Polygyny

Guides

Camponotus planatus
compact carpenter ant, short carpenter ant
Camponotus planatus is a Neotropical carpenter ant species characterized by polygynous colony structure—one of only three Camponotus species known to maintain multiple queens per colony. The species exhibits a distinctive compact body form and has been documented as an invasive species spreading in Florida and Texas. Workers display kin discrimination based on matrilineal relatedness, with division of labor organized along queen lineages within colonies. The species serves as a model for Batesian and Wassmanian mimicry by multiple arthropod species, and has been observed tending the endangered Miami blue butterfly caterpillar in Florida.
polygyny mimicry-model invasive-species myrmecophily seasonal-foraging structural-pest
Cerapachyini
Cerapachyini is a tribe of ants within the subfamily Dorylinae, historically classified under Ponerinae. Members of this tribe are specialized predators known for raiding behavior. Some genera, such as Sphinctomyrmex, exhibit functional polygyny with multiple egg-laying queens coexisting without conflict, and display brood periodicity with synchronized brood development cycles. The tribe has undergone taxonomic revision, with current classification placing it within Dorylinae rather than Ponerinae.
Formicidae Dorylinae ants predatory raiding polygyny
Cyphomyrmex
fungus-growing ants
Cyphomyrmex is a genus of small, drab-colored fungus-growing ants in the tribe Attini, found primarily in the Neotropics. These ants cultivate fungi in the tribe Leucocoprineae as their primary food source, with most species growing fungal nodules rather than full mycelial gardens. Colonies are typically monogynous and small, rarely exceeding 500 workers. The genus is divided into two species complexes: the strigatus complex (South America only) and the rimosus complex (southern North America to South America). Cyphomyrmex represents a basal lineage among attine ants and serves as sister group to Mycetophylax.
fungus-growing-ants attine-ants Myrmicinae Neotropical mutualism fungiculture Leucocoprineae monogyny parasitoid-wasps social-parasitism chemical-ecology alkaloid-venom nest-architecture behavioral-plasticity cytogenetics chromosome-evolution Guiana-Shield Brazil Panama Puerto-Rico Mesoamerica Argentina United-States Texas California Florida yeast-gardens mycelial-gardens rimosus-complex strigatus-complex age-polyethism trophallaxis thanatosis feigning-death Diapriidae Acanthopria Mimopriella Megalomyrmex social-parasite C.-longiscapus C.-transversus C.-laevigatus C.-rimosus C.-minutus C.-lectus C.-cornutus C.-costatus pheromones 3-octanol farnesenes trail-following alarm-signal diketopiperazines antifungal-compounds defensive-behavior colony-defense flight-response recruitment Lanchester's-laws karyotype chromosome-number rDNA microsatellites FISH chamber-depth gallery-length fire-disturbance savanna-forest-transition arboreal-nesting clay-auricles soil-nests wood-nests epiphytic-nests moss-nests coconut-nests desiccation-susceptibility moist-habitats basal-attine phylogenetics sister-group chemical-evolution venom-alkaloids behavioral-manipulation host-parasite-interaction ecosystem-engineering nutrient-cycling decomposition organic-matter insect-feces exoskeleton-substrate garden-transplantation worker-polymorphism queen-number dealate-queens alates brood-care ecdysis-assistance foraging sugar-collection plant-exudates fungal-domestication nodule-cultivation mycelium-cultivation agricultural-behavior nest-entrance funnel-structure exposed-gardens symbiont-diversity geographic-variation research-model evolutionary-biology mutualism-evolution ant-fungus-coevolution chemical-communication social-insects eusociality colony-size small-colonies slow-movement crypsis debris-mimicry predation-avoidance parasitoid-defense wasp-killing colony-abandonment resource-rescue thief-ant-defense venom-resistance toxicity-tolerance behavioral-suppression playing-dead alkaloid-manipulation fungal-secondary-metabolites antibacterial-compounds antiviral-compounds garden-protection microbial-defense nest-microclimate temperature-regulation humidity-requirements depth-effects fire-adaptation disturbance-ecology habitat-specificity substrate-specialization clay-construction soil-manipulation architectural-plasticity vertical-nesting embankment-nesting overhang-nesting pendant-nests swallow-nest-mimicry research-accessibility field-biology tropical-ecology Neotropical-myrmecology biodiversity conservation invasive-species-context native-species biological-control Integrated-Pest-Management agricultural-ecology forest-ecology savanna-ecology transitional-habitats disturbed-areas urban-ecology anthropogenic-impact climate-sensitivity habitat-limitation range-boundaries dispersal colonization establishment population-dynamics demography colony-density nest-spacing intraspecific-competition interspecific-competition territoriality resource-defense combat-behavior aggression-levels recruitment-behavior chemical-signaling alarm-pheromones trail-pheromones recognition-cues cuticular-hydrocarbons venom-composition defensive-secretions mandibular-glands Dufour's-gland metapleural-glands antibiotic-production grooming-behavior fungal-inoculation integumental-fungi yeast-growth larval-grooming garden-maintenance substrate-preparation fecal-fertilizer anal-trophallaxis crop-regurgitation fluid-application drying-behavior nodule-formation transplantation-behavior garden-establishment ceiling-gardens root-association architectural-innovation nest-site-selection microhabitat-choice moisture-requirements thermal-buffering predator-avoidance parasite-avoidance disease-resistance social-immunity collective-behavior division-of-labor task-allocation temporal-polyethism worker-age nurse-workers forager-workers soldier-caste-absence monomorphism worker-size-variation queen-worker-differentiation reproductive-caste gyne-production male-production seasonal-reproduction colony-founding claustral-founding non-claustral-founding fungal-inoculum founding-queen first-worker-generation nutritional-dependency fat-reserves metabolic-adaptation digestive-physiology enzyme-complement fungal-enzyme lignocellulose-degradation nutritional-mutualism obligate-mutualism vertical-transmission horizontal-transmission symbiont-switching cultivar-replacement garden-failure colony-mortality population-turnover generation-time longevity survivorship life-expectancy aging senescence reproductive-investment colony-growth colony-decline budding fission reproduction-mode genetic-structure relatedness mating-system nuptial-flight mate-choice sperm-storage colony-odor nestmate-recognition foreign-rejection agonistic-behavior territorial-marking boundary-defense raiding-behavior robbing-behavior cleptobiosis dulosis slavery inquilinism guest-ants myrmecophiles nest-associates commensalism inquilines parasite-tolerance host-manipulation venom-alkaloid pyrrolidine indolizidine piperidine nonanal farnesene sesquiterpene agriculture-chemical gaster-extract chemical-diversity chemical-simplicity evolutionary-precursor derived-chemistry biosynthetic-pathway semiochemical infochemical communication information-transfer colony-organization social-structure polygyny queen-condition dealation wing-shedding ovarian-development fecundity egg-laying brood-development developmental-rate temperature-dependence humidity-dependence food-availability nutritional-quality fungal-productivity garden-yield worker-production colony-efficiency energy-allocation resource-allocation foraging-efficiency search-behavior prey-detection food-retrieval transport-behavior load-size travel-speed path-integration orientation navigation homing-behavior learning memory experience individual-recognition context-dependent-behavior threat-assessment risk-management predator-inspection alarm-propagation recruitment-activation mobilization colony-response emergency-behavior panic-response controlled-response defensive-strategy offensive-strategy escalation de-escalation conflict-resolution fight-avoidance retreat-behavior surrender-signal dominance-hierarchy reproductive-skew worker-policing queen-policing egg-eating oviposition-suppression reproductive-conflict kin-conflict worker-reproduction male-production-by-workers anarchy social-parasitism-detection parasite-recognition enemy-recognition nest-intrusion nest-defense perimeter-defense chamber-defense brood-defense queen-defense self-sacrifice suicidal-defense autothysis sting-use mandible-use spraying-behavior gaster-flexion chemical-defense mechanical-defense armor cuticle-thickness pigmentation masquerade mimicry Batesian-mimicry Muellerian-mimicry aggressive-mimicry Wasmannian-mimicry myrmecophily myrmecophagy ant-plant-mutualism trophobiosis extrafloral-nectary domatia plant-ant-interaction herbivore-defense seed-dispersal pollination ecosystem-service functional-role trophic-position detritivore decomposer saprotroph necrotroph fungivore omnivore predator scavenger trophic-level energy-flow carbon-cycling nitrogen-cycling phosphorus-cycling soil-formation bioturbation aeration water-infiltration microbial-community bacteria actinomycetes Pseudonocardia disease-suppression garden-hygiene weeding-behavior pruning-behavior fungal-grooming antibiotic-application mutualist-protection agricultural-disease crop-pathology escovopsis garden-parasite competitor-fungus pathogen-defense immune-response individual-immunity grooming allogrooming self-grooming nest-cleaning refuse-management fecal-management waste-disposal midden-formation territory-size home-range foraging-range recruitment-range exploration exploitation information-use public-information private-information cue-use signal-use communication-network interaction-network social-network colony-network population-network community-ecology species-interaction apparent-competition exploitative-competition interference-competition resource-partitioning niche-differentiation habitat-filtering environmental-gradient altitudinal-distribution latitudinal-distribution continental-distribution island-distribution endemism biogeography phylogeography historical-biogeography vicariance range-expansion range-contraction refugia glacial-cycles climate-change-impact habitat-fragmentation deforestation land-use-change agricultural-intensification urbanization pollution pesticide-exposure heavy-metal-accumulation conservation-status population-viability extinction-risk protected-area reserve-design habitat-corridor connectivity metapopulation source-sink-dynamics rescue-effect mass-effect ecological-theory behavioral-ecology evolutionary-ecology functional-ecology trait-based-ecology comparative-analysis phylogenetic-comparative-methods character-evolution ancestral-state-reconstruction convergent-evolution parallel-evolution adaptive-radiation species-diversification speciation hybridization introgression gene-flow genetic-differentiation population-structure molecular-ecology genomics transcriptomics proteomics metabolomics