of a model genus'' to position Polisteswasps as a model genus within the biological sciences [18] . From the above study it was concluded that district Karak, have rich insect fauna. ...
Wasps are present throughout the world, mostly in tropical regions. The present research work is conducted in various region of district Karak including Mithakhel, Esakchuntra, Palosa, Sabirabbadto find out wasp fauna. The fauna of wasp were observed during summer season, mostly from April-September 2017. During the research survey 24 species of wasps were collected from open fields, gardens and houses and are preserved in 70% ethanol, which belongs from 1 order Hymenoptera, 3 families Vespidae, Pompilidae, Ichneumonidae and 11 genera Polistes, Vespa, Dolichovespula, Vespula, Ropalidia, Cryptocheilus, Hemipepsis, Priocnemis, Anoplius, Arochnospila, Megarhyssa. Family Pompilidae was the most abundant family having 12 species, family Vespidae has 11 species, while family Ichneumonidae have 1 species. The present research survey suggests that District Karak has a diverse wasp fauna. Similar research study is recommended on large scale to find out the remaining wasp species in District Karak and its surrounded areas.
... In comparison to their ant and bee sisters, wasps are the least beloved of social insects, with a wasp more likely to inspire fear than careful observation [10]. But, for behavioral ecologists, the open nests and small societies of paper wasps have made them an important model of social behavior for over a century [11]. These small societies, according to the late William D. Hamilton, show ''a world human in its seeming motivations and activities far beyond all that seems reasonable to expect from an insect'' [12]. ...
Tracking the outcomes of third-party social interactions is a vital social skill but thought to be cognitively complicated. Paper wasps can learn about others' fighting abilities from observation, suggesting surprisingly complex understanding of social networks in a miniature brain.
... At a more practical level, our results have important implications to the development of Polistes as a model system for the study of social behavior. Polistes paper wasps have been an important scientific workhorse for answering proximate and ultimate questions about social behavior (Starks et al., 2006;Jandt et al., 2014). However, successful and productive rearing in the lab has proven challenging. ...
Hormones are often major regulators of complex behaviors, such as mating and reproduction. In insects, juvenile hormone (JH) is integral to many components of reproductive physiology and behavior, but its role in female sexual receptivity is not well understood. To investigate the influence of JH on receptivity, we utilized the social wasp Polistes fuscatus. In Polistes, mating behavior is temporally separated from other components of reproduction, which allows for examination of the physiology and behavior of mating, disentangled from fertilization and egg-laying. We reared virgin gynes (reproductive females) in the lab and divided them into four groups, in which gynes received multiple topical treatments of either 20μg, 10μg, 5μg, or 0μg of the JH analog methoprene. Gynes were then placed in petri dishes with 2 unrelated males and we recorded attempted and successful mating. Additionally, we measured gyne ovarian development and survival in each group. We found that methoprene increased both sexual receptivity and ovarian development, but was associated with a decrease in long-term survival. Receptivity increased linearly as methoprene treatment increased, but the effect of methoprene on ovarian development was independent of dose. These results demonstrate the importance of JH in sexual receptivity and mating behavior. We argue that the relatively understudied Polistes gyne has potential as a model for mating and reproduction, and for the internal and external regulation of this complex behavior.
... All the collected species belong from one order Hymenoptera, 3 [17] . Philip T. Stacks & Stefano Turillazzi works on a model ''Polistes paper wasps: emergence of a model genus'' to position Polisteswasps as a model genus within the biological sciences [18] . From the above study it was concluded that district Karak, have rich insect fauna. ...
... First, P. dominula colonies are often heavily parasitized by X. vesparum, which are obligate endoparasitoids, meaning that they must develop within the host and also lead to reproductive death via castration [20,21]. Second, P. dominula are a model species with substantial behavioural and developmental plasticity in the form of flexible social castes [22,23]. Third, X. vesparum have well-documented effects on their hosts, including behavioural and physiological changes that suggest they create 'wrong caste' phenotypes in hosts (described below) [18,19]. ...
