Ergatandromorphism in the Ant Myrmica lobulicornis Nylander, 1857 (Formicidae: Myrmicinae)

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.13102/sociobiology.v67i2.5084

Keywords:

bilateral mosaic, gynandromorph, developmental defects, Italian Alps, Stelvio National Park

Abstract

Ergatandromorphism is the result of an aberrant development in which part of the body of a social insect shows the traits of the worker caste, while the other resembles a male. It is considered a specific case of gynandromorphism. Specimens with these characteristics have rarely been collected in different ant lineages across the world. Here, we provide the first description of ergatandromorphism in the ant Myrmica lobulicornis Nylander, 1857: an ergatandromorphous specimen was recovered during an arthropod sampling campaign across altitudinal and ecological gradients on the Italian Alps (Stelvio National Park), together with 480 workers and 4 queens of the same species, which expressed the normal phenotype.

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Author Biographies

Enrico Schifani, University of Parma

Department of Chemistry, Life Sciences & Environmental Sustainability

Cristina Castracani, University of Parma

Department of Chemistry, Life Sciences & Environmental Sustainability

Fiorenza Augusta Spotti, University of Parma

Department of Chemistry, Life Sciences & Environmental Sustainability

Daniele Giannetti, University of Parma

Department of Chemistry, Life Sciences & Environmental Sustainability

Martina Ghizzoni, University of Parma

Department of Chemistry, Life Sciences & Environmental Sustainability

Mauro Gobbi, MUSE-Science Museum of Trento

Section of Invertebrate Zoology and Hydrobiology

Luca Pedrotti, Stelvio National Park

Scientific Coordinator

Donato Antonio Grasso, University of Parma

Department of Chemistry, Life Sciences & Environmental Sustainability

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Published

2020-06-30

How to Cite

Schifani, E., Castracani, C., Spotti, F. A., Giannetti, D., Ghizzoni, M., Gobbi, M., Pedrotti, L., & Grasso, D. A. (2020). Ergatandromorphism in the Ant Myrmica lobulicornis Nylander, 1857 (Formicidae: Myrmicinae). Sociobiology, 67(2), 330–334. https://doi.org/10.13102/sociobiology.v67i2.5084

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Short Note