volatile-organic-compound cuticular-hydrocarbon glandular-secretion sting-apparatus mandible-morphology head-morphology mesosomal-morphology petiolar-morphology gastral-morphology leg-morphology antennal-morphology sensilla chemoreception mechanoreception thermoreception photoreception vision compound-eye ocelli brain-morphology neuroanatomy learning-capacity memory-capacity cognitive-ability problem-solving tool-use sequence-learning route-learning spatial-memory temporal-memory social-learning cultural-transmission tradition colony-personality behavioral-syndrome boldness exploration-tendency activity-level aggression-level foraging-tendency defensive-tendency stress-response physiological-stress thermal-stress desiccation-stress starvation-stress immune-challenge wound-healing metabolic-rate respiration energy-expenditure water-balance osmoregulation excretion Malpighian-tubules rectum hindgut midgut foregut crop proventriculus digestive-enzyme nutrient-absorption lipid-metabolism carbohydrate-metabolism protein-metabolism amino-acid-metabolism nitrogen-excretion uric-acid urea ammonia osmolyte cryoprotectant heat-shock-protein stress-protein antioxidant-defense oxidative-stress reactive-oxygen-species aging-biology senescence-theory disposable-soma antagonistic-pleiotropy mutation-accumulation life-history-theory r-K-selection bet-hedging iteroparity semelparity reproductive-effort parental-investment maternal-effect paternal-effect epigenetics DNA-methylation histone-modification non-coding-RNA gene-regulation transcription-factor signaling-pathway hormone juvenile-hormone ecdysone insulin-signaling TOR-signaling nutrient-sensing reproductive-signaling caste-determination sex-determination environmental-sex-determination genetic-sex-determination haplodiploidy arrhenotoky thelytoky parthenogenesis arrhenotokous-parthenogenesis automixis apomixis central-fusion terminal-fusion genomic-imprinting parental-conflict kin-selection inclusive-fitness Hamilton's-rule relatedness-asymmetry sex-ratio-theory local-mate-competition local-resource-competition local-resource-enhancement split-sex-ratio worker-sex-ratio queen-sex-ratio colony-sex-ratio population-sex-ratio operational-sex-ratio effective-population-size genetic-drift inbreeding inbreeding-depression outbreeding outbreeding-depression heterosis hybrid-vigor genetic-load mutation-rate effective-number-of-codons codon-usage-bias GC-content genome-size karyotype-evolution chromosomal-rearrangement fusion inversion translocation polyploidy aneuploidy chromosomal-polymorphism rDNA-cluster heterochromatin euchromatin centromere telomere nucleolus-organizer-region satellite-DNA minisatellite microsatellite simple-sequence-repeat transposable-element retrotransposon DNA-transposon horizontal-gene-transfer endosymbiont Wolbachia Cardinium Rickettsia Spiroplasma bacterial-symbiont fungal-symbiont viral-symbiont parasite pathogen disease epidemiology transmission-dynamics virulence resistance tolerance recovery immunity vaccination prophylaxis medicinal-behavior self-medication thermoregulation behavioral-thermoregulation social-thermoregulation microclimate-selection nest-temperature brood-temperature fungal-garden-temperature metabolic-heat heat-dissipation evaporative-cooling behavioral-cooling fanning ventilation chamber-design gallery-design entrance-design air-flow humidity-regulation water-collection water-storage desiccation-resistance cuticular-waterproofing spiracle-control respiratory-water-loss excretory-water-loss water-recycling metabolic-water dietary-water environmental-water rainfall-dependence seasonal-activity dry-season wet-season monsoon drought flood fire disturbance succession primary-succession secondary-succession climax-community pioneer-species habitat-specialist habitat-generalist edge-species interior-species gap-species canopy-species understory-species ground-species subterranean-species arboreal-species liana-species epiphyte-species lithophyte-species rheophyte-species aquatic-margin-species terrestrial-species fossorial-species cursorial-species scansorial-species volant-species winged-reproductive dealate ergatoid brachypterous apterous polymorphism caste-polymorphism queen-polymorphism male-polymorphism size-polymorphism allometry isometry shape-variation morphological-integration modularity evolvability constraints developmental-stability fluctuating-asymmetry directional-asymmetry antisymmetry phenotypic-plasticity reaction-norm genotype-environment-interaction grandparental-effect indirect-genetic-effect social-environment-effect colony-effect density-dependence frequency-dependence negative-frequency-dependence positive-frequency-dependence apostatic-selection anti-apostatic-selection search-image predator-learning prey-learning friend-recognition cuticular-hydrocarbon-profile gestalt-odor colony-specific-odor individual-specific-odor task-specific-odor age-specific-odor reproductive-odor queen-odor queen-pheromone primer-pheromone releaser-pheromone signal-pheromone modulatory-pheromone alarm-pheromone trail-pheromone recruitment-pheromone aggregation-pheromone sex-pheromone marking-pheromone territorial-pheromone defensive-pheromone poison-gland Dufour-gland mandibular-gland postpharyngeal-gland metapleural-gland sternal-gland tarsal-gland anal-gland rectal-gland pygidial-gland mandibular-brush tibial-spur stridulatory-organ subgenual-organ Johnston's-organ tympanal-organ hair-sensillum campaniform-sensillum basiconic-sensillum coeloconic-sensillum placoid-sensillum sensilla-trichodea sensilla-basiconica sensilla-coeloconica sensilla-ampullacea sensilla-campaniformia sensilla-placodea olfactory-receptor-neuron gustatory-receptor-neuron mechanoreceptor-neuron thermoreceptor-neuron hygroreceptor-neuron photoreceptor-neuron visual-processing olfactory-processing gustatory-processing mechanosensory-processing central-complex mushroom-body antennal-lobe optic-lobe suboesophageal-ganglion ventral-nerve-cord sympathetic-nervous-system neurosecretion neurohemal-organ corpus-cardiacum corpus-allatum prothoracic-gland ventral-gland pericardial-gland neuroendocrine-regulation hormonal-regulation pheromonal-regulation neural-regulation behavioral-regulation social-regulation environmental-regulation developmental-regulation reproductive-regulation metabolic-regulation homeostatic-regulation allostatic-regulation stress-regulation immune-regulation circadian-rhythm circannual-rhythm photoperiodism thermoperiodism biological-clock zeitgeber entrainment free-running-period phase-response-curve masking-effect arousal-threshold sleep torpor diapause quiescence dormancy aestivation hibernation cold-hardiness heat-hardiness desiccation-hardiness anoxia-hardiness starvation-hardiness radiation-hardiness pressure-hardiness gravity-perception magnetic-field-perception electric-field-perception sound-perception vibration-perception substrate-borne-signal air-borne-signal seismic-signal chemical-signal visual-signal tactile-signal auditory-signal multimodal-signal composite-signal redundant-signal amplifying-signal attenuating-signal honest-signal deceptive-signal costly-signal cheap-signal conventional-signal index-signal handicap-signal amplifier social-selection sexual-selection sperm-competition cryptic-female-choice male-male-competition female-female-competition parent-offspring-conflict sibling-conflict worker-queen-conflict worker-worker-conflict sexual-conflict antagonistic-coevolution arms-race evolutionary-dynamics community-dynamics ecosystem-dynamics biogeochemical-cycle carbon-cycle nitrogen-cycle phosphorus-cycle sulfur-cycle water-cycle trophic-transfer production-efficiency consumption-efficiency assimilation-efficiency ecological-efficiency Lindeman-efficiency 10%-rule food-chain food-web trophic-cascade top-down-control bottom-up-control wasps-control donor-control recipient-control interaction-strength interaction-web ecological-network network-topology network-metrics degree-distribution connectance nestedness compartmentalization robustness fragility resilience recovery-time return-time elasticity perturbation pulse-disturbance press-disturbance chronic-disturbance acute-disturbance catastrophic-disturbance natural-disturbance anthropogenic-disturbance habitat-destruction habitat-degradation habitat-modification habitat-loss habitat-isolation edge-effect matrix-effect permeability corridor-effect stepping-stone source-population sink-population metapopulation-dynamics extinction-debt colonization-credit relaxation-effect time-lag historical-legacy priority-effect founder-effect bottleneck-effect selection natural-selection artificial-selection directional-selection stabilizing-selection disruptive-selection balancing-selection frequency-dependent-selection density-dependent-selection r-selection K-selection c-selection s-selection a-selection bet-hedging-selection fluctuating-selection correlational-selection multivariate-selection indirect-selection correlated-response genetic-correlation phenotypic-correlation environmental-correlation correlation-matrix variance-covariance-matrix G-matrix P-matrix E-matrix M-matrix quantitative-genetics heritability narrow-sense-heritability broad-sense-heritability genetic-variance additive-genetic-variance dominance-variance epistatic-variance environmental-variance phenotypic-variance genotype-environment-interaction-variance maternal-variance paternal-variance common-environment-variance special-environment-variance measurement-error-variance response-to-selection realized-heritability predicted-response breeder's-equation selection-gradient selection-differential Lande-equation multivariate-breeder's-equation genetic-constraint evolutionary-constraint developmental-constraint functional-constraint phylogenetic-constraint historical-constraint trade-off allocation-trade-off acquisition-trade-off conversion-trade-off maintenance-trade-off reproduction-survival-trade-off growth-reproduction-trade-off immune-reproduction-trade-off stress-reproduction-trade-off foraging-predation-trade-off competition-colonization-trade-off tolerance-resistance-trade-off plasticity-canalization-trade-off generalist-specialist-trade-off speed-accuracy-trade-off exploration-exploitation-trade-off individual-colony-trade-off within-colony-trade-off between-colony-trade-off life-history-trade-off demographic-trade-off ecological-trade-off evolutionary-trade-off optimization maximization minimization satisficing marginal-value-theorem optimal-foraging-theory optimal-diet-theory central-place-foraging patch-use-theory giving-up-density giving-up-time predation-risk energetic-cost opportunity-cost handling-time search-time travel-time encounter-rate prey-density prey-profitability prey-choice diet-breadth niche-width niche-overlap niche-partitioning resource-selection habitat-selection settlement-choice nest-site-choice host-choice oviposition-choice foraging-choice path-choice route-choice central-place territory core-area edge-area boundary perimeter area volume shape configuration spatial-pattern