Summary:
The genetic gestalts of nests of the mound-building ant Formica polyctena were determined and its impact on nestmate recognition was tested in two populations in Eastern Germany (Berlin/Schwedt). Nestmate recognition was measured by testing aggression levels between single workers of different nests in arena tests. Multilocus fingerprinting was used to determine the genetic gestalts of nests using pooled worker samples. Therefore we proposed a new metric for quantifying resemblance using DNA fingerprint data. The levels of aggression differed substantially between the two sampling locations. Nests in site A showed a strong relationship of genetic gestalt distances and aggressive behavior between individual nest members (P<0.0001). Nests in site B showed low levels of aggression, with no detectable differences in the genetic gestalt. Nestmate recognition seems to be strongly genetically influenced in F. polyctena.
Article PDF
Similar content being viewed by others
Avoid common mistakes on your manuscript.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
Received 18 July 1996; revised 19 September 1996; accepted 24 October 1996.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Beye, M., Neumann, P. & Moritz, R. Nestmate recognition and the genetic gestalt in the mound-building ant Formica polyctena . Insectes soc. 44, 49–58 (1997). https://doi.org/10.1007/s000400050022
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s000400050022