Parasites can manipulate host behaviour to increase their own transmission and fitness, but the genomic mechanisms by which parasites manipulate hosts are not well understood. We investigated the relationship between the social paper wasp, Polistes dominula, and its parasite, Xenos vesparum (Insecta: Strepsiptera), to understand the effects of an obligate endoparasitoid on its host's brain transcriptome. Previous research suggests that X. vesparum shifts aspects of host social caste-related behaviour and physiology in ways that benefit the parasitoid. We hypothesized that X. vesparum-infested (stylopized) females would show a shift in caste-related brain gene expression. Specifically, we predicted that stylopized females, who would normally be workers, would show gene expression patterns resembling pre-overwintering queens (gynes), reflecting gyne-like changes in behaviour. We used RNA-sequencing data to characterize patterns of brain gene expression in stylopized females and compared these with those of unstylopized workers and gynes. In support of our hypothesis, we found that stylopized females, despite sharing numerous physiological and life-history characteristics with members of the worker caste, show gyne-shifted brain expression patterns. These data suggest that the parasitoid affects its host by exploiting phenotypic plasticity related to social caste, thus shifting naturally occurring social behaviour in a way that is beneficial to the parasitoid.
... In Polistes paper wasps contests typically occur in early Spring when inseminated females (foundresses) exit from their overwintering refuges and search for a place where start a new colony. In P. dominula, a model species for sociobiological studies ( Starks et al. 2006), nest can be founded either by a single foundress or by a group of associate foundresses (Pardi 1948). Before nest foundation, foundresses typically engage in harsh fights to determine the rank position of each individual within a group. ...
Social recognition, i.e. The ability to recognize and assign individual membership to a particular and relevant class, such as caste, dominance status, gender or colony, shapes the amazing organization of insect societies. Traditionally, it has been assumed that social recognition in social insects is mainly governed by chemicals. However, social insects also share information via many other sensory channels, and it has been recently demonstrated that visual signals can mediate several types of social recognition in some species of social wasps. Primitively social wasps, such as paper wasps of Polistes genus, are suitable models to investigate visual communication because their combs lack of envelops allowing light to produce visual cues, their colonies are small, they have a good vision, they show a remarkable individual within-colony colour variation and, finally, they show an intense social life based on social recognition. In this chapter we reviewed the role of visual cues in social recognition inside and outside social wasp colonies focusing both on the intraspecific and interspecific recognition contexts.
... Polistes paper wasps are an important model system for studying the evolution of social behavior (Starks and Turillazzi 2006;Jandt et al. 2014) and are easily studied in both the field and in the laboratory (though rarely in both, Figure 1a). Many studies have used this genus to provide insights into the evolution of queen and worker castes, because of the presence of totipotent females that can change castes throughout their lives, even in adulthood (Reeve 1991). ...
Laboratory-based animal rearing is a common tool used to control environmental variation. However, important differences between lab and field environments may affect the biological relevance of results. Moreover, how lab rearing affects social dynamics in groups has received little attention. We investigated the effects of lab rearing on gene expression, physiology, behavior, and colony dynamics in a behavioral model system. The primitively eusocial paper wasp Polistes fuscatus has been studied in both lab and field and is an important system for understanding social evolution and caste (queen vs. worker) development. High nourishment has been implicated as a key factor in the development of prequeen ("gyne") traits. Because the nutritional environment is altered in the lab, understanding the effects of lab rearing on caste-related traits is critical to properly interpreting experimental results. Lab-reared wasps have access to ad lib food, whereas field colonies are likely food-limited. Our results support the hypothesis that lab rearing (and associated excess nourishment) biased the development of wasp physiology and to some extent, behavior, toward being more gyne-like. Expression levels of 4 caste-related genes, however, were in the opposite direction, toward more worker-like. Lab rearing also affected colony traits: lab-reared colonies dramatically halted nest construction and began producing male eggs 1 week later than field-reared colonies. These results demonstrate the complex effects of lab-rearing on eco-physiological traits of social species, and we discuss some pros and cons of studying ecological model systems in both lab and field settings.
