title: Facultative social insects can provide insights into the reversal of the longevity/fecundity trade-off across the eusocial insects.
abstract: In eusocial insects, reversal of the fecundity/longevity trade-off and extreme differences in life histories between castes of the same species garner scientific and public interest. Facultative social species at the threshold of sociality, in which individuals are socially plastic, provide an excellent opportunity to understand the causes and mechanisms underlying this reversal in life history trade-off associated with eusociality. We briefly present the ultimate factors favoring sociality and the association between fecundity and longevity in facultative eusocial insects, including kin selection and disposable soma, as well as proximate mechanisms observed in such species, such as differences in hormone titers and functions. Potential genetic underpinnings of lifespan and fecundity differences between castes are discussed and future research directions are proposed.
authors.affiliation: Institute for Biology, Martin-Luther-University Halle-Wittenberg, Hoher Weg 8, 06120 Halle (Saale), Germany.
authors.forename: Alice
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Séguret
authors.affiliation: Zoology/Evolutionary Biology, Universität Regensburg, Universitätsstraße 31, 93053 Regensburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Abel
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bernadou
authors.affiliation: Institute for Biology, Martin-Luther-University Halle-Wittenberg, Hoher Weg 8, 06120 Halle (Saale), Germany; iDiv, German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Deutscher Platz 5e, 04103 Leipzig, Germany. Electronic address: robert.paxton@zoologie.uni-halle.de.
authors.forename: Robert J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Paxton
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D005075:Biological Evolution; D007313:Insecta / Q000502:physiology*; D008136:Longevity / Q000502:physiology*; D012098:Reproduction / Q000502:physiology; D012641:Selection, Genetic; D012919:Social Behavior