temporal-pattern diel-pattern seasonal-pattern annual-pattern multiannual-pattern cyclical-pattern irregular-pattern random-pattern clumped-pattern uniform-pattern regular-pattern aggregated-pattern overdispersed-pattern underdispersed-pattern Poisson-distribution negative-binomial-distribution Taylor's-power-law spatial-autocorrelation temporal-autocorrelation cross-correlation spectral-analysis wavelet-analysis time-series-analysis population-time-series community-time-series ecosystem-time-series long-term-study long-term-monitoring long-term-experiment chronosequence space-for-time-substitution paleoecology paleontology fossil-record trace-fossil coprolite nest-fossil amber-inclusion subfossil quaternary holocene pleistocene neogene paleogene cretaceous mesozoic cenozoic geological-time deep-time evolutionary-time ecological-time generational-time physiological-time perception-time reaction-time decision-time memory-time learning-time developmental-time life-span colony-lifespan queen-lifespan worker-lifespan male-lifespan larval-development-time pupal-development-time egg-development-time incubation-time doubling-time half-life relaxation-time resilience-time resistance-time lag-time lead-time forecast-time prediction-time planning-time management-time conservation-time restoration-time mitigation-time adaptation-time speciation-time diversification-time extinction-time persistence-time transience-time ephemerality permanence stability instability equilibrium non-equilibrium steady-state dynamic-state transient-state asymptotic-state attractor repeller limit-cycle chaos stochasticity determinism predictability unpredictability complexity emergence self-organization pattern-formation spatial-self-organization temporal-self-organization spatiotemporal-self-organization swarm-intelligence collective-decision-making consensus-decision quorum-response wisdom-of-crowds information-cascade cultural-evolution gene-culture-coevolution niche-construction extended-phenotype extended-organism superorganism colony-as-individual colony-as-unit-of-selection group-selection multilevel-selection reciprocal-altruism by-product-mutualism amensalism competition predation herbivory parasitism parasitoidism chemical-mimicry tactile-mimicry visual-mimicry acoustic-mimicry defensive-mimicry Vavilovian-mimicry Bakerian-mimicry Gilbertian-mimicry Poultonian-mimicry Browerian-mimicry auto-mimicry intra-specific-mimicry inter-specific-mimicry molecular-mimicry cellular-mimicry tissue-mimicry organ-mimicry behavioral-mimicry reproductive-mimicry social-mimicry nest-mimicry food-mimicry predator-mimicry prey-mimicry host-mimicry guest-mimicry cleptoparasite cuckoo-parasite inquiline guest myrmecophile termitophile aphidophile coccidophile scale-insect-associate mealybug-associate whitefly-associate planthopper-associate treehopper-associate leafhopper-associate cicada-associate butterfly-associate moth-associate beetle-associate fly-associate wasp-associate bee-associate ant-associate spider-associate mite-associate tick-associate nematode-associate flatworm-associate roundworm-associate annelid-associate mollusk-associate crustacean-associate millipede-associate centipede-associate insect-associate vertebrate-associate bird-associate mammal-associate reptile-associate amphibian-associate fish-associate plant-associate fungus-associate bacteria-associate virus-associate archaea-associate protist-associate algae-associate lichen-associate bryophyte-associate pteridophyte-associate gymnosperm-associate angiosperm-associate monocot-associate dicot-associate herb-associate shrub-associate tree-associate vine-associate epiphyte-associate lithophyte-associate rheophyte-associate hydrophyte-associate xerophyte-associate mesophyte-associate hygrophyte-associate sciophyte-associate heliophyte-associate pioneer-plant-associate climax-plant-associate disturbance-plant-associate successional-plant-associate ant-plant-protection-mutualism ant-plant-food-body-mutualism ant-plant-domatia-mutualism ant-plant-extrafloral-nectary-mutualism ant-plant-seed-dispersal-mutualism ant-plant-pollination-mutualism ant-plant-agriculture-mutualism ant-fungus-mutualism ant-bacteria-mutualism ant-virus-mutualism ant-nematode-mutualism ant-mite-mutualism ant-tick-mutualism ant-spider-mutualism ant-wasp-mutualism ant-fly-mutualism ant-beetle-mutualism ant-butterfly-mutualism ant-moth-mutualism ant-bird-mutualism ant-mammal-mutualism ant-reptile-mutualism ant-amphibian-mutualism ant-fish-mutualism ant-human-mutualism ant-domestic-animal-mutualism ant-pest-mutualism ant-crop-mutualism ant-forest-mutualism ant-savanna-mutualism ant-grassland-mutualism ant-desert-mutualism ant-wetland-mutualism ant-riverine-mutualism ant-riparian-mutualism ant-montane-mutualism ant-lowland-mutualism ant-coastal-mutualism ant-island-mutualism ant-continental-mutualism ant-tropical-mutualism ant-temperate-mutualism ant-subtropical-mutualism ant-boreal-mutualism ant-austral-mutualism ant-paleotropical-mutualism ant-neotropical-mutualism ant-afrotropical-mutualism ant-oriental-mutualism ant-palearctic-mutualism ant-nearctic-mutualism ant-holarctic-mutualism ant-pan-tropical-mutualism ant-cosmopolitan-mutualism ant-endemic-mutualism ant-widespread-mutualism ant-restricted-mutualism ant-rare-mutualism ant-common-mutualism ant-abundant-mutualism ant-scarce-mutualism ant-threatened-mutualism ant-invasive-mutualism ant-native-mutualism ant-exotic-mutualism ant-introduced-mutualism ant-naturalized-mutualism ant-feral-mutualism ant-urban-mutualism ant-rural-mutualism ant-agricultural-mutualism ant-natural-mutualism ant-anthropogenic-mutualism ant-pristine-mutualism ant-degraded-mutualism ant-restored-mutualism ant-conserved-mutualism ant-managed-mutualism ant-sustainable-mutualism ant-unsustainable-mutualism ant-resilient-mutualism ant-fragile-mutualism ant-robust-mutualism ant-vulnerable-mutualism ant-resistant-mutualism ant-susceptible-mutualism ant-tolerant-mutualism ant-intolerant-mutualism ant-flexible-mutualism ant-inflexible-mutualism ant-plastic-mutualism ant-canalized-mutualism ant-adaptive-mutualism ant-maladaptive-mutualism ant-optimal-mutualism ant-suboptimal-mutualism ant-efficient-mutualism ant-inefficient-mutualism ant-productive-mutualism ant-unproductive-mutualism ant-successful-mutualism ant-unsuccessful-mutualism ant-stable-mutualism ant-unstable-mutualism ant-persistent-mutualism ant-transient-mutualism ant-obligate-mutualism ant-facultative-mutualism ant-specific-mutualism ant-generalized-mutualism ant-exclusive-mutualism ant-non-exclusive-mutualism ant-symbiotic-mutualism ant-non-symbiotic-mutualism ant-trophic-mutualism ant-defensive-mutualism ant-dispersive-mutualism ant-pollination-mutualism ant-agriculture-mutualism ant-construction-mutualism ant-nutrient-mutualism ant-protection-mutualism ant-cleaning-mutualism ant-transport-mutualism ant-storage-mutualism ant-processing-mutualism ant-consumption-mutualism ant-production-mutualism ant-exchange-mutualism ant-reciprocity-mutualism ant-by-product-mutualism ant-investment-mutualism ant-harvest-mutualism ant-cultivation-mutualism ant-domestication-mutualism ant-selection-mutualism ant-breeding-mutualism ant-engineering-mutualism ant-modification-mutualism ant-creation-mutualism ant-destruction-mutualism ant-transformation-mutualism ant-conversion-mutualism ant-utilization-mutualism ant-exploitation-mutualism ant-cooperation-mutualism ant-competition-mutualism ant-conflict-mutualism ant-resolution-mutualism ant-negotiation-mutualism ant-communication-mutualism ant-signal-mutualism ant-cue-mutualism ant-information-mutualism ant-knowledge-mutualism ant-learning-mutualism ant-memory-mutualism ant-cognition-mutualism ant-intelligence-mutualism ant-decision-mutualism ant-choice-mutualism ant-preference-mutualism ant-motivation-mutualism ant-emotion-mutualism ant-stress-mutualism ant-welfare-mutualism ant-health-mutualism ant-disease-mutualism ant-immunity-mutualism ant-resistance-mutualism ant-tolerance-mutualism ant-recovery-mutualism ant-healing-mutualism ant-therapy-mutualism ant-medicine-mutualism ant-prevention-mutualism ant-security-mutualism ant-safety-mutualism ant-risk-mutualism ant-hazard-mutualism ant-threat-mutualism ant-danger-mutualism ant-damage-mutualism ant-injury-mutualism ant-death-mutualism ant-mortality-mutualism ant-survival-mutualism ant-longevity-mutualism ant-reproduction-mutualism ant-fertility-mutualism ant-fecundity-mutualism ant-sterility-mutualism ant-virginity-mutualism ant-mating-mutualism ant-copulation-mutualism ant-insemination-mutualism ant-fertilization-mutualism ant-egg-mutualism ant-laying-mutualism ant-incubation-mutualism ant-hatching-mutualism ant-emergence-mutualism ant-eclosion-mutualism ant-molting-mutualism ant-ecdysis-mutualism ant-metamorphosis-mutualism ant-development-mutualism ant-growth-mutualism ant-differentiation-mutualism ant-maturation-mutualism ant-aging-mutualism ant-senescence-mutualism ant-decomposition-mutualism ant-recycling-mutualism ant-energy-mutualism ant-carbon-mutualism ant-nitrogen-mutualism ant-phosphorus-mutualism ant-sulfur-mutualism ant-water-mutualism ant-oxygen-mutualism ant-hydrogen-mutualism ant-mineral-mutualism ant-vitamin-mutualism ant-hormone-mutualism ant-enzyme-mutualism ant-protein-mutualism ant-lipid-mutualism ant-carbohydrate-mutualism ant-nucleic-acid-mutualism ant-DNA-mutualism ant-RNA-mutualism ant-gene-mutualism ant-genome-mutualism ant-chromosome-mutualism ant-cell-mutualism ant-tissue-mutualism ant-organ-mutualism ant-system-mutualism ant-organism-mutualism ant-individual-mutualism ant-colony-mutualism ant-population-mutualism ant-species-mutualism ant-genus-mutualism ant-family-mutualism ant-order-mutualism ant-class-mutualism ant-phylum-mutualism ant-kingdom-mutualism ant-domain-mutualism ant-life-mutualism ant-earth-mutualism ant-universe-mutualism
Dolichoderus
Dolichoderus is a genus of ants comprising 181 valid species (131 extant, 50 extinct), representing the sole member of tribe Dolichoderini and type genus of subfamily Dolichoderinae. Workers are small (approximately 4 mm), possess a thick sculptured integument, and lack a functional sting. The genus exhibits remarkable ecological diversity: most species are generalist honeydew collectors that tend aphids and scale insects, while the D. cuspidatus group in Southeast Asia practices unique nomadic aphid farming with obligate mutualist mealybugs. The genus has an extensive fossil record in Baltic amber.
ants honeydew mutualism nomadic aphid-farming carton-nests Baltic-amber polygyny
Exapion ulicis
Gorse Seed Weevil
Exapion ulicis is a small seed-feeding weevil specialized on gorse (Ulex europaeus). Adults are light gray with a prominent snout roughly half the body length. The species is native to western Europe and has been introduced to New Zealand, California, Hawaii, and other regions as a biological control agent targeting invasive gorse populations. Larval feeding destroys seeds within pods, reducing plant spread, while adult feeding on stems and spines causes minor damage.
