title: Sociogenetic structure of Polistes (Aphanilopterus) versicolor Olivier, 1791 colonies (Hymenoptera, Vespidae, Polistini).
abstract: The observation of two distinct, well-defined oviposition areas in nests of the primitively eusocial wasp Polistes versicolor suggests the presence of multiple egg-layers and territorial behaviors. Electrophoretic analysis of enzyme loci in pupae from 35 colonies revealed an average observed heterozygosity of 0.10 and the existence of private polymorphisms, thereby indicating a low dispersion in this species. No evidence of diploid males was found. Phenotypic segregation analysis revealed the presence of more than one egg-laying female in 15 out of 35 colonies, as well as spatially preferential oviposition in 2 out of 13 nests, with distinct oviposition areas. Genetic relatedness estimates for brood were lower than expected for haplodiploid species under monogynous conditions (r = 0.75 for female broods and r = 0.5 for male) in 4 of those 13 nests, thereby inferring complex sociogenetic structuring in Polistes versicolor colonies.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Genética e Evolução, Universidade Federal de São Carlos, São Carlos, SP Brazil.
authors.forename: Keize
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nagamati
authors.forename: Kimie
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Simokomaki
authors.forename: Caroline Vivian
authors.initials: CV
authors.lastname: Gruber
authors.forename: Marco Antonio
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Del Lama