Kin associations during nest founding in an allodapine bee Exoneura robusta: do females distinguish between relatives and familiar nestmates?

True recognition of kin can have important fitness consequences in terms of directing altruistic behaviours toward close relatives (nepotism) and avoi ding inbreeding. However, recent evidence suggests that some social insect species cannot or do not distinguish their closest relatives from among nes tmates in important fitness-based contexts. Such findings are relevant to k in selection theories where individuals are expected to preferentially rear close relatives in order to gain inclusive fitness benefits. Here, allozym e markers are used to examine whether female Exoneura robusta individuals p referentially nest with their closest kin when given a choice of familiar p revious nestmates. The results suggest these bees do not prefer kin over no n-kin nestmates. Kin associations during nest founding in this species are probably due to philopatry and/or association with previously familiar nest mates.