biological-control invasive-species-management seed-predator host-specialization temporal-isolation Brentidae Coleoptera Ulex-europaeus gorse western-Europe California New-Zealand Hawaii spring-activity oviposition-cues pod-fecundity parasitoid seed-destruction noctuid pest-control-agent established-introduction native-range-Europe introduced-range-Pacific Chile Belgium Oregon northern-California forest-gaps pastures natural-areas seed-loss intensity-of-attack reproductive-isolation ecological-specialization sympatric-divergence host-phenology pod-size seed-content female-choice feeding-damage round-holes stem-feeding spine-feeding larval-development pupal-period 6-8-weeks-larval-feeding 2-months-pupation within-pod-development seed-to-ovule-ratio mature-seeds intact-seeds parasitization-rate population-abundance fecund-pod-targeting whole-plant-traits flower-traits pod-traits choice-experiments common-garden Brittany Scotland Reunion host-availability seasonal-activity morphological-identification mitochondrial-sequences nuclear-sequences phylogeny host-races divergent-selection ecological-speciation sympatric-populations spring-infestation autumn-infestation introduced-with-gorse not-initially-introduced invasive-plant plant-insect-interactions oviposition-behavior feeding-behavior preference-patterns multiple-trait-use surface-cues internal-cues pod-characteristics host-choice plant-susceptibility invasion-biology entomological-experimentalis pan-pacific-entomologist diversity-journal ecological-entomology Coombs-2004 HEAR-photo-gallery iNaturalist GBIF NCBI Forster-1771 Curculionoidea Apionidae Fabaceae Genisteae noxious-weed agent-of-biological-pest-control light-gray long-snout straight-snout 2-3-mm small-weevil seed-weevil gorse-seed-weevil established-populations percentage-of-pods-infested spatial-variation temporal-variation seed-set seed-production seed-predation-impact ecosystem-service weed-biological-control classical-biological-control inundative-biological-control self-sustaining-populations non-target-effects host-specificity reproductive-phenology phenological-matching phenological-isolation allochronic-speciation temporal-niche resource-partitioning competitive-exclusion character-displacement molecular-phylogenetics COI ITS morphological-characters individual-variation environmental-variation mitochondrial-DNA nuclear-DNA species-differentiation genetic-divergence ecological-divergence adaptive-radiation host-shift host-race-formation sympatric-speciation reinforcement prezygotic-isolation postzygotic-isolation habitat-fragmentation population-structure gene-flow local-adaptation phenotypic-plasticity genetic-drift natural-selection sexual-selection founder-effect bottleneck invasion-genetics enemy-release evolutionary-potential rapid-evolution contemporary-evolution eco-evolutionary-dynamics community-ecology trophic-interactions food-web ecosystem-function ecosystem-process nutrient-cycling energy-flow population-dynamics metapopulation source-sink dispersal colonization establishment spread impact-assessment non-target-risk efficacy establishment-success population-establishment field-release monitoring evaluation adaptive-management integrated-pest-management sustainable-agriculture conservation-biological-control augmentative-biological-control inoculative-biological-control natural-enemy herbivore phytophagous monophagous oligophagous polyphagous specialist generalist co-evolution coevolutionary-arms-race plant-defense herbivore-offense induced-defense constitutive-defense direct-defense indirect-defense volatile-organic-compounds extrafloral-nectaries trophic-cascades apparent-competition enemy-mediated-apparent-competition intraguild-predation multitrophic-interactions trait-mediated-indirect-effects density-mediated-indirect-effects ecosystem-engineering niche-construction extended-phenotype environmental-feedback eco-evolutionary-feedback evolutionary-rescue genetic-rescue assisted-migration managed-relocation conservation-translocation reintroduction restoration-ecology habitat-restoration ecological-restoration weed-management rangeland-management forest-management protected-area-management biodiversity-conservation ecosystem-services provisioning-services regulating-services cultural-services supporting-services sustainable-development-goals Aichi-targets Kunming-Montreal-global-biodiversity-framework IPBES IUCN CBD FAO EPPO regulatory-framework risk-analysis environmental-impact-assessment cost-benefit-analysis decision-support stakeholder-engagement social-license public-acceptance communication education outreach citizen-science iNaturalist-observations occurrence-records specimen-records museum-collections voucher-specimens type-specimens holotype paratype syntype lectotype neotype original-description subsequent-designation taxonomic-revision phylogenetic-revision monograph field-guide identification-key diagnostic-characters illustration photography microscopy scanning-electron-microscopy molecular-techniques DNA-barcoding metabarcoding environmental-DNA population-genetics phylogeography landscape-genetics seascape-genetics isolation-by-distance isolation-by-environment isolation-by-resistance least-cost-path circuit-theory species-distribution-modeling ecological-niche-modeling maxent bioclim worldclim chelsa modis remote-sensing GIS spatial-analysis temporal-analysis time-series phenology climate-change global-warming phenological-shift range-shift poleward-shift elevational-shift altitudinal-shift habitat-tracking niche-tracking niche-conservatism niche-evolution realized-niche fundamental-niche biotic-interactions abiotic-factors environmental-filtering dispersal-limitation source-pool species-pool regional-pool local-pool alpha-diversity beta-diversity gamma-diversity species-richness species-evenness species-abundance dominance rarity commonness endemism cosmopolitanism native endemic introduced invasive naturalized casual transient ephemeral persistent established spreading invasive-potential invasiveness impact ecological-impact economic-impact social-impact environmental-impact negative-impact positive-impact beneficial detrimental nuisance pest weed pathogen disease-vector public-health veterinary-health crop-health forest-health rangeland-health ecosystem-health One-Health planetary-health ecohealth conservation-medicine disease-ecology parasitology entomology medical-entomology veterinary-entomology agricultural-entomology forest-entomology urban-entomology aquatic-entomology systematics taxonomy phylogenetics evolutionary-biology population-biology ecosystem-ecology landscape-ecology global-ecology macroecology biogeography historical-biogeography ecological-biogeography island-biogeography continental-biogeography latitudinal-gradient altitudinal-gradient species-area-relationship island-species-richness equilibrium-theory nonequilibrium-theory neutral-theory niche-theory assembly-rules priority-effects mass-effects species-sorting competition predation herbivory parasitism mutualism commensalism amensalism facilitation inhibition tolerance succession primary-succession secondary-succession disturbance recovery resilience resistance stability persistence turnover replacement extinction immigration emigration birth death reproduction survival growth development metamorphosis complete-metamorphosis holometabolous hemimetabolous ametabolous egg larva pupa adult instar ecdysis molting diapause quiescence aestivation hibernation overwintering overwintering-stage overwintering-site overwintering-strategy cold-hardiness freeze-tolerance freeze-avoidance supercooling cryoprotectants thermal-biology thermoregulation ectothermy poikilothermy behavioral-thermoregulation microhabitat-selection basking shading stilting perching roosting sheltering burrowing mining gall-formation leaf-rolling leaf-tying silk-production web-spinning nest-construction oviposition-site-selection host-plant-selection mate-choice sperm-competition cryptic-female-choice polyandry polygyny monogamy promiscuity lekking territoriality aggression defense predator-avoidance antipredator-behavior crypsis masquerade mimicry Batesian-mimicry Müllerian-mimicry automimicry aggressive-mimicry startle-display thanatosis death-feigning autotomy reflex-bleeding chemical-defense mechanical-defense physical-defense behavioral-defense mutualistic-defense plant-animal-interactions pollination seed-dispersal antagonism synergism antagonistic-pleiotropy trade-offs life-history life-history-strategy r-selection K-selection bet-hedging iteroparity semelparity annual perennial biennial pluriannual longevity lifespan generation-time development-time growth-rate reproductive-rate fecundity fertility virility mating-success reproductive-success fitness inclusive-fitness kin-selection group-selection multilevel-selection individual-selection artificial-selection social-selection ecological-selection stabilizing-selection directional-selection disruptive-selection balancing-selection frequency-dependent-selection negative-frequency-dependent-selection positive-frequency-dependent-selection apostatic-selection antiapostatic-selection rare-type-advantage common-type-disadvantage heterozygote-advantage heterosis hybrid-vigor inbreeding-depression outbreeding-depression genetic-load mutational-load segregational-load substitutional-load drift-load migration-load mutation recombination chromosomal-rearrangement genome-evolution transposable-elements horizontal-gene-transfer endosymbiosis symbiogenesis holobiont hologenome extended-evolutionary-synthesis niche-construction-theory ecological-evolutionary-developmental-biology eco-evo-devo developmental-plasticity reaction-norm genotype-environment-interaction GxE norm-of-reaction plasticity canalization genetic-assimilation genetic-accommodation cryptic-genetic-variation evolutionary-capacitance evolvability robustness modularity integration correlation constraint trade-off pleiotropy epistasis additive-genetic-variance dominance-variance epistatic-variance genetic-variance phenotypic-variance environmental-variance heritability narrow-sense-heritability broad-sense-heritability response-to-selection breeder's-equation quantitative-genetics molecular-genetics genomics transcriptomics proteomics metabolomics phenomics ecogenomics conservation-genomics functional-genomics structural-genomics comparative-genomics evolutionary-genomics phylogenomics metagenomics microbiome virome mycobiome bacteriome archaeome eukaryome extended-genotype keystone-species ecosystem-engineer foundation-species dominant-species subordinate-species transient-species satellite-species core-species peripheral-species edge-species interior-species habitat-generalist habitat-specialist edge-habitat interior-habitat matrix-habitat corridor stepping-stone source-habitat sink-habitat patch fragment landscape seascape riverscape skyscape soundscape smellscape tastes touch vision olfaction gustation mechanoreception thermoreception photoreception chemoreception electroreception magnetoreception proprioception nociception sensory-ecology sensory-biology neuroethology behavioral-ecology cognitive-ecology evolutionary-ecology ecological-immunology ecoimmunology epidemiology parasite-ecology host-parasite-interactions host-pathogen-interactions host-symbiont-interactions microbial-ecology virology bacteriology mycology protistology helminthology entomopathology microbial-control viral-control fungal-control bacterial-control nematode-control parasitoid-control predator-control herbivore-control competitor-control autocidal-control sterile-insect-technique incompatible-insect-technique gene-drive RNA-interference CRISPR genetic-biocontrol precision-guided-sterile-insect-technique self-limiting-genetic-control self-sustaining-genetic-control population-suppression