... Primitively eusocial taxa such as Polistes are an informative group for understanding the evolution of eusociality and the origins of castes [31,32]. Across the annual colony cycle of primitively social wasps in the genus Polistes¸the quantity of larval nourishment changes according to seasonal changes in the adult-to-larva ratio [10,27]. ...
Social insects exhibit striking phenotypic plasticity in the form of distinct reproductive (queen) and non-reproductive (worker) castes, which are typically driven by differences in the environment during early development. Nutritional environment and nourishment during development has been shown to be broadly associated with caste determination across social insect taxa such as bees, wasps, and termites. In primitively social insects such as Polistes paper wasps, caste remains flexible throughout adulthood, but there is evidence that nourishment inequalities can bias caste development with workers receiving limited nourishment compared to queens. Dominance and vibrational signaling are behaviors that have also been linked to caste differences in paper wasps, suggesting that a combination of nourishment and social factors may drive caste determination. To better understand the molecular basis of nutritional effects on caste determination, we used RNA-sequencing to investigate the gene expression changes in response to proteinaceous nourishment deprivation in Polistes metricus larvae.
We identified 285 nourishment-responsive transcripts, many of which are related to lipid metabolism and oxidation-reduction activity. Via comparisons to previously identified caste-related genes, we found that nourishment restriction only partially biased wasp gene expression patterns toward worker caste-like traits, which supports the notion that nourishment, in conjunction with social environment, is a determinant of developmental caste bias. In addition, we conducted cross-species comparisons of nourishment-responsive genes, and uncovered largely lineage-specific gene expression changes, suggesting few shared nourishment-responsive genes across taxa.
Overall, the results from this study highlight the complex and multifactorial nature of environmental effects on the gene expression patterns underlying plastic phenotypes.
... Polistes paper wasps are an important model system for studying the evolution of social behavior (Starks and Turillazzi 2006;Jandt et al. 2014) and are easily studied in both the field and in the laboratory (though rarely in both, Figure 1a). Many studies have used this genus to provide insights into the evolution of queen and worker castes, because of the presence of totipotent females that can change castes throughout their lives, even in adulthood (Reeve 1991). ...
Rearing environment may have a significant effect on offspring development. In social insects, this may have a subsequent effect on queen/worker caste determination. Here, we explore the physiological differences, in terms of lipid content, of Polistes fuscatus larvae reared in laboratory and field conditions. Based on previous evidence, we predict that colonies provided ad lib food in the lab will produce fattier larvae than colonies required to forage for their own food in the field. If this prediction holds, the results from this study may have important implications on how data, collected from individuals reared in lab environments, are interpreted.
... In the primitively eusocial paper wasp Polistes, a model organism in evolutionary biology ( Starks and Turillazzi, 2006), morphological castes are not clearly differentiated, but genetic relatedness is always fairly high ( Strassmann et al., 1989). These wasps are not only manageable as laboratory animals for experi- mental manipulation, but also suitable to explore the brain gene expression underlying reproductive and brood provisioning status, i.e. the evolution of castes ( Toth et al., 2007Toth et al., , 2009Toth et al., , 2010. ...
... Paper wasps (Polistes) are widely distributed around most of the globe and are diverse and common in many landscapes (Reeve 1991;Carpenter 1996). They are a very well-known model organism for the evolution of eusociality and behavior (Turillazi 1996;Starks and Turillazzi 2006). Despite this, little is known about the specifics of their foraging behavior; the range of prey taken; and how these may change seasonally, spatially, or with competition (Kasper et al. 2004;Brown et al. 2012). ...
