Evolution: sociality as a driver of unorthodox reproduction

Tanja Schwander; Laurent Keller

doi:10.1016/j.cub.2012.05.042

Evolution: sociality as a driver of unorthodox reproduction

Curr Biol. 2012 Jul 10;22(13):R525-7. doi: 10.1016/j.cub.2012.05.042.

Authors

Tanja Schwander¹, Laurent Keller

Affiliation

¹ University of Groningen, Center for Ecological and Evolutionary Studies, 9700CC Groningen, The Netherlands. tanja.schwander@gmail.com

PMID: 22790000
DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2012.05.042

Abstract

An unusual reproductive system was discovered in desert ants, in which daughter queens are produced asexually via parthenogenesis, whereas workers develop from hybrid crosses between genetically divergent lineages. The system appears to be doomed to extinction.

Publication types

Comment

MeSH terms

Animals
Ants / physiology*
Female
Hybridization, Genetic*
Male
Parthenogenesis / genetics*