Ergatoid

An ergatoid queen of the species Myrmecia esuriens

An ergatoid (from Greek ergat-, "worker" + -oid, "like") is a permanently wingless reproductive adult ant or termite.[1][2] The similar but somewhat ambiguous term ergatogyne refers to any intermediate form between workers and standard gynes.[1][3] Ergatoid queens are distinct from other ergatogyne individuals in that they are morphologically consistent within a species and are always capable of mating, whereas inter caste individuals, another class of ergatogynes, often are not.[1][3] Ergatoids can exhibit wide morphological differences between species, sometimes appearing almost identical to normal workers and other times being quite distinct from both workers and standard queens.[1][4][5][6] In addition to morphological features, ergatoids among different species can exhibit a wide range of behaviors, with some ergatoids acting only as reproductives and others actively foraging.[1][7] Ergatoid queens have developed among a large number of ant species, and their presence within colonies can often provide clues on the social structures of colonies and as to how new colonies are founded.[4] Without wings, almost all species of ants that solely produce ergatoid queens establish new colonies by fission.[6][7][8]

  1. ^ a b c d e Peeters, C. P. (March 1991). "Ergatoid queens and intercastes in ants: Two distinct adult forms which look morphologically intermediate between workers and winged queens". Insectes Sociaux. 38 (1): 1–15. doi:10.1007/BF01242708. ISSN 0020-1812. S2CID 19188793.
  2. ^ da Silva, Iago Bueno; Haifig, Ives; Vargo, Edward L.; Casarin, Fabiana Elaine; da Mota, Marcelo Luiz; Lima, Juliana Toledo; Costa‐Leonardo, Ana Maria (2019-10-23). "Ergatoid reproductives in the Neotropical termite Nasutitermes aquilinus (Holmgren) (Blattaria: Isoptera: Termitidae): developmental origin, fecundity, and genetics". Insect Science. 27 (6): 1744–7917.12727. doi:10.1111/1744-7917.12727. ISSN 1672-9609. PMID 31553524. S2CID 202760301.
  3. ^ a b Heinze, J. (1998-05-01). "Intercastes, intermorphs, and ergatoid queens: who is who in ant reproduction?". Insectes Sociaux. 45 (2): 113–124. doi:10.1007/s000400050073. ISSN 0020-1812. S2CID 20786749.
  4. ^ a b Ito, Fuminori (1996-07-01). "Colony Characteristics of the Indonesian Myrmicine Ant Myrmecina sp. (Hymenoptera, Formicidae, Myrmicinae): Polygynous Reproduction by Ergatoid Queens". Annals of the Entomological Society of America. 89 (4): 550–554. doi:10.1093/aesa/89.4.550. ISSN 1938-2901.
  5. ^ Brandão, C. R. F.; Diniz, J. L. M.; Silva, P. R.; Albuquerque, N. L.; Silvestre, R. (September 2001). "The first case of intranidal phragmosis in ants. The ergatoid queen of Blepharidatta conops (Formicidae, Myrmicinae) blocks the entrance of the brood chamber". Insectes Sociaux. 48 (3): 251–258. doi:10.1007/PL00001774. ISSN 0020-1812. S2CID 25923049.
  6. ^ a b Peeters, Christian; Adams, Rachelle M. M. (2016). "Uncoupling Flight and Reproduction in Ants: Evolution of Ergatoid Queens in Two Lineages ofMegalomyrmex(Hymenoptera: Formicidae)". Journal of Insect Science. 16 (1): 85. doi:10.1093/jisesa/iew068. ISSN 1536-2442. PMC 5019021. PMID 27620557.
  7. ^ a b Molet, Mathieu; Fisher, Brian L.; Ito, Fuminori; Peeters, Christian (2009-08-25). "Shift from independent to dependent colony foundation and evolution of 'multi-purpose' ergatoid queens in Mystrium ants (subfamily Amblyoponinae): REPLACEMENT BY ERGATOID QUEENS". Biological Journal of the Linnean Society. 98 (1): 198–207. doi:10.1111/j.1095-8312.2009.01257.x.
  8. ^ Johnson, R. A. (May 2010). "Independent colony founding by ergatoid queens in the ant genus Pogonomyrmex: queen foraging provides an alternative to dependent colony founding". Insectes Sociaux. 57 (2): 169–176. doi:10.1007/s00040-010-0065-6. ISSN 0020-1812. S2CID 320189.