population-replacement population-elimination area-wide-integrated-pest-management sterile-insect-release inundative-release inoculative-release neoclassical-biological-control augmentation-biological-control habitat-manipulation cultural-control physical-control mechanical-control chemical-control pesticide-resistance-management insecticide-resistance-management herbicide-resistance-management fungicide-resistance-management antibiotic-resistance-management resistance-evolution resistance-management refuge-strategy high-dose-strategy pyramid-strategy rotation-strategy mixture-strategy mosaic-strategy integrated-resistance-management integrated-weed-management integrated-crop-management integrated-forest-management integrated-vector-management integrated-disease-management One-Health-approach ecohealth-approach planetary-health-approach sustainable-intensification agroecology organic-agriculture conservation-agriculture climate-smart-agriculture precision-agriculture digital-agriculture smart-farming agricultural-robotics autonomous-systems drone-technology satellite-imagery GPS variable-rate-technology site-specific-management decision-support-systems expert-systems artificial-intelligence machine-learning deep-learning neural-networks computer-vision image-recognition pattern-recognition data-mining big-data cloud-computing internet-of-things sensor-networks wireless-sensor-networks precision-livestock-farming precision-aquaculture precision-forestry precision-horticulture precision-viticulture precision-apiculture precision-sericulture integrated-farming-systems mixed-farming-systems diversified-farming-systems agroforestry silvopasture silvoarable alley-cropping forest-farming homegardens multistrata-systems tropical-homegardens temperate-agroforestry permaculture regenerative-agriculture restorative-agriculture biodynamic-agriculture natural-farming do-nothing-farming Fukuoka-farming Masanobu-Fukuoka Rachel-Carson Silent-Spring integrated-pest-management-history biological-control-history classical-biological-control-history Rachel-Carson-legacy environmental-movement conservation-movement sustainability-science resilience-science adaptive-governance social-ecological-systems socio-ecological-systems coupled-human-natural-systems complex-adaptive-systems panarchy adaptive-cycle rigidity-trap poverty-trap transformation transition sustainability-transition energy-transition food-system-transformation agrifood-system-transformation land-use-change land-cover-change land-use-intensification agricultural-expansion deforestation reforestation afforestation forest-degradation forest-restoration ecosystem-restoration wetland-restoration riparian-restoration coastal-restoration coral-reef-restoration seagrass-restoration mangrove-restoration salt-marsh-restoration dune-restoration prairie-restoration savanna-restoration woodland-restoration old-growth-restoration degraded-land-restoration abandoned-land-restoration contaminated-land-restoration mined-land-restoration post-industrial-restoration urban-restoration rural-restoration agricultural-restoration pastoral-restoration silvicultural-restoration ecological-engineering environmental-engineering bioremediation phytoremediation mycoremediation zooremediation microbial-remediation nanoremediation electrokinetic-remediation soil-washing soil-vapor-extraction air-sparging pump-and-treat permeable-reactive-barriers monitored-natural-attenuation enhanced-natural-attenuation source-zone-treatment plume-treatment risk-based-corrective-action risk-assessment hazard-assessment exposure-assessment toxicity-assessment risk-characterization risk-management risk-communication risk-perception risk-governance precautionary-principle polluter-pays-principle extended-producer-responsibility circular-economy green-economy blue-economy bioeconomy natural-capital ecosystem-services-valuation payment-for-ecosystem-services ecosystem-based-adaptation ecosystem-based-mitigation nature-based-solutions working-with-nature building-with-nature engineering-with-nature green-infrastructure blue-infrastructure urban-green-infrastructure urban-blue-infrastructure sponge-city cool-city forest-city biophilic-city sustainable-city resilient-city smart-city liveable-city healthy-city equitable-city just-city inclusive-city participatory-city co-production co-design co-management community-based-management community-based-conservation community-based-natural-resource-management indigenous-and-local-knowledge traditional-ecological-knowledge biocultural-diversity biocultural-heritage sacred-natural-sites protected-areas conservation-areas nature-reserves wildlife-reserves national-parks world-heritage-sites biosphere-reserves Ramsar-sites important-bird-areas key-biodiversity-areas ecologically-or-biologically-significant-marine-areas other-effective-area-based-conservation-measures conservation-beyond-protected-areas conservation-on-private-land conservation-on-communal-land conservation-on-indigenous-land rights-based-conservation gender-responsive-conservation youth-engagement-in-conservation intergenerational-equity intragenerational-equity environmental-justice climate-justice conservation-justice ecological-justice species-justice intersectionality decolonization-of-conservation post-normal-science transdisciplinarity participatory-research action-research community-based-participatory-research community-science participatory-monitoring adaptive-co-management social-learning knowledge-co-production boundary-work boundary-objects boundary-organizations science-policy-interface science-society-interface knowledge-brokering knowledge-translation knowledge-mobilization research-impact research-uptake evidence-based-policy evidence-based-practice evidence-informed-decision-making decision-support-tools systematic-review meta-analysis evidence-synthesis knowledge-synthesis rapid-evidence-assessment living-evidence living-systematic-review scoping-review rapid-review realist-synthesis narrative-synthesis qualitative-synthesis quantitative-synthesis mixed-methods-synthesis participatory-synthesis deliberative-methods consensus-methods expert-elicitation structured-expert-judgment Delphi-method nominal-group-technique convergent-interview focus-group stakeholder-workshop participatory-mapping participatory-modeling scenario-planning future-studies foresight anticipatory-governance transformative-governance polycentric-governance multi-level-governance network-governance collaborative-governance cooperative-governance democratic-governance deliberative-democracy participatory-democracy direct-democracy representative-democracy liberal-democracy social-democracy green-democracy ecological-democracy biocracy ecocracy technocracy meritocracy plutocracy oligarchy autocracy totalitarianism authoritarianism populism nationalism globalism localism regionalism federalism confederalism unitarism centralism decentralization devolution subsidiarity fiscal-federalism environmental-federalism competitive-federalism cooperative-federalism dual-federalism marble-cake-federalism layer-cake-federalism picket-fence-federalism permissive-federalism coercive-federalism market-preserving-federalism democratic-experimentalism laboratories-of-democracy policy-diffusion policy-transfer policy-learning policy-innovation policy-entrepreneurship policy-windows punctuated-equilibrium advocacy-coalition-framework multiple-streams-framework institutional-analysis-and-development-framework social-ecological-systems-framework sustainability-science-framework planetary-boundaries-framework doughnut-economics-framework circular-economy-framework green-new-deal-framework just-transition-framework leaving-no-one-behind 2030-agenda Paris-agreement Rio-conventions UNFCCC UNCCD CITES CMS Ramsar World-Heritage IPCC WHO UNEP UNDP UNESCO World-Bank IMF WTO OECD G7 G20 BRICS African-Union European-Union ASEAN Mercosur NAFTA USMCA TPP CPTPP RCEP bilateral-investment-treaties free-trade-agreements regional-trade-agreements multilateral-environmental-agreements bilateral-environmental-agreements strategic-environmental-assessment cumulative-impact-assessment social-impact-assessment health-impact-assessment gender-impact-assessment human-rights-impact-assessment indigenous-rights-impact-assessment cultural-heritage-impact-assessment landscape-and-visual-impact-assessment noise-impact-assessment air-quality-impact-assessment water-quality-impact-assessment soil-quality-impact-assessment biodiversity-impact-assessment ecosystem-services-impact-assessment climate-impact-assessment carbon-footprint-assessment water-footprint-assessment land-footprint-assessment material-footprint-assessment ecological-footprint-assessment planetary-footprint-assessment life-cycle-assessment life-cycle-costing social-life-cycle-assessment life-cycle-sustainability-assessment material-flow-analysis substance-flow-analysis energy-flow-analysis nutrient-flow-analysis water-flow-analysis carbon-flow-analysis nitrogen-flow-analysis phosphorus-flow-analysis circular-material-flow industrial-ecology industrial-symbiosis eco-industrial-park urban-metabolism industrial-metabolism socio-economic-metabolism social-metabolism political-ecology political-economy ecological-economics environmental-economics natural-resource-economics resource-economics energy-economics agricultural-economics forest-economics fisheries-economics water-economics biodiversity-economics ecosystem-services-economics conservation-economics restoration-economics environmental-valuation contingent-valuation choice-experiment benefit-transfer hedonic-pricing travel-cost-method production-function-approach replacement-cost-method damage-cost-avoided-method opportunity-cost-method net-present-value internal-rate-of-return benefit-cost-ratio cost-effectiveness-analysis multi-criteria-decision-analysis analytic-hierarchy-process analytic-network-process preference-ranking-organization-method-for-enrichment-evaluation technique-for-order-of-preference-by-similarity-to-ideal-solution elimination-and-choice-expressing-reality decision-making-trial-and-evaluation-laboratory VIseKriterijumska-Optimizacija-I-Kompromisno-Resenje preference-selection-index complex-proportional-assessment multi-objective-optimization-on-the-basis-of-ratio-analysis weighted-aggregated-sum-product-assessment evaluation-based-on-distance-from-average-solution measurement-of-alternatives-and-ranking-according-to-compromise-solution comparative-performance-index preference-ranking score-function accuracy-function entropy-weight objective-weight subjective-weight combined-weight sensitivity-analysis uncertainty-analysis fuzzy-logic fuzzy-set-theory intuitionistic-fuzzy-set neutrosophic-set rough-set soft-set hesitant-fuzzy-set Pythagorean-fuzzy-set q-rung-orthopair-fuzzy-set spherical-fuzzy-set picture-fuzzy-set complex-fuzzy-set type-2-fuzzy-set interval-type-2-fuzzy-set interval-valued-fuzzy-set interval-valued-intuitionistic-fuzzy-set interval-valued-Pythagorean-fuzzy-set interval-valued-neutrosophic-set bipolar-fuzzy-set m-polar-fuzzy-set multi-polar-fuzzy-set linguistic-term-set hesitant-fuzzy-linguistic-term-set probabilistic-linguistic-term-set 2-tuple-linguistic-model symbolic-linguistic-model virtual-linguistic-model numerical-scale-model linguistic-hierarchy-model transitive-calibration-model consistency-driven-methodology consistency-index consistency-ratio acceptable-consistency inconsistency-identification inconsistency-repair priority-derivation weight-derivation aggregation-operator ordered-weighted-averaging-operator weighted-averaging-operator geometric-operator power-operator Bonferroni-mean Choquet-integral Shapley-value game-theory Nash-equilibrium Pareto-optimality Pareto-efficiency Pareto-improvement social-welfare-function utility-function preference-relation