Trait evolution is reversible, repeatable, and decoupled in the soldier caste of turtle ants

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
Scott PowellDaniel J C Kronauer

Abstract

The scope of adaptive phenotypic change within a lineage is shaped by how functional traits evolve. Castes are defining functional traits of adaptive phenotypic change in complex insect societies, and caste evolution is expected to be phylogenetically conserved and developmentally constrained at broad phylogenetic scales. Yet how castes evolve at the species level has remained largely unaddressed. Turtle ant soldiers (genus Cephalotes), an iconic example of caste specialization, defend nest entrances by using their elaborately armored heads as living barricades. Across species, soldier morphotype determines entrance specialization and defensive strategy, while head size sets the specific size of defended entrances. Our species-level comparative analyses of morphotype and head size evolution reveal that these key ecomorphological traits are extensively reversible, repeatable, and decoupled within soldiers and between soldier and queen castes. Repeated evolutionary gains and losses of the four morphotypes were reconstructed consistently across multiple analyses. In addition, morphotype did not predict mean head size across the three most common morphotypes, and head size distributions overlapped broadly across all morphotypes. Co...Continue Reading

References

May 20, 1999·Proceedings. Biological Sciences·J K ElliottP T Boag
Mar 14, 2000·Proceedings. Biological Sciences·R L MinckleyL Kervin
Dec 9, 2000·Annual Review of Entomology·C Peeters, F Ito
Oct 2, 2002·Evolution; International Journal of Organic Evolution·P Nosil
Jan 22, 2004·Bioinformatics·Emmanuel ParadisKorbinian Strimmer
Jan 13, 2006·Evolution; International Journal of Organic Evolution·P Nosil, A O Mooers
May 5, 2006·The American Naturalist·Else J Fjerdingstad, Ross H Crozier
Jan 27, 2010·Evolution; International Journal of Organic Evolution·Joan E Strassmann, David C Queller
Apr 17, 2010·Bioinformatics·Steven W KembelCampbell O Webb
Dec 2, 2010·The Journal of Animal Ecology·Scott PowellHeraldo L Vasconcelos
Jun 28, 2011·Ecology Letters·Timothée PoisotMichael E Hochberg
Apr 1, 2002·Integrative and Comparative Biology·Lara A Ferry-GrahamPeter C Wainwright
Sep 6, 2011·Annual Review of Entomology·Anna DornhausSarah Bengston
Jul 5, 2012·Evolution; International Journal of Organic Evolution·Carl BoettigerPeter Ralph
Mar 20, 2014·International Journal of Biological Sciences·Li Tian, Xuguo Zhou
Jul 6, 2014·Proceedings. Biological Sciences·Bruno FrédérichEric Parmentier
Sep 19, 2015·Ecology and Evolution·Estelí Jiménez-Soto, Stacy M Philpott
Mar 5, 2016·Evolution; International Journal of Organic Evolution·Shauna L PriceScott Powell
Nov 2, 2016·Journal of Evolutionary Biology·R PlanquéJ B van den Berg
Nov 20, 2016·Evolution; International Journal of Organic Evolution·Benjamin D Blanchard, Corrie S Moreau
Jan 7, 2017·The Journal of Experimental Biology·Waring Trible, Daniel J C Kronauer
Oct 25, 2017·Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London. Series B, Biological Sciences·Daniel L Rabosky
Oct 27, 2017·Annual Review of Entomology·Bill D WillsAndrew V Suarez
Nov 9, 2017·Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·Michael J Landis, Joshua G Schraiber
Dec 1, 2004·The American Naturalist·Marguerite A Butler, Aaron A King

❮ Previous
Next ❯

Citations

Feb 24, 2021·Journal of Experimental Zoology. Part B, Molecular and Developmental Evolution·Lukas SchraderJürgen Gadau

❮ Previous
Next ❯

Software Mentioned

nlme
package
ape
R picante
pmc
R
R package geiger
geiger
R package ouch
phytools

Related Concepts

Trending Feeds

COVID-19

Coronaviruses encompass a large family of viruses that cause the common cold as well as more serious diseases, such as the ongoing outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19; formally known as 2019-nCoV). Coronaviruses can spread from animals to humans; symptoms include fever, cough, shortness of breath, and breathing difficulties; in more severe cases, infection can lead to death. This feed covers recent research on COVID-19.

Blastomycosis

Blastomycosis fungal infections spread through inhaling Blastomyces dermatitidis spores. Discover the latest research on blastomycosis fungal infections here.

Nuclear Pore Complex in ALS/FTD

Alterations in nucleocytoplasmic transport, controlled by the nuclear pore complex, may be involved in the pathomechanism underlying multiple neurodegenerative diseases including Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis and Frontotemporal Dementia. Here is the latest research on the nuclear pore complex in ALS and FTD.

Applications of Molecular Barcoding

The concept of molecular barcoding is that each original DNA or RNA molecule is attached to a unique sequence barcode. Sequence reads having different barcodes represent different original molecules, while sequence reads having the same barcode are results of PCR duplication from one original molecule. Discover the latest research on molecular barcoding here.

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

Chronic fatigue syndrome is a disease characterized by unexplained disabling fatigue; the pathology of which is incompletely understood. Discover the latest research on chronic fatigue syndrome here.

Evolution of Pluripotency

Pluripotency refers to the ability of a cell to develop into three primary germ cell layers of the embryo. This feed focuses on the mechanisms that underlie the evolution of pluripotency. Here is the latest research.

Position Effect Variegation

Position Effect Variagation occurs when a gene is inactivated due to its positioning near heterochromatic regions within a chromosome. Discover the latest research on Position Effect Variagation here.

STING Receptor Agonists

Stimulator of IFN genes (STING) are a group of transmembrane proteins that are involved in the induction of type I interferon that is important in the innate immune response. The stimulation of STING has been an active area of research in the treatment of cancer and infectious diseases. Here is the latest research on STING receptor agonists.

Microbicide

Microbicides are products that can be applied to vaginal or rectal mucosal surfaces with the goal of preventing, or at least significantly reducing, the transmission of sexually transmitted infections. Here is the latest research on microbicides.

Related Papers

The Australian Nursing Journal : ANJ
Gerardine Cowin
Journal of Emergency Nursing : JEN : Official Publication of the Emergency Department Nurses Association
Gail Pisarcik Lenehan
The American Journal of Nursing
T M Sander
© 2021 Meta ULC. All rights reserved