10.5061/DRYAD.6C7V5
Vargo, Edward L.
North Carolina State University
Leniaud, Laurianne
North Carolina State University
Swoboda, Lois E.
Virginia Tech
Diamond, Sarah E.
North Carolina State University
Weiser, Michael D.
North Carolina State University
Miller, Dini M.
Virginia Tech
Bagnères-Urbany, Anne-Geneviève
François Rabelais University
Data from: Clinal variation in colony breeding structure and level of
inbreeding in the subterranean termites Reticulitermes flavipes and R.
grassei
Dryad
dataset
2012
Reticulitermes grassei
Life History Evolution
Inbreeding
Animal Mating/Breeding Systems
Behavior/Social Evolution
Reticulitermes flavipes
2012-11-14T15:36:14Z
2012-11-14T15:36:14Z
en
https://doi.org/10.1111/mec.12166
268009 bytes
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CC0 1.0 Universal (CC0 1.0) Public Domain Dedication
Social insects exhibit remarkable variation in their colony breeding
structures, both within and among species. Ecological factors are believed
to be important in shaping reproductive traits of social insect colonies,
yet there is little information linking specific environmental variables
with differences in breeding structure. Subterranean termites
(Rhinotermitidae) show exceptional variation in colony breeding structure,
differing in the number of reproductives and degree of inbreeding;
colonies can be simple families headed by a single pair of monogamous
reproductives (king and queen) or they can be extended families headed by
multiple inbreeding neotenic reproductives (wingless individuals). Using
microsatellite markers, we characterized colony breeding structure and
levels of inbreeding in populations over large parts of the range of the
subterranean termites Reticulitermes flavipes in the USA and R. grassei in
Europe. Combining these new data with previous results on populations of
both species, we found that latitude had a strong effect on the proportion
of extended-family colonies in R. flavipes and on levels of inbreeding in
both species. We examined the effect of several environmental variables
that vary latitudinally; while the degree of inbreeding was greatest in
cool, moist habitats in both species, seasonality affected the species
differently. Inbreeding in R. flavipes was most strongly associated with
climatic variables (mean annual temperature and seasonality), whereas
nonclimatic variables, including the availability of wood substrate and
soil composition, were important predictors of inbreeding in R. grassei.
These results are the first showing that termite breeding structure is
shaped by local environmental factors and that species can vary in their
responses to these factors.
Reticulitermes_flavipes_microsatellite_genotypesMicrosatellite genotypes
of Reticulitermes flavipes colonies from 6 populations in the eastern
U.S.Reticulitermes_grassei_microsatellite_genotypesMicrosatellite
genotypes of Reticulitermes grassei colonies from three population in
SpainRegression_analysis_spreadsheetData used in the regression analysis
of the effects of bioclimatic variables on colony breeding structure and
levels of inbreeding in Reticulitermes flavipes and R. grassei
Eastern U.S.
Spain