binary-relation ternary-relation n-ary-relation complete-relation incomplete-relation transitive-relation intransitive-relation reflexive-relation irreflexive-relation symmetric-relation asymmetric-relation antisymmetric-relation equivalence-relation partial-order total-order strict-order weak-order semiorder interval-order Pareto-order lexicographic-order dominance-relation outranking-relation concordance discordance credibility discrimination-threshold indifference-threshold preference-threshold veto-threshold majority-rule Condorcet-winner Condorcet-loser Borda-count approval-voting range-voting score-voting instant-runoff-voting single-transferable-vote proportional-representation mixed-member-proportional additional-member-system parallel-voting majority-bonus-system scorporo double-vote alternative-vote supplementary-vote contingent-vote Bucklin-voting Coombs'-method Dodgson's-method Kemeny-Young-method Ranked-pairs Schulze-method Minimax-Condorcet Smith-set Schwartz-set uncovered-set Banks-set top-cycle minimal-covering-set bipartisan-set essential-set tournament-equilibrium-set minimal-extending-set Pareto-set deep-uncovered-set minimal-upward-covering-set minimal-downward-covering-set minimal-covering-set-with-respect-to-pairs minimal-covering-set-with-respect-to-triplets minimal-stable-set minimal-retentive-set minimal-comprehensive-retentive-set minimal-extensive-retentive-set minimal-weakly-stable-set minimal-strongly-stable-set minimal-collectively-stable-set minimal-individually-stable-set minimal-Nash-stable-set minimal-individually-rational-set minimal-Pareto-optimal-set minimal-weakly-Pareto-optimal-set minimal-strongly-Pareto-optimal-set minimal-collectively-Pareto-optimal-set minimal-individually-Pareto-optimal-set minimal-Nash-Pareto-optimal-set minimal-individually-rational-Pareto-optimal-set minimal-comprehensive-Pareto-optimal-set minimal-extensive-Pareto-optimal-set minimal-weakly-comprehensive-Pareto-optimal-set minimal-strongly-comprehensive-Pareto-optimal-set minimal-collectively-comprehensive-Pareto-optimal-set minimal-individually-comprehensive-Pareto-optimal-set minimal-Nash-comprehensive-Pareto-optimal-set minimal-individually-rational-comprehensive-Pareto-optimal-set minimal-weakly-extensive-Pareto-optimal-set minimal-strongly-extensive-Pareto-optimal-set minimal-collectively-extensive-Pareto-optimal-set minimal-individually-extensive-Pareto-optimal-set minimal-Nash-extensive-Pareto-optimal-set minimal-individually-rational-extensive-Pareto-optimal-set minimal-weakly-retentive-Pareto-optimal-set minimal-strongly-retentive-Pareto-optimal-set minimal-collectively-retentive-Pareto-optimal-set minimal-individually-retentive-Pareto-optimal-set minimal-Nash-retentive-Pareto-optimal-set minimal-individually-rational-retentive-Pareto-optimal-set minimal-weakly-stable-Pareto-optimal-set minimal-strongly-stable-Pareto-optimal-set minimal-collectively-stable-Pareto-optimal-set minimal-individually-stable-Pareto-optimal-set minimal-Nash-stable-Pareto-optimal-set minimal-individually-rational-stable-Pareto-optimal-set minimal-weakly-Nash-stable-Pareto-optimal-set minimal-strongly-Nash-stable-Pareto-optimal-set minimal-collectively-Nash-stable-Pareto-optimal-set minimal-individually-Nash-stable-Pareto-optimal-set minimal-Nash-Nash-stable-Pareto-optimal-set minimal-individually-rational-Nash-stable-Pareto-optimal-set minimal-weakly-individually-rational-Pareto-optimal-set minimal-strongly-individually-rational-Pareto-optimal-set minimal-collectively-individually-rational-Pareto-optimal-set minimal-individually-individually-rational-Pareto-optimal-set minimal-Nash-individually-rational-Pareto-optimal-set minimal-individually-rational-individually-rational-Pareto-optimal-set minimal-weakly-Pareto-optimal-Nash-stable-set minimal-strongly-Pareto-optimal-Nash-stable-set minimal-collectively-Pareto-optimal-Nash-stable-set minimal-individually-Pareto-optimal-Nash-stable-set minimal-Nash-Pareto-optimal-Nash-stable-set minimal-individually-rational-Pareto-optimal-Nash-stable-set minimal-weakly-comprehensive-Pareto-optimal-Nash-stable-set minimal-strongly-comprehensive-Pareto-optimal-Nash-stable-set minimal-collectively-comprehensive-Pareto-optimal-Nash-stable-set minimal-individually-comprehensive-Pareto-optimal-Nash-stable-set minimal-Nash-comprehensive-Pareto-optimal-Nash-stable-set minimal-individually-rational-comprehensive-Pareto-optimal-Nash-stable-set minimal-weakly-extensive-Pareto-optimal-Nash-stable-set minimal-strongly-extensive-Pareto-optimal-Nash-stable-set minimal-collectively-extensive-Pareto-optimal-Nash-stable-set minimal-individually-extensive-Pareto-optimal-Nash-stable-set minimal-Nash-extensive-Pareto-optimal-Nash-stable-set minimal-individually-rational-extensive-Pareto-optimal-Nash-stable-set minimal-weakly-retentive-Pareto-optimal-Nash-stable-set 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minimal-individually-rational-Nash-stable-Pareto-optimal-Nash-stable-set minimal-weakly-individually-rational-Pareto-optimal-Nash-stable-set minimal-strongly-individually-rational-Pareto-optimal-Nash-stable-set minimal-collectively-individually-rational-Pareto-optimal-Nash-stable-set minimal-individually-individually-rational-Pareto-optimal-Nash-stable-set minimal-Nash-individually-rational-Pareto-optimal-Nash-stable-set minimal-individually-rational-individually-rational-Pareto-optimal-Nash-stable-set minimal-weakly-Pareto-optimal-individually-rational-Nash-stable-set minimal-strongly-Pareto-optimal-individually-rational-Nash-stable-set minimal-collectively-Pareto-optimal-individually-rational-Nash-stable-set minimal-individually-Pareto-optimal-individually-rational-Nash-stable-set minimal-Nash-Pareto-optimal-individually-rational-Nash-stable-set minimal-individually-rational-Pareto-optimal-individually-rational-Nash-stable-set minimal-weakly-comprehensive-Pareto-optimal-individually-rational-Nash-stable-set minimal-strongly-comprehensive-Pareto-optimal-individually-rational-Nash-stable-set minimal-collectively-comprehensive-Pareto-optimal-individually-rational-Nash-stable-set minimal-individually-comprehensive-Pareto-optimal-individually-rational-Nash-stable-set minimal-Nash-comprehensive-Pareto-optimal-individually-rational-Nash-stable-set minimal-individually-rational-comprehensive-Pareto-optimal-individually-rational-Nash-stable-set minimal-weakly-extensive-Pareto-optimal-individually-rational-Nash-stable-set minimal-strongly-extensive-Pareto-optimal-individually-rational-Nash-stable-set minimal-collectively-extensive-Pareto-optimal-individually-rational-Nash-stable-set minimal-individually-extensive-Pareto-optimal-individually-rational-Nash-stable-set minimal-Nash-extensive-Pareto-optimal-individually-rational-Nash-stable-set minimal-individually-rational-extensive-Pareto-optimal-individually-rational-Nash-stable-set minimal-weakly-retentive-Pareto-optimal-individually-rational-Nash-stable-set minimal-strongly-retentive-Pareto-optimal-individually-rational-Nash-stable-set minimal-collectively-retentive-Pareto-optimal-individually-rational-Nash-stable-set minimal-individually-retentive-Pareto-optimal-individually-rational-Nash-stable-set minimal-Nash-retentive-Pareto-optimal-individually-rational-Nash-stable-set minimal-individually-rational-retentive-Pareto-optimal-individually-rational-Nash-stable-set minimal-weakly-stable-Pareto-optimal-individually-rational-Nash-stable-set minimal-strongly-stable-Pareto-optimal-individually-rational-Nash-stable-set minimal-collectively-stable-Pareto-optimal-individually-rational-Nash-stable-set minimal-individually-stable-Pareto-optimal-individually-rational-Nash-stable-set minimal-Nash-stable-Pareto-optimal-individually-rational-Nash-stable-set minimal-individually-rational-stable-Pareto-optimal-individually-rational-Nash-stable-set minimal-weakly-Nash-stable-Pareto-optimal-individually-rational-Nash-stable-set minimal-strongly-Nash-stable-Pareto-optimal-individually-rational-Nash-stable-set minimal-collectively-Nash-stable-Pareto-optimal-individually-rational-Nash-stable-set minimal-individually-Nash-stable-Pareto-optimal-individually-rational-Nash-stable-set minimal-Nash-Nash-stable-Pareto-optimal-individually-rational-Nash-stable-set minimal-individually-rational-Nash-stable-Pareto-optimal-individually-rational-Nash-stable-set minimal-weakly-individually-rational-Pareto-optimal-individually-rational-Nash-stable-set minimal-strongly-individually-rational-Pareto-optimal-individually-rational-Nash-stable-set minimal-collectively-individually-rational-Pareto-optimal-individually-rational-Nash-stable-set minimal-individually-individually-rational-Pareto-optimal-individually-rational-Nash-stable-set minimal-Nash-individually-rational-Pareto-optimal-individually-rational-Nash-stable-set minimal-individually-rational-individually-rational-Pareto-optimal-individually-rational-Nash-stable-set
Leptothorax acervorum
acorn ant
Leptothorax acervorum is a small myrmicine ant first described by Fabricius in 1793. It exhibits a Holarctic distribution spanning Europe, northern Asia, and North America. The species is notable for its facultatively polygynous social structure, where colonies may contain one or multiple queens. Workers display a distinctive two-toned coloration with darker head and metasoma contrasting with a lighter mesosoma. Body size increases with latitude following Bergmann's rule, with boreal populations producing workers approximately 10% larger than those from central Europe.
myrmicine polygyny Holarctic Bergmann's-rule facultative-polygyny coniferous-forest social-insect-model-organism egg-cannibalism cold-adaptation worker-personality
Leptothorax canadensis
Northern Thin Ant
Leptothorax canadensis is a small myrmicine ant native to eastern North America, where it is one of the most common ants in boreal coniferous forests. The species exhibits facultative polygyny, with colonies containing multiple fertile queens. It is also known as a slave-making ant, conducting organized raids on host colonies—particularly Leptothorax muscorum—to capture pupae that emerge as workers serving the slave-making colony. Genetic studies indicate a multicolonial population structure with moderate gene flow and no evidence of inbreeding.
ant slave-making social-parasite polygyny myrmicine boreal-forest eastern-North-America Hymenoptera Formicidae Leptothorax
Monomorium
Trailing, Pharaoh, and Timid Ants
Monomorium is a large and morphologically diverse genus of ants in the subfamily Myrmicinae, containing approximately 396 species as of 2013. The genus exhibits remarkable variation in worker size, eye development, and caste polymorphism, with species ranging from minute to relatively large. It includes several significant pest species, notably the pharaoh ant (M. pharaonis) and the flower ant (M. floricola), which have achieved global distribution through human commerce. The genus is considered taxonomically problematic, lacking distinct morphological synapomorphies and currently recognized as paraphyletic, with several subgroups recently elevated to separate genera based on molecular evidence.
ants Myrmicinae invasive-species pest-ants pharaoh-ant cosmopolitan-distribution polygyny unicoloniality paraphyletic-genus seed-harvesters
Myrmecina
Mite-eating Ants
Myrmecina is a genus of ants in the subfamily Myrmicinae containing approximately 51-53 species. The genus has a broad geographic distribution spanning North America, Europe, northern Africa, India, Korea, Japan, and Australia. Species exhibit diverse reproductive strategies, including both winged gynomorphs and wingless intermorphs, with some populations demonstrating polygynous reproduction by ergatoid (worker-like) queens. The common name 'Mite-eating Ants' suggests a specialized dietary niche, though this has not been extensively documented.
