Evolution: sympatric speciation the eusocial way

Jacobus J Boomsma; David R Nash

doi:10.1016/j.cub.2014.07.072

Evolution: sympatric speciation the eusocial way

Curr Biol. 2014 Sep 8;24(17):R798-800. doi: 10.1016/j.cub.2014.07.072.

Authors

Jacobus J Boomsma¹, David R Nash²

Affiliations

¹ Centre for Social Evolution, Department of Biology, Universitetsparken 15, 2100 Copenhagen, Denmark. Electronic address: JJBoomsma@bio.ku.dk.
² Centre for Social Evolution, Department of Biology, Universitetsparken 15, 2100 Copenhagen, Denmark.

PMID: 25202870
DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2014.07.072

Abstract

Sympatric speciation normally requires particular conditions of ecological niche differentiation. However, ant social parasites have been suspected to arise sympatrically, because (dis)loyalty to eusocial kin-structures induces disruptive selection for dispersal and inbreeding. A new study documents this process in unprecedented detail.

Publication types

Comment

MeSH terms

Animals
Ants / parasitology*
Genetic Speciation*
Host-Parasite Interactions*
Insect Proteins / genetics*
Reproductive Isolation*

Substances

Insect Proteins