Morphological caste differences and non-sterility of workers in Brachygastra Augusti (Hymenoptera, Vespidae, Epiponini), a neotropical swarm-founding wasp

• Autor(a) principal: Baio, Mário V.
• Data de Publicação: 2003
• Outros Autores: Noll, Fernando B. [UNESP], Zucchi, Ronaldo
• Tipo de documento: Artigo
• Idioma: eng
• Título da fonte: Repositório Institucional da UNESP
• Texto Completo: http://dx.doi.org/10.1664/0028-7199(2003)111[0242:MCDANO]2.0.CO;2; http://hdl.handle.net/11449/224585
• topic: Caste differences; Colony cycle; Epiponini; Multivariate analyses; Vespidae

Morphological caste differences and ovary conditions were analyzed in four colonies of Brachygastra augusti collected in different stages of the colony cycle. Differences between castes are distinct suggesting pre-imaginal determination. Many intermediates (non-inseminated ovary-developed females) were found. Because these intermediate females were morphologically similar to workers, it is suggested that they are young ovary-developed workers. Because there is a more evident overlap between queens and workers in the colony in pre-emergence of workers stage, and in three colonies in latter stages, especially in worker-production colonies, it is suggested that smaller queens are probably less viable than larger queens as observed in previously studied epiponines.