SOCIAL INSECTS AND SOCIAL AMEBAS

Citation
R. Gadagkar et Jt. Bonner, SOCIAL INSECTS AND SOCIAL AMEBAS, Journal of Biosciences, 19(2), 1994, pp. 219-245
Citations number
100
Categorie Soggetti
Biology
Journal title
ISSN journal
02505991
Volume
19
Issue
2
Year of publication
1994
Pages
219 - 245
Database
ISI
SICI code
0250-5991(1994)19:2<219:SIASA>2.0.ZU;2-W
Abstract
The evolution of social groupings in insects, especially wasps, is com pared to that of social amoebae (cellular slime moulds). They both sho w a gamut of colony sizes, from solitary forms to complex colonies wit h a division of labour. The various ideas as to how there might have b een an evolution of complexity within insect societies, such as the ro le of genetic relatedness, the role of mutualism, the origin of steril ity, the manipulation and exploitation of some individuals by others w ithin a colony, are discussed, and then applied to social amoebae. The result is both interesting and instructive: despite some differences, there are many striking parallels, which suggests that there are some common denominators in the formation and evolution of a social existe nce among organisms.