Conflict over the timing of breeder replacement in vertebrate and invertebrate societies

• Published in: Insectes sociaux Vol. 53; no. 4; pp. 375 - 389
• Main Authors: HART, A. G, MONNIN, T
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Basel Springer 01.12.2006; Springer Verlag
• Subjects: Animal ethology; Biodiversity and Ecology; Biological and medical sciences; Environmental Sciences; Formicidae; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Hymenoptera; Invertebrata; Mammalia; Protozoa. Invertebrata; Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry; Vertebrata; animal societies; policing; Insecta; Reproductive skew; Animal society; Replacement; Review; Social insect; Modeling; queen turn over; Vertebrata; Reproduction; Social behavior; Mammalia; Conflict; Arthropoda; Timing; queen replacement; Invertebrata; Hymenoptera
• ISSN: 0020-1812; 1420-9098
• DOI: 10.1007/s00040-005-0895-4

Conflicts over reproduction are common in social groups, where they often result in more or less pronounced reproductive skew. Conflicts are greatest in groups of reproductively totipotent individuals where a single breeder of each sex monopolizes reproduction. Skew models investigate how reproduction is divided among group members, i.e. how the conflict is settled. Here, we investigate the conflict over the timing of breeder replacement. Using a genetic model we show that some non-breeding individuals should challenge the breeder under a wide set of conditions, rather than queue for a breeding vacancy. Consequently, societies of totipotent individuals may be the stage of an almost perpetual conflict between the breeder and helpful reproductives. However, the outcome of this conflict may be determined by non-breeding individuals that are not helpful reproductives (policing behaviours), or constrained by ecological conditions such as high costs of independent breeding or incest avoidance. We discuss our model in the light of skew models and model of matricide, and review the literature of highly skewed vertebrate and invertebrate societies of totipotent individuals (naked and Damaraland mole-rats, African wild dogs, dwarf mongooses, queenless ants, Polistine wasps). This cross-taxonomic review reveals that some non-breeders attempt to replace the breeder or position themselves so as to be able to do so when the opportunity arises, which supports the predictions of the model.