Article
A caste differentiation mutant elucidates the evolution of socially parasitic ants.
Current biology : CB - 27 Mar 2023
Trible Waring, Chandra Vikram, Lacy Kip D, Limón Gina, McKenzie Sean K, Olivos-Cisneros Leonora, Arsenault Samuel V, Kronauer Daniel J C
Abstract excerpt
Most ant species have two distinct female castes-queens and workers-yet the developmental and genetic mechanisms that produce these alternative phenotypes remain poorly understood. Working with a clonal ant, we discovered a variant strain that expresses queen-like traits in individuals that would normally become workers. The variants show changes in morphology, behavior, and fitness that cause them to rely on...
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