The prey range of the invasive Asian paper wasp, Polistes chinensis antennalis, was studied using molecular diagnostics. Nests of paper wasps were collected from urban residential and salt marsh habitats, larvae were removed and dissected, and DNA in the gut of the paper wasp larvae was amplified and sequenced with cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI). Seventy percent of samples (211/299) yielded medium-to high-quality sequences, and prey identification was achieved using BLAST searches in BOLD. A total of 42 taxa were identified from 211 samples. Lepidoptera were the majority of prey, with 39 taxa from 91% of samples. Diptera was a relatively small component of prey (three taxa, 19 samples). Conclusive species-level identification of prey was possible for 67% of samples, and genus-level identification, for another 12% of samples. The composition of prey taken was different between the two habitats, with 2.5× more native prey species being taken in salt marsh compared with urban habitats. The results greatly extend the prey range of this invasive species. The technique is a more effective and efficient approach than relying on the collection of "prey balls", or morphological identification of prey, for the study of paper wasps.
... 2006 ) . Their proclivity for this accessible habitat , and their status as a successful in - vader , has contributed to their use as a model system in the Þelds of behavior , evolution , and invasion ecol - ogy ( Starks and Turillazzi 2006 , reviewed in Liebert et al . 2006 ) . ...
Actinomycetes-a group of antimicrobial producing bacteria-have been successfully cultured and characterized from the nest material of diverse arthropods. Some are symbionts that produce antimicrobial chemicals found to protect nest brood and resources from pathogenic microbes. Others have no known fitness relationship with their associated insects, but have been found to produce antimicrobials in vitro. Consequently, insect nest material is being investigated as a new source of novel antimicrobial producing actinomycetes, which could be harnessed for therapeutic potential. To extend studies of actinomycete-insect associations beyond soil-substrate dwelling insects and wood boring excavators, we conducted a preliminary assessment of the actinomycetes within the nests of the paper wasp, Polistes dominulus (Christ). We found that actinomycetes were readily cultured from nest material across multiple invasive P. dominulus populations-including members of the genera Streptomyces, Micromonospora, and Actinoplanes. Thirty of these isolates were assayed for antimicrobial activity against the challenge bacteria Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Serratia marcescens, and Bacillus subtilis. Sixty percent of isolates inhibited the growth of at least one challenge strain. This study provides the first assessment of bacteria associated with nests of P. dominulus, and the first record of antimicrobial producing actinomycetes isolated from social wasps. We provide a new system to explore nest associated actinomycetes from a ubiquitous and cosmopolitan group of insects.
... We chose Polistes dominulus as the subject of our study because they represent a model for social research (Starks & Turillazzi 2006). Polistes wasps have simple societies lacking morphological differences between the female castes. ...
In order to understand how the apparent freedom of individual movements can concur with social order in a colony, we investigated spatial relationships between foundresses, workers and immature brood in a paper wasp. This is the first time an ecological analytical approach (home range analysis) has been employed to describe small scale spatial use in a social context. In this study, home range was not used in its strictly ecological sense, but rather applied to the comb. Our results show that the positions individual wasps assumed on Polistes dominulus combs are spatially structured. Workers and foundresses do not occupy the comb in random distribution, but rather follow predictable spatial patterns. Each active wasp has its own spatial fidelity area, at least over a 1 d observation period, spending the majority of its time within a very small area averaging approx. 12% of the comb but occasionally it may cover an area of up to 50% of the comb surface. Dominant females occupied a significantly smaller area that either subordinate foundresses or workers. Areas patrolled by workers varied in shape and size, with no relation to time spent on the comb, wasp density or position of immature brood. All the wasps clumped around the dominant female, who proved to be the only individual affected by cell content. Nevertheless, although the wasps tended to clump together, average superimposition rates among nest-mates was very low (higher in workers than foundresses), suggesting that the wasps limit each other’s individual spaces.
... presents a wide spectrum of alternative behavioural phenotypes while lacking morphological castes, thus representing a model species in understanding the social evolution (Pardi 1996, Starks & Turillazzi 2006). In the colonial context, reproductive activity is unequally partitioned between individuals in favour of the dominant female, while foraging and brood-related tasks are performed by subordinate foundresses and workers. ...
