Social evolution in South American polistine wasps

以下是1998年至1999年的研究结果。(1)“群体成员间遗传亲缘关系的估计”为了从群体成员间遗传亲缘关系的角度分析其社会系统，选取了保利波利亚（Polybia paulista），在里贝罗普雷托及其周围采集了15个处于不同发育阶段的群体。由于有可能有多个蜂王在不同的蜂巢中占据自己的领地，因此每个蜂巢分别取出了未成熟的黄蜂和成年黄蜂。为了应用DNA微卫星方法，Tsuchida及其同事正在制备有效的引物。(2)“形态等级分化”社会制度的发展程度可能反映在蚁后与工蚁的形态差异上。我们比较了不同社会黄蜂之间的这种差异，特别是在南美大陆显著分化的Polistinae。为了增加更多的数据，Yamane和同事通过多变量分析分析了两个波利比亚种，P. occiden…more talis和P. paulista，可以估计种姓间距离。该结果已发表在《昆虫学》杂志上。(3)“polistine nest材料中的化学成分组成”社会黄蜂的巢穴有抚养未成熟阶段的功能。为了弄清它们的结构和建造技术，Kudo（合作研究员）和Yamane分析了Polybia paulista巢穴的化学成分。胡蜂的口腔分泌物中含有24种氨基酸，其中以脯氨酸（结构氨基酸）、丝氨酸、甘氨酸和丙氨酸为主（含量约为10%）。并将这些特征与其他物种进行比较，探讨其生物学和系统发育意义。(4)“Polistinae中多女王社会系统演化的理论思考”，基于目前的研究结果和迄今已发表的作品，Ito建立了一个综合的模型来解释Polistinae中多女王社会系统的演化。对这个问题提出了一个初步的说明。少

The followings were studied during 1998 and 1999.(1) "Estimation of genetic relatedness among colony members" To analyze the social system from genetic relatedness among colony members, Polybia paulista was chosen and 15 colonies at various developmental stages were collected in and around Ribeirao Preto. Since there was a possibility that multiple queens were really functioning by occupying their own territories at different combs, immatures were taken from each comb separately as well as adult wasps. To apply a DNA micro-satellite method, effective primer sets are being prepared by Tsuchida and co-workers.(2) "Morphological caste differentiation" The developmental degree of social system may be reflected to morphological differences between queens and workers. We have compared such differences among various social wasps, especially Polistinae that have remarkably diverged in the South American Continent. To add more data, Yamane and co-workers analyzed two Polybia species, P. occiden … More talis and P. paulista, by a multi-variate analysis with which the inter-caste distances can be estimated. The result for P. occidentalis has been submitted to "Entomological Science".(3) "Composition of chemical components in the material of polistine nests" Social wasp nests have a function for rearing immature stages. To clarify their architecture and construction technology, Kudo (cooperative researcher) and Yamane have analyzed the chemical components of Polybia paulista nests. The oral secretion, secreted by wasps to glue extraneous materials, of P. paulista contained 24 amino acids, among which Proline (structural amino acid), Serine, Glycine and Alanine were predominant (>10% in quantity). Such characteristics were compared with other species for discussing its biological and phylogenetic significances.(4) "Theoretical consideration of the evolution of multi-queen social system in the Polistinae" Based on the present results and so far published work, Ito has developed a comprehensive model for explaining the evolution of multi-queen social system in the Polistinae. A preliminary note for this problem is presented. Less