Age polyethism in the swarm-founding wasp Metapolybia miltoni (Andena & Carpenter) (Hymenoptera: Vespidae; Polistinae, Epiponini)

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Marimbondos: a review on the neotropical swarm-founding polistines

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Morphology of Richards' gland in the swarm-founding wasp (Hymenoptera, Vespidae)

Richards' gland is known for the majority of Epiponini wasps, and despite few experimental evidences, the taxonomic distribution in swarm-founder species and the function of this gland remain rather unclear. This work presents a morphological description of Richards' gland in Protonectarina sylveirae. The gland is formed by a cluster of class 3 cells underneath the anterior margin of the fifth metasomal sternite, and a reservoir formed by the intersegmental membrane between the fourth and fifth metasomal sternites where the secretion can be stored. The secretory cells contain a branched end apparatus that carries the secretory products towards the duct cell. Externally, the cuticle of the sternite, where the duct cells penetrate, is characterized by modifications as scales with very numerous pores. The presence of Richards' gland according to the model proposed by Samacá et al. 2013 in Protonectarina corroborates the single origin of this gland in Epiponini. The occurrence of a Golgi apparatus and smooth endoplasmic reticulum suggests pheromone production.

Morphological caste studies in the neotropical swarm-founding polistinae wasp Angiopolybia pattern (Lepeletier) (hymenoptera: Vespidae)

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Application of Microsatellite Primers Developed for Polistes in the Independent-Founding Wasp Polists satan Bequaert (Hymenoptera: Vespidae)

Microsatellite primers developed for a given species are sometimes useful for another in the same genus and in other genera within the same family, making possible to search for pre-existing suitable primers in the databanks such as GenBank. We examined whether existing primers developed for Polistes could be used for Polistes satan Bequaert. We tested 50 microsatellite primers from three Polistes species and found that six microsatellite loci show polymorphism in size in P. satan. These six loci were highly polymorphic, having four to 15 alleles in P. satan with an expected heterozygosity of 0.525-0.832. These loci can be used to study parameters concerning genetic relatedness such as social interactions in colonies and genetic conflicts of interest among nestmate individuals.

Shape differences rather than size differences between castes in the Neotropical swarm-founding wasp Metapolybia docilis (Hymenoptera: Vespidae, Epiponini)

Abstract Background Swarm-founding epiponine wasps are an intriguing group of social insects in which colonies are polygynic (several queens share reproduction) and differentiation between castes is often not obvious. However, caste differences in some may be more pronounced in later phases of the colony cycle. Results Using morphometric analyses and multivariate statistics, it was found that caste differences in Metapolybia docilis are slight but more distinct in latter stages of the colony cycle. Conclusions Because differences in body parts are so slight, it is proposed that such variation may be due to differential growth rates of body parts rather than to queens being larger in size, similar to other previously observed epiponines.

Allegacion en derecho por el Dean, Cabildo y Canonigos de la Santa Iglesia Colegial de la ciudad de Gandia con el colegio ... San Francisco de Borja y San Sebastian de la Compañia de Iesus de dicha ciudad.

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