Cini, A. & Dapporto, L. 2009: Autumnal helpers of Polistes dominulus represent a distinct behav-ioural phenotype. — Ann. Zool. Fennici 46: 423–430. Division of labour is a major feature of insect societies. Behavioural differences can be present also during non-colonial stages of the life cycle, when it is difficult to discrimi-nate between distinct behavioural phenotypes and by-products of differences in overall activity levels. We used the social wasp Polistes dominulus to address this issue. In pre-hibernating aggregations some individuals (helpers) perform external tasks by col-lecting food and providing it to cluster mates. Such helpers have been so far identified using only a descriptive approach, and their behaviour was not disentangled from a possible higher level of overall activity. Here we provide an operational definition of the helper's trait and we then compare behavioural patterns of helpers and non helpers, verifying that helpers actually represent a peculiar behavioural phenotype. Our result expands knowledge on the caste differentiation issue in Polistes wasps and on the assessment of behavioural phenotypes in a non-colonial context.
... Chemical cues of cuticle and eggs are known to differ between dominants/queens and subordinates/workers in many social insects (Endler et al., 2004; Monnin, 2006). Polistes wasps are one of the most studied organisms in terms of the evolution of social behaviour (Starks and Turillazzi, 2006). Polistes dominulus presents associative colony foundation with several totipotent and often unrelated individuals (Queller et al., 2000), and linear hierarchies are established through dominance behaviours (Pardi, 1946). ...
Social life offers animals increased fitness opportunities. However, the advantages are not evenly distributed and some individuals benefit more than others. The ultimate advantage of reaching the highest rank in a dominance hierarchy is the achievement of reproduction monopoly. In social insects, dominant individuals and queens keep their reproductive control through differential oophagy of unwanted eggs (egg policing). Egg recognition is the main proximate mechanism for maintaining reproductive dominance. In the social wasp Polistes dominulus, subordinate queens often lay eggs in the presence of the dominant individual. Combining gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis and laboratory bioassays, we found that chemical differences between eggs of subordinate and dominant foundresses can explain the differential success in oophagy enjoyed by dominant individuals. We propose that dominance behaviour is an investigative behaviour as well as a ritualized agonistic behaviour. In fact, the frequency of dominance acts increases with the chemical similarity of the surfaces of dominant- and subordinate-laid eggs. Therefore, dominant individuals probably perform dominance behaviour to test the cuticular signatures of subordinates and so better assess the chemical profiles of subordinate eggs. Finally, we provide evidence that in particular social contexts, subordinate Polistes foundresses can develop ovaries as large as those of dominant individuals but nevertheless lay very few eggs. The subordinates probably lay a limited number of eggs to avoid unnecessary energy loss, as a result of efficient queen policing, but will start laying eggs as soon as the queen fails.
... (a) The biological model Polistes dominulus colonies are founded in spring by one or several overwintering mated females and colonies are highly aggressive towards intruders (Dani et al. 1996). Polistes dominulus is a widely used biological model in sociobiological and chemical communication studies (Starks & Turillazzi 2006), and it is the host of three species of congeneric social parasites (Cervo 2006), some of which seem to use the chemical insignificance strategy to increase their success in usurpation (Lorenzi 2006). ...
Nest-mate recognition is fundamental for protecting social insect colonies from intrusion threats such as predators or social parasites. The aggression of resident females towards intruders is mediated by their cuticular semiochemicals. A positive relation between the amount of cues and responses has been widely assumed and often taken for granted, even though direct tests have not been carried out. This hypothesis has important consequences, since it is the basis for the chemical insignificance strategy, the most common explanation for the reduction in the amount of semiochemicals occurring in many social parasites. Here we used the social wasp Polistes dominulus, a model species in animal communication studies and host of three social parasites, to test this hypothesis. We discovered that different amounts of cuticular hydrocarbons (CHC) of a foreign female evoke quantitatively different behavioural reactions in the resident foundress. The relation between CHC quantity and the elicited response supports the idea that a threshold exists in the chemical recognition system of this species. The chemical insignificance hypothesis thus holds in a host-parasite system of Polistes wasps, even though other explanations should not be discarded.
