Workers Control Male Production in Bumblebee Bombus wilmattae
Author Information
Author(s): Anett Huth-Schwarz, Adolfo León, Rémy Vandame, Robin FA Moritz, Bernhard F Kraus
Primary Institution: Institut für Biologie, Martin-Luther-Universität Halle-Wittenberg, Germany
Hypothesis
How does the genetic structure of the colony affect male production in Bombus wilmattae?
Conclusion
Workers dominate male production in Bombus wilmattae, differing from temperate bumblebee species.
Supporting Evidence
- 84.9% of males were produced by workers in the studied colonies.
- Four to eight workers participated in male production in each colony.
- In colonies with doubly mated queens, 62.5% to 96.7% of males were worker-produced.
Takeaway
In this study, we found that worker bees are the main producers of male bees in a tropical bumblebee species, which is different from what happens in many other bumblebee species.
Methodology
Microsatellite genotyping was used to analyze male parentage from five colonies.
Potential Biases
Potential bias in sampling due to the uncertain queen status in one colony.
Limitations
The study was limited to five colonies and may not represent all populations of Bombus wilmattae.
Participant Demographics
The study involved five colonies of Bombus wilmattae from Chiapas, Mexico.
Statistical Information
P-Value
0.03
Confidence Interval
84.9% +/- 14.3%
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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