Social insects and selfish genes.
Sometimes science advances because of a new idea. Sometimes, it's because of a new technique. When both occur together, exciting times result. In the study of social insects, DNA-based methods for measuring relatedness now allow increasingly detailed tests of Hamilton's theory of kin selection.
Bourke
A F
AF
Institute of Zoology, Zoological Society of London, Regent's Park, London, NW1 4RY, UK. andrew.bourke@ioz.ac.uk
D000533:Altruism; D000818:Animals; D001522:Behavior, Animal; D005075:Biological Evolution; D005190:Family; D007313:Insecta / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology; D018895:Microsatellite Repeats / Q000235:genetics; D012098:Reproduction / Q000235:genetics; D012641:Selection, Genetic; D012919:Social Behavior