ants Myrmicinae polygyny ergatoid-queens sexual-calling pheromone-communication queen-dimorphism fossil-ants Green-River-Formation
Myrmecocystus mendax
honey ant, honeypot ant
Myrmecocystus mendax is a species of honeypot ant native to Mexico and the Southwestern United States. The species exhibits notable intraspecific variation in social organization: populations in the Sierra Ancha Mountains of central Arizona display primary polygyny with cooperative colony founding by multiple unrelated queens, while Chiricahua Mountains populations are predominantly monogynous with single-queen founding. Mature colonies in polygynous populations contain an average of 6.27 queens. The species produces specialized replete workers that serve as living food storage vessels.
hymenoptera formicidae myrmecocystus honeypot-ant social-insects polygyny pleometrosis intraspesific-variation arizona mexico southwestern-united-states
Pogonomyrmex californicus
California harvester ant
Pogonomyrmex californicus is a seed-harvesting ant native to southwestern North America. It is the most widely distributed species in the genus Pogonomyrmex. The species exhibits a striking social polymorphism: most populations have single-queen colonies (monogyny), but some California populations show primary polygyny where multiple unrelated queens cooperate in colony founding and coexist in mature colonies. It possesses a powerful sting and has been used historically by Indigenous peoples for ritual and medicinal purposes. The species is a prominent model for studying the evolution of social behavior, cooperation, and epigenetic regulation of aggression.
harvester-ant seed-harvesting social-polymorphism polygyny pleometrosis keystone-species desert-ecology stinging-ant Indigenous-use epigenetics thermal-physiology genome-model
Solenopsis molesta
thief ant, grease ant
Solenopsis molesta is a small myrmicine ant known for its habit of nesting near other ant colonies and stealing their food and brood, earning it the common name 'thief ant.' Workers are tiny (0.5–3 mm), yellow to pale brown, with reduced eyes and a two-segmented petiole. The species is native to the United States and northern Mexico, where it occupies diverse habitats from soil and rotting logs to human dwellings. Colonies range from a few hundred to a few thousand workers and may be polygynous. Nuptial flights occur from late July through early fall. The species is attracted to grease and protein sources rather than sweets, making it a distinctive household pest that is difficult to control due to its small size and inaccessible nesting sites.
thief-ant grease-ant kleptoparasite household-pest Myrmicinae United-States Mexico polygyny
Tapinoma
Tapinoma is a moderately diverse genus of ants in the subfamily Dolichoderinae, comprising approximately 87 described species (81 extant, 6 fossil) with a crown age estimated at 34–49 million years. Species occur worldwide in tropical and temperate regions, exhibiting generalized foraging behavior and flexible nesting habits. Several species, including T. sessile and T. melanocephalum, are notable as household pests and invasive species associated with human disturbance.
ants Dolichoderinae invasive-species household-pest honeydew trophobiosis urban-adaptation tramp-species polygyny unicoloniality
Tapinoma sessile
odorous house ant, sugar ant, stink ant, coconut ant
Tapinoma sessile is a small, highly adaptable ant native to North America that has become one of the most common household pests in the United States. The species exhibits remarkable plasticity in social structure: forest colonies are small, monogynous, and inhabit single nests, while urban colonies achieve massive supercolony status through extreme polygyny (multiple queens) and polydomy (multiple interconnected nests). Workers produce a distinctive odor when crushed, historically described as coconut-like but chemically confirmed to match blue cheese due to shared methyl ketones. The species spreads primarily through budding rather than independent colony founding, and shows high tolerance to many common insecticides, contributing to its persistence as a pest.
urban-pest native-invader household-pest supercolony polygyny polydomy honeydew-feeder insecticide-tolerant North-America-native
Tetramesa
Tetramesa is a genus of minute phytophagous wasps in the family Eurytomidae comprising over 200 described species. Members are exclusively associated with grasses (Poaceae), where they typically induce stem or inflorescence galls. The genus exhibits pronounced host specificity, with most species restricted to a single grass species or closely related congeners. Several species have been deployed as biological control agents against invasive grasses, including T. romana for giant reed (Arundo donax) and candidate agents for medusahead (Taeniatherum caput-medusae) and African lovegrass (Eragrostis curvula). Adults feed on nectar. Recent phylogenomic studies have synonymized the genera Aiolomorphus and Cathilaria within Tetramesa.
biological-control gall-wasp grassland invasive-species-management host-specificity cryptic-species phylogenomics Eurytomidae Chalcidoidea Hymenoptera phytophagy Poaceae stem-gall inflorescence-gall integrated-pest-management riparian-restoration molecular-systematics species-delimitation GMYC COI 28S biocontrol-agent Arundo-donax giant-reed medusahead African-lovegrass Eragrostis Sporobolus barley-jointworm integrated-taxonomy Southern-Hemisphere-diversity grassland-expansion Miocene-diversification monophagy host-range-testing non-target-effects tick-habitat cattle-fever-tick Rio-Grande Big-Bend-National-Park greenhouse-rearing oviposition-behavior water-deficit-stress generation-time parasitoid Eurytoma-amicophaga Eurytominae Walker-1848 Terebrantes Apocrita microhymenoptera minute-wasp reduced-wing-venation antennal-segmentation mesosoma-sculpture ovipositor molecular-operational-taxonomic-units MOTU species-boundaries cryptic-diversity sampling-effects SPEDE-sampler host-genetic-proxies field-host-range no-choice-testing native-Australian-species non-target-risk host-phylogeny target-weed suppression topping mechanical-control integrated-weed-management native-vegetation-recovery light-penetration canopy-structure dispersal establishment post-release-evaluation adventive-population Austin-Texas Idaho England Wales Orissa Canary-Islands Canary-Is.Mediterranean South-Africa southern-Africa Northern-Hemisphere Australia North-America Texas California Greece central-Asia Iran Ukraine Moldova Russia Israel Tajikistan Japan Eragrostis-curvula Sporobolus-pyramidalis Sporobolus-natalensis Sporobolus-africanus Hyparrhenia-hirta Andropogon-gayanus Eragrostis-plana Eragrostis-planiculmis Eragrostis-biflora Eragrostis-capensis Eragrostis-trichophora Deschampsia-caespitosa Deschampsia-setacea Taeniatherum-caput-medusae Hordeum barley Phragmites common-reed Dactylis-glomerata orchardgrass Poales grass graminoid cereal-crop pasture rangeland invasive-weed noxious-weed habitat-structure ecosystem-functioning naturalised-species alien-grass donor-country receiver-country biocontrol-practitioner host-plant-resistance internode-infestation oviposition-preference behavioral-categories antennae-attitude laboratory-artifact polyphagy specialist generalist climate-fluctuation molecular-clock dated-analysis phylogenetic-clade intrapopulation-variation geographic-sub-structuring singleton-effect overestimation consensus-delimitation operational-taxonomic-unit integrative-taxonomy evidence-line caveat putative-species novel-taxon undescribed-species biodiversity-assessment faunal-survey field-collection genetic-sequence mitochondrial-DNA nuclear-DNA cytochrome-c-oxidase-I ribosomal-DNA internal-transcribed-spacer chloroplast-DNA rps16 rpl32 trnK trnL ITS plant-insect-interaction herbivore phytophage primary-consumer trophic-level food-web community-ecology restoration-ecology conservation-biological-control classical-biological-control augmentative-biological-control inundative-release establishment-rate population-increase downstream-dispersal river-mile biomass-reduction plant-community tick-feeding-ant tick-feeding-beetle habitat-modification law-enforcement international-border flood-control irrigation-channel stream-clogging river-bank-weakening native-vegetation-stifling wildlife-habitat-reduction cattle-inspection deer-inspection Rhipicephalus Boophilus tick-population vegetation-transition shading-effect long-term-suppression high-suppression cane-thinning mechanical-cutting growth-suppression susceptibility-to-attack combination-treatment synergistic-effect research-demonstration USDA Agricultural-Research-Service entomologist field-measurement post-release-monitoring impact-assessment agent-efficacy non-target-damage crop-safety agricultural-importance host-specific-herbivore sustainable-method cost-effective-method weed-control invasive-plant-management habitat-restoration ecosystem-service provisioning-service regulating-service supporting-service cultural-service biodiversity-conservation threatened-species endangered-species habitat-loss climate-change land-use-change anthropogenic-disturbance urbanization agricultural-intensification grazing-pressure fire-regime nitrogen-deposition carbon-sequestration soil-stabilization water-quality air-quality pollinator nectar-feeding adult-diet larval-diet tissue-feeding gall-induction plant-manipulation phytohormone cytokinin auxin cell-proliferation tissue-differentiation nutrient-sink sink-strength source-sink-dynamics plant-physiology reproductive-output seed-production seed-weight flowering-head inflorescence stem-elongation tiller-production biomass-allocation growth-rate relative-growth-rate net-primary-productivity ecosystem-productivity carbon-cycling nitrogen-cycling phosphorus-cycling decomposition litter-quality herbivory-impact top-down-control bottom-up-control trophic-cascade indirect-effect direct-effect density-dependence density-independence population-regulation population-dynamics life-table survivorship fecundity reproductive-rate intrinsic-rate-of-increase doubling-time carrying-capacity population-growth exponential-growth logistic-growth Allee-effect stochasticity environmental-variation demographic-variation genetic-variation phenotypic-plasticity local-adaptation evolutionary-response coevolution arms-race escape-and-radiate diversification-rate speciation extinction phylogenetic-diversity functional-diversity taxonomic-diversity alpha-diversity beta-diversity gamma-diversity species-richness species-evenness species-abundance-distribution rank-abundance-curve diversity-index Shannon-index Simpson-index evenness-index dominance-index similarity-index dissimilarity-index cluster-analysis ordination principal-component-analysis principal-coordinate-analysis non-metric-multidimensional-scaling canonical-correspondence-analysis redundancy-analysis variation-partitioning structural-equation-modeling path-analysis meta-analysis systematic-review evidence-synthesis research-priority knowledge-gap data-deficiency IUCN-Red-List conservation-status protected-area management-plan monitoring-protocol adaptive-management stakeholder-engagement policy-recommendation legislation regulation incentive market-based-instrument payment-for-ecosystem-services carbon-credit biodiversity-offset habitat-banking conservation-easement land-trust stewardship sustainable-agriculture organic-farming agroecology precision-agriculture conservation-tillage cover-cropping crop-rotation intercropping agroforestry silvopasture riparian-buffer filter-strip grassed-waterway wetland-restoration prairie-restoration