PRF: Assessing the Nestmate Relatedness and Sperm Precedence in a Communal Bee, Perdita portalis, Using DNA Fingerprnting

这项研究将涉及两个相互关联的项目，（1） 计算巢亲相关性和（2）评估 一种群居地面筑巢蜜蜂Perdita精子优先性 portalis。 这两个目标可以最有效地实现， DNA指纹分析方法 估计平均相关度 在巢友之间是有趣的，因为雌性P. portalis巢 每窝有3至29只成年雌性。 公共 筑巢，一个以上的共享一个巢 生殖活跃的女性，是一种进化稳定的形式， 蜜蜂中广泛存在的社会互动， 很少受到社会进化论学生的关注。 而 许多相关性估计存在的真社会物种，很少的数据 存在于公共物种中。 所有行为证据都表明 门脉大蠊的巢友关系密切， 巢穴被重复使用了几代，因为不会飞的雄性 与雌性巢友交配 为了解 亲属选择和其他因素在塑造社区中的作用 因此，必须准确地评估巢内 相关性 该项目的第二部分侧重于选择性 二型雄性维持起源的潜在因素 在门脉海鞘中。 该物种的雄性出现在两个非- 一种是大脑袋的，不会飞的，一种是小脑袋的， 有头有飞行能力的变形怪 大头雄鲸与它们的 雌性在产卵前立即交配， 男性与男性之间的战斗，往往导致一名战斗人员死亡。 这些观察结果表明，大头变种已经出现， 由于精子优先权赋予了最后一次雄性交配 优势 为了检验这一假设， 以评估观察巢中产生的卵的亲子关系。 的 两个项目是相关的，因为女性的社会行为 对雄性交配行为建立选择性压力， 巢内交配应该会导致巢内交配水平的提高 相关性

This research will involve two interrelated projects, (1) calculating nestmate relatedness and (2) assessing the extent of sperm precedence in a communal, ground-nesting bee, Perdita portalis. These two goals can be achieved most effectively using methods of DNA fingerprinting. Estimating average relatedness among nestmates is of interest because female P. portalis nest communally, with from 3 to 29 adult females per nest. Communal nesting, the sharing of a single nest by more than one reproductively active female, is an evolutionary stable form of social interaction which is widespread in bees, but which has received little attention by students of social evolution. While many relatedness estimates exist for eusocial species, few data exist for communal species. All behavioral evidence suggests that nestmates in P. portalis are closely related, both because nests are re-used for generations and because flightless males mate with their female nestmates. In order to understand the role of kin selection, and other factors, in shaping communal societies, it is essential to accurately assess within nest relatedness. Part two of the project focuses on the selective factors underlying the origin of maintenance of dimorphic males in P. portalis. Males in this species occur in two non- overlapping morphs: a large-headed, flightless morph and a small- headed, flight capable morph. Large-headed males mate with their female nestmates immediately prior to oviposition and engage in male-male battles which often lead to death of one combatant. These observations suggest that the large-headed morph has arisen as a result of sperm precedence that confers a last male mating advantage. In order to test this hypotheses it will be necessary to assess paternity of eggs produced in observation nests. The two projects are related in that the female social behavior establishes selective pressures on male mating behavior, and intra-nest mating should lead to elevated levels to nestmate relatedness.