A new host for a new Rossomyrmex minuchae population
Social parasites usually rely on chemical cues (cuticular hydrocarbons) to successfully invade and coexist with their hosts. Most ants that are obligate social parasites (slave-makers) can parasitize several related host species with different levels of chemical similarity although there are few exc...
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Published in | Insectes sociaux Vol. 70; no. 2; pp. 251 - 258 |
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Main Authors | , , , , , , , |
Format | Journal Article |
Language | English |
Published |
Cham
Springer International Publishing
01.06.2023
Springer Nature B.V |
Subjects | |
Online Access | Get full text |
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Summary: | Social parasites usually rely on chemical cues (cuticular hydrocarbons) to successfully invade and coexist with their hosts. Most ants that are obligate social parasites (slave-makers) can parasitize several related host species with different levels of chemical similarity although there are few exceptions where there is only a single host species. An example of the latter is
Rossomyrmex minuchae
, which was known to be only associated with
Proformica longiseta
. However, a recent discovery of a new
R. minuchae
population revealed that it can parasitize
P. nasuta
, a species with a separate distribution to
P. longiseta
. Chemical analyses of cuticular hydrocarbons show local adaptation of the parasite to its host in this new population, being more similar to
P. nasuta
than to other
R. minuchae
populations. In addition, genetic analyses evidence differences from the other known populations, from which it split 1.21 Mya during glacial and interglacial periods of the Pleistocene and remained separated to the present day. This historical genetic isolation and the chemical differences found between parasite populations may evidence a speciation process and support the local host–parasite coevolution. |
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ISSN: | 0020-1812 1420-9098 |
DOI: | 10.1007/s00040-023-00916-5 |