Mating frequency and maternity of males in Emphas

Authors: M V C Viana C A L de Carvalho H A C Sousa A K Francisco A M Waldschmidt

Publish Date: 2015/08/15

Volume: 62, Issue: 4, Pages: 491-495

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Abstract

In eusocial bees multiple mating can increase colony fitness but decreases relatedness between female offspring and causes a conflict between workers for male parentage In this work the paternity and maternity of males in Melipona mondury were evaluated using microsatellite loci Contrary to expectation 78  of M mondury queens had multiple mates 2–7 mates The genetic relatedness between sister workers ranged from 053 to 090 in polyandrous colonies The production of males by workers ranged from 0 to 100  with a mean value of 50  following the common pattern reported for stingless bees mainly Melipona species The high worker–worker relatedness in polyandrous colonies favored worker reproduction These results corroborate inclusive fitness theory and can support future conservation genetics studies of stingless beesThe authors acknowledge Dr Iracilda Sampaio for opening the doors of the Laboratório de Filogenômica of the Universidade Federal do Pará This research was supported by funding from Programa Nacional de Pós Doutorado/Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior PNPD/CAPES Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado da Bahia FAPESB Universidade Estadual do Sudoeste da Bahia UESB and Universidade Federal do Recôncavo da Bahia UFRB

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