Phenotypic plasticity, the ability to produce multiple phenotypes from a single genotype, represents an excellent model with which to examine the relationship between gene expression and phenotypes. Despite this, analyses of the molecular bases of plasticity have been limited by the challenges of linking individual phenotypes with individual-level gene expression profiles, especially in the case of complex social phenotypes. Here, we tackle this challenge by analysing the individual-level gene expression profiles of Polistes dominula paper wasps following the loss of a queen, a perturbation that induces some individuals to undergo a significant phenotypic shift and become replacement reproductives. Using a machine learning approach, we find a strong response of caste-associated gene expression to queen loss, wherein individuals’ expression profiles become intermediate between queen and worker states. Importantly, this change occurs even in individuals that appear phenotypically unaffected. Part of this response is explained by individual attributes, most prominently age. These results demonstrate that large changes in gene expression may occur in the absence of detectable phenotypic changes, resulting here in a socially mediated de-differentiation of individuals at the transcriptomic but not the phenotypic level. Our findings also highlight the complexity of the relationship between gene expression and phenotype, where transcriptomes are neither a direct reflection of the genotype nor a proxy for the molecular underpinnings of the external phenotype.
Phenotypic plasticity, the ability to produce multiple phenotypes from a single genotype, represents an excellent model with which to examine the relationship between gene expression and phenotypes. Despite this, analyses of the molecular bases of plasticity have been limited by the challenges of linking individual phenotypes with individual-level gene expression profiles, especially in the case of complex social phenotypes. Here, we tackle this challenge by analysing the individual-level gene expression profiles of Polistes dominula paper wasps following the loss of a queen, a perturbation that induces some individuals to undergo a significant phenotypic shift and become replacement reproductives. Using a machine learning approach, we find a strong response of caste-associated gene expression to queen loss, wherein individuals' expression profiles become intermediate between queen and worker states. Importantly, this change occurs even in individuals that appear phenotypically unaffected. Part of this response is explained by individual attributes, most prominently age. These results demonstrate that large changes in gene expression may occur in the absence of detectable phenotypic changes, resulting here in a socially mediated de-differentiation of individuals at the transcriptomic but not the phenotypic level. Our findings also highlight the complexity of the relationship between gene expression and phenotype, where transcriptomes are neither a direct reflection of the genotype nor a proxy for the molecular underpinnings of the external phenotype.
The Hover Wasps (Stenogastrinae) comprise 58 described species in 7 genera which are distributed in the South East Asian tropics, from India to New Guinea. This chapter offers a sketch of their systematics. There follows a brief history of the studies by researchers of these wasps, focusing on the main problems, phylogeny and social evolution of these insects. General characteristic of other social wasps are briefly presented and discussed.
Social insects can discriminate between nestmates and aliens by comparing the chemical phenotype of an individual with the neural representation of their own colony odor (template). For social paper wasps of the genus Polistes, a general recognition model has been proposed and tested on few North American species: wasps learn colonial recognition cues from the nest paper during the first hours after emergence as adults. However, a recent study revealed that workers of Polistes dominula do not necessarily use the nest paper for early post-emergence cue-learning, suggesting that cues used for the formation of the referent template in this species could be learned at different life stages.
Pre-natal learning is a widespread phenomenon in animals and it can shape various behaviors in adults. Here, we investigated whether pre-imaginal learning affects later nestmate recognition in P.
dominula wasps. We reared worker pupae in artificial conditions to test whether the absence of nest material, or the exposure to nest material taken from a foreign conspecific colony, during pupal development would alter the nestmate recognition ability in adult life. Our results show that wasps maintain their correct recognition ability regardless of the treatment, suggesting that wasps do not form their referent template during the pupal stage from the nest paper. Alternative hypotheses for template formation timing and source of recognition cues are discussed. Moreover, we investigated whether young wasps already possess, on their own body, reliable chemical cues to form a recognition template by self-referent phenotype matching.
