Communal Breeding in Nicrophorus tomentosus

生殖合作和冲突是社会性演变的核心。在昆虫和脊椎动物中，成虫共享一个巢或配偶，并可能照顾不相关的幼崽，这已被认为是通向复杂社会制度的一条途径。但即使在群居昆虫和鸟类中，非亲属之间的兼性生殖合作也很少见。为了了解替代生殖策略的起源，即个体可以独立或集体繁殖，至关重要的是确定对每个个体开放的选择，并评估每种选择的相对成功。雄性和雌性毛色夜蛾(鞘翅目：狮蛛科)都表现出兼职的公共育儿能力。多个男性和/或女性可能会帮助抚养可能没有血缘关系的后代。这项研究的目的是检查自然种群中集体繁殖的频率，并使用DNA指纹技术确定这些后代的亲缘关系。%这项研究将研究为什么生殖优势个体允许集体繁殖，以及如何实现这一点。关于社会性的进化，特别是公共繁育的进化，已经建立了几个假设，具有相当广泛的应用。这些已经在集体繁殖的脊椎动物和有联合巢基础的群居昆虫身上进行了测试。他们可以也应该在其他小组中进行测试。%这项研究具有实用价值，因为致力于社会生活方式的许多物种的生存取决于个人的生存及其社会组织的福祉。*

Reproductive cooperation and conflict lie at the heart of the evolution of sociality. Communal breeding in which adults share a nest or mate and may provide care for unrelated young, has been identified as one path leading to complex social systems in both insects and vertebrates. But even in social insects and birds, facultative reproductive cooperation among non-relatives is rare. To understand the origins of alternative reproductive strategies, where individuals can breed either independently or communally, it is essential to identify the options open to each individual and assess the relative success of each alternative. %%% Both male and female Nicrophorus tomentosus (Coleoptera: Silphidae) demonstrate facultative communal brood care. More than one male and/or female may help to rear young that may not be related. The aims of this research are to examine the frequency of communal breeding in a natural population and to identify the parentage of these offspring using a DNA fingerprinting technique. %%% This study will examine why the reproductively dominant individuals allow communal breeding and how this might be achieved. Several hypotheses for the evolution of sociality and of communal breeding in particular, have been constructed with considerable general application. These have been tested in communally-breeding vertebrates and in social insects with joint nest foundation. They can and should be tested in other groups. %%% The study is of practical value because the survival of the many species committed to a Social way of life is dependent on survival of individuals and the well-being of their social organizations.***