The number of queens: An important trait in ant evolution

✍ Scribed by Bert Hölldobler; Edward O. Wilson

• Publisher: Springer
• Year: 1977
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 829 KB
• Volume: 64
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0028-1042
• DOI: 10.1007/bf00439886

✦ Synopsis

The pervasive social and ecological differences between ant colonies that have a single queen and those that have multiple queens are defined. The evolutionary tendencies which lead to polygyny and the adaptive significance of multiple queens are examined. The discussion of the ecological consequences of polygyny and monogyny leads to a deeper understanding of territoriality, spacing and species packing in ants.