Here, we present a detailed ethogram for the foraging behavior of the eusocial paper wasp, Polistes domi-nulus. The animal's foraging process can be sub-divided into four main stages: (1) approach, (2) attack, (3) butchering, and (4) balling. Although considerable behavioral variation exists within each stage, an analysis of more than 20 individual foraging bouts reveals a single ''common path'' leading from prey approach to its transportation back to the nest; eluci-dating this path and separating it into distinct stages is useful when identifying targets for future ethological studies. Of particular interest here is the balling phase, i.e., the prepara-tion of a bolus of flesh for transportation back to the colony. Using an experimental approach, we show that foundresses can carry significantly heavier payloads than workers, sug-gesting a foraging advantage during the initial stages of colony development. We also show that wasp body mass is significantly positively correlated with payload capacity in foundresses, a relationship not seen among workers or late reproductives. This correlation suggests a beneficial adapta-tion of foundresses for combating early season pressures associated with the foundation of a new colony.
The European paper wasp Polistes
dominulus (Christ) is a model system in the fields of behavioral ecology, ecological immunology, and invasion biology. Since its introduction to the US in 1978, its invasion success has been attributed, in part, to a lack of parasites or parasitoids infecting this population. This is despite the number of parasites which infest the native population and the generalist polistine parasites and parasitoids documented in sympatric North American species. Multiple studies have cited low parasite pressure as evidence that the invasive population of P.
dominulus is benefiting from a post-invasion release from enemies. Here, we present the first well documented case of parasitoidism of the invasive population of P.
dominulus in North America.
The occurrence of a pre-imaginal caste determination represents a sort of “point of no return” to eusociality. In some social
insect taxa, including Polistes species, the occurrence of distinct queen and worker castes is still debated. Before this report, no clear morphological
differences between reproductive and non-reproductive individuals were known. Here we show that several pre-imaginal morphological
differences of the Van der Vecht organ occur between foundresses (queens) and workers. Geometric morphometrics revealed that
queens are characterized by shape deformations of this organ, which is responsible for a typical allometric growth of the
secretory area. This organ is predicted to be larger in foundresses compared to workers because its secretion is involved
in defense against ants, in nestmate recognition and in preventing workers from challenging for direct reproduction. The results
presented here indicate the existence of an incipient morphological caste determination Polistes gallicus and suggest that this species may have passed the “point of no return” for eusociality.
Keywords
Polistes gallicus
–Pre-imaginal caste determination–Van der Vecth organ–Geometric morphometrics–Allometry
Polistes wasps engage in many behavioral interactions. Although there has been debate over the meaning of these interactions, these stereotypical behaviors can be used to determine a colony's linear dominance hierarchy. Due to the implicit relationship between behavioral and reproductive dominance, behavioral interactions are commonly used to distinguish the reproductively dominant alpha foundress from the beta foundress. It has been suggested that in order to maintain reproductive control, the alpha foundress is forced to remain at a physiologically constrained activity limit. This, in turn, may allow aggressive interactions to be used as determinants influencing reproductive partitioning between cooperating individuals. Energetic costs can place important limitations on behavior, but the energetic cost of the interactions has not previously been measured. To address this, we measured the CO(2) production of 19 non-nestmate pairs displaying interactive and noninteractive behavior. The rate of energy used during interaction behavior was positively associated with published rankings of aggression. However, our results indicate that interactions are not very energetically costly in Polistes, particularly when compared to the likely cost of foraging. These data suggest that maintaining reproductive dominance is not very energetically expensive for the dominant and that the dominant foundress expends energy at a lower rate than the subordinate foundress.
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