Morphological caste differences and ovary conditions were analyzed in four colonies of Brachygastra augusti collected in different stages of the colony cycle. Differences between castes are distinct suggesting pre-imaginal determination. Many intermediates (non-inseminated ovary-developed females) were found. Because these intermediate females were morphologically similar to workers, it is suggested that they are young ovary-developed workers. Because there is a more evident overlap between queens and workers in the colony in pre-emergence of workers stage, and in three colonies in latter stages, especially in worker-production colonies, it is suggested that smaller queens are probably less viable than larger queens as observed in previously studied epiponines.
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1 October 2003
MORPHOLOGICAL CASTE DIFFERENCES AND NON-STERILITY OF WORKERS IN BRACHYGASTRA AUGUSTI (HYMENOPTERA, VESPIDAE, EPIPONINI), A NEOTROPICAL SWARM-FOUNDING WASP
Mário V. Baio,
Fernando B. Noll,
Ronaldo Zucchi
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Journal of the New York Entomological Society
Vol. 111 • No. 4
October 2003
Vol. 111 • No. 4
October 2003
caste differences
colony cycle
Epiponini
multivariate analyses
Vespidae