Sexual cooperation: Mating increases longevity in ant queens
Sexual cooperation: Mating increases longevity in ant queens
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DOI：
10.1016/j.cub.2005.01.036
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发表时间：
2005-02-08
期刊：
影响因子：
9.2
通讯作者：
Cremer, S
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
Schrempf, A;Heinze, J;Cremer, S
男性和女性的生殖利益不同常常导致性冲突[1, 2]。许多物种的雄性通过转移精液来操纵雌性，从而提高雌性的短期生育力，同时降低其预期寿命和未来的繁殖能力 [3, 4]。然而，蚂蚁的生活史预计会减少性冲突；大多数雌性昆虫都表现出重复的交配和繁殖阶段，而蚁后仅在生命早期的短时间内交配，并通过储存精子对配偶做出终生承诺[5]。此外，只有在不育的工人队伍建立起来之后，才能饲养有性后代[5]。因此，雄性也应该从雌性较长的寿命中受益。在蚂蚁 Cardiocondyla obscurio 中，交配确实对蚁后一生的繁殖成功率产生积极影响。与一只可育雄性或一只绝育雄性交配的蜂王比处女蜂王的寿命要长得多，并且开始产卵的时间要早。只有从有生育能力的雄性那里获得有活力的精子的蜂王才会表现出繁殖力的增加。鉴于衰老的进化理论，生育力和寿命之间缺乏权衡是出乎意料的[6]。相反，我们的数据揭示了蚂蚁存在性合作。
Divergent reproductive interests of males and females often cause sexual conflict [1, 2]. Males of many species manipulate females by transferring seminal fluids that boost female short-term fecundity while decreasing their life expectancy and future reproductivity [3, 4]. The life history of ants, however, is expected to reduce sexual conflict; whereas most insect females show repeated phases of mating and reproduction, ant queens mate only during a short period early in life and undergo a lifelong commitment to their mates by storing sperm [5]. Furthermore, sexual offspring can only be reared after a sterile worker force has been built up [5]. Therefore, the males should also profit from a long female lifespan. In the ant Cardiocondyla obscurior, mating indeed has a positive effect on the lifetime reproductive success of queens. Queens that mated to either one fertile or one sterilized male lived considerably longer and started laying eggs earlier than virgin queens. Only queens that received viable sperm from fertile males showed increased fecundity. The lack of a trade-off between fecundity and longevity is unexpected, given evolutionary theories of aging [6]. Our data instead reveal the existence of sexual cooperation in ants.