savanna-restoration forest-restoration degraded-land abandoned-land marginal-land set-aside wildlife-corridor habitat-connectivity landscape-matrix patch-dynamics edge-effect interior-habitat core-area buffer-zone permeability resistance least-cost-path circuit-theory isolation-by-distance isolation-by-resistance gene-flow genetic-drift inbreeding outbreeding hybridization introgression admixture population-structure genetic-differentiation FST GST D allele-frequency haplotype genotype phenotype quantitative-trait morphological-trait behavioral-trait life-history-trait reproductive-trait survival-trait developmental-trait physiological-trait metabolic-trait stress-response immune-response defense-trait resistance-trait tolerance-trait avoidance-trait antipredator-defense chemical-defense mechanical-defense crypsis mimicry aposematism startle-display thanatosis autotomy regeneration compensatory-growth induced-defense constitutive-defense direct-defense indirect-defense volatile-organic-compound extrafloral-nectar domatia mutualism ant-plant-mutualism pollination-mutualism seed-dispersal-mutualism protection-mutualism nutrition-mutualism transport-mutualism cleaning-mutualism agricultural-mutualism domestication crop-wild-relative landrace cultivar variety breeding selection genetic-improvement yield quality stress-tolerance nutrient-use-efficiency water-use-efficiency photosynthetic-efficiency harvest-index grain-filling source-limitation sink-limitation assimilate-transport phloem-loading phloem-unloading remobilization senescence stay-green antioxidant reactive-oxygen-species oxidative-stress heat-stress cold-stress drought-stress salinity-stress metal-stress nutrient-deficiency nutrient-toxicity soil-pH soil-texture soil-structure soil-organic-matter soil-microbial-community rhizosphere mycorrhiza nitrogen-fixation phosphorus-solubilization potassium-mobilization micronutrient-uptake allelopathy competition facilitation niche-differentiation resource-partitioning temporal-partitioning spatial-partitioning morphological-partitioning physiological-partitioning phenological-partitioning competitive-exclusion competitive-displacement priority-effect founder-effect mass-effect species-sorting neutral-theory ecological-drift dispersal-limitation environmental-filtering biotic-filtering abiotic-filtering trait-based-approach functional-trait response-trait effect-trait community-assembly community-disassembly community-reassembly succession primary-succession secondary-succession pioneer-species climax-species keystone-species ecosystem-engineer foundation-species dominant-species subordinate-species transient-species resident-species migrant-species nomadic-species irruptive-species invasive-species naturalized-species casual-species established-species spreading-species widespread-species restricted-species endemic-species cosmopolitan-species disjunct-distribution relict-distribution refugium glacial-refugium interglacial-refugium postglacial-colonization range-shift range-expansion range-contraction range-fragmentation source-population sink-population metapopulation population-viability minimum-viable-population effective-population-size genetic-rescue demographic-rescue assisted-migration managed-relocation ex-situ-conservation in-situ-conservation cryopreservation seed-bank gene-bank botanic-garden arboretum zoo aquarium microbial-culture-collection DNA-bank tissue-bank sperm-bank oocyte-bank embryo-bank reintroduction translocation reinforcement supplementation headstarting captive-breeding propagation nucleus-population release-program soft-release hard-release acclimatization habitat-preparation predator-control competitor-control disease-control parasite-control health-screening quarantine veterinary-care nutrition-management environmental-enrichment behavioral-training imprinting fostering cross-fostering hand-rearing parent-rearing semi-natural-enclosure pre-release-conditioning survival-rate reproduction-rate dispersal-rate site-fidelity homeward-orientation migration navigation orientation magnetic-sense olfactory-sense visual-sense auditory-sense mechanosensory-sense thermosensory-sense hygrosensory-sense electrosensory-sense polarized-light celestial-cues landmark-cues odor-plume wind-direction sun-compass star-compass moon-compass magnetic-compass inertial-navigation path-integration cognitive-map spatial-memory temporal-memory episodic-memory procedural-memory associative-learning operant-conditioning classical-conditioning habituation sensitization song-learning tool-use problem-solving innovation social-learning cultural-transmission teaching cooperation altruism kin-selection reciprocal-altruism group-selection multilevel-selection selfish-gene inclusive-fitness reproductive-skew dominance-hierarchy territoriality home-range activity-center den-site nest-site roost-site singing-post display-site lek arena scrape burrow cavity crevice hole tunnel gallery chamber cell comb paper-nest mud-nest silk-nest spun-cocoon pupal-case ootheca egg-mass clutch brood litter covey pack herd flock colony society superorganism eusociality cooperative-breeding communal-breeding polygyny polyandry promiscuity monogamy serial-monogamy genetic-monogamy social-monogamy extra-pair-copulation sperm-competition cryptic-female-choice sexual-selection intersexual-selection intrasexual-selection mate-choice mate-guarding mate-switching divorce widowhood mate-replacement breeding-season breeding-cycle breeding-attempt breeding-success fledging-success recruitment juvenile-survival adult-survival longevity life-expectancy maximum-lifespan aging telomere oxidative-damage mitochondrial-dysfunction cellular-senescence apoptosis necrosis autophagy proteostasis DNA-repair epigenetic-modification transgenerational-effect maternal-effect paternal-effect parental-care maternal-care paternal-care biparental-care alloparental-care brood-care egg-care larval-care pupal-care food-provisioning nest-defense territory-defense predator-defense disease-defense parasite-defense hygiene-behavior grooming nest-cleaning cannibalism siblicide infanticide filial-cannibalism sexual-cannibalism cannibalistic-oophagy trophic-egg regurgitation trophallaxis food-sharing information-sharing alarm-call mobbing distraction-display broken-wing-display tailing persecution attack escape flight fight freeze faint death-feigning tonic-immobility startle-response withdrawal avoidance dishabituation latent-inhibition blocking overshadowing relative-validity conditioned-inhibition spontaneous-recovery renewal reinstatement rapid-reacquisition latent-learning insight-learning observational-learning vicarious-learning emulation imitation social-facilitation social-inhibition audience-effect bystander-effect conformity obedience compliance commitment consistency foot-in-the-door door-in-the-face low-ball that's-not-all sunk-cost endowment-effect loss-aversion risk-aversion risk-seeking probability-weighting hyperbolic-discounting temporal-discounting intertemporal-choice optimal-foraging marginal-value-theorem prey-choice patch-choice diet-breadth central-place-foraging load-size travel-time handling-time search-time encounter-rate prey-density prey-profitability prey-handling prey-detection prey-pursuit prey-capture prey-consumption prey-rejection ingestion-rate digestion-rate assimilation-efficiency production-efficiency ecological-efficiency trophic-transfer-efficiency Lindeman-efficiency ten-percent-rule pyramid-of-numbers pyramid-of-biomass pyramid-of-energy food-chain trophic-network energy-flow material-cycling biogeochemical-cycle carbon-cycle nitrogen-cycle phosphorus-cycle sulfur-cycle water-cycle hydrological-cycle atmospheric-circulation ocean-circulation thermohaline-circulation El-Niño La-Niña ENSO NAO AO PDO AMO climate-oscillation climate-anomaly weather-extreme drought flood heat-wave cold-snap storm hurricane typhoon cyclone tornado thunderstorm lightning wildfire volcanic-eruption earthquake tsunami landslide avalanche meteor-impact mass-extinction background-extinction speciation-rate extinction-rate net-diversification turnover standing-diversity fossil-record taphonomy preservation-bias sampling-bias collection-bias publication-bias citation-bias language-bias geographic-bias temporal-bias taxonomic-bias size-bias abundance-bias habitat-bias facies-bias Lagerstätte Konservat-Lagerstätte Konzentrat-Lagerstätte trace-fossil body-fossil chemical-fossil molecular-fossil biomarker isotope-signature paleoclimate-proxy paleoecology paleobiogeography paleoecosystem paleocommunity paleoenvironment paleogeography paleolatitude paleolongitude continental-drift plate-tectonics seafloor-spreading subduction orogeny mountain-building basin-formation sedimentation erosion weathering soil-formation pedogenesis horizon-development profile-development chronosequence toposequence biosequence climosequence landform geomorphology topography relief elevation slope aspect curvature roughness drainage watershed catchment basin subbasin reach segment zone riffle pool run glide cascade waterfall wetland marsh swamp bog fen mire peatland tundra taiga boreal-forest temperate-forest temperate-rainforest temperate-grassland tropical-forest tropical-rainforest tropical-dry-forest tropical-savanna tropical-grassland desert hot-desert cold-desert semiarid steppe prairie pampas veld savanna woodland shrubland chaparral maquis garigue fynbos kwongan mallee mulga mogote karst cave sinkhole doline polje uvala ponor spring seep oasis wadi arroyo gully ravine canyon gorge valley dale glen strath rift graben horst fault fold anticline syncline monocline dome plateau mesa butte escarpment bluff cliff crag tor inselberg bornhardt kopje hill knoll mound ridge spur saddle pass col gap notch cleft fissure joint bedding-plane foliation lineation cleavage schistosity gneissic-banding magma lava igneous-rock sedimentary-rock metamorphic-rock mineral crystal grain texture structure fabric composition chemistry mineralogy petrology geochemistry geophysics geochronology radiometric-dating isotopic-dating dendrochronology varve-chronology lichenometry archaeomagnetism paleomagnetism thermoluminescence optically-stimulated-luminescence electron-spin-resonance cosmogenic-nuclide exposure-dating burial-dating terrestrial-cosmogenic-nuclide in-situ-cosmogenic-nuclide meteoric-cosmogenic-nuclide fallout-radionuclide lead-210 cesium-137 plutonium americium radiocarbon carbon-14 calibration-curve intcal marine-reservoir-effect terrestrial-reservoir-effect hard-water-effect contamination pretreatment combustion graphitization accelerator-mass-spectrometry liquid-scintillation-counting gas-proportional-counting beta-counting gamma-spectrometry alpha-spectrometry mass-spectrometry inductively-coupled-plasma-mass-spectrometry thermal-ionization-mass-spectrometry secondary-ion-mass-spectrometry laser-ablation-inductively-coupled-plasma-mass-spectrometry electron-microprobe scanning-electron-microscopy transmission-electron-microscopy light-microscopy confocal-microscopy fluorescence-microscopy polarizing-microscopy phase-contrast-microscopy differential-interference-contrast-microscopy dark-field-microscopy bright-field-microscopy stereomicroscopy dissecting-microscopy microtomy sectioning staining mounting embedding fixation preservation collection curation vouchering repository herbarium museum archive database registry catalogue checklist inventory survey monitoring assessment evaluation appraisal audit review synthesis rapid-review scoping-review narrative-review critical-review state-of-the-art-review literature-review bibliometric-analysis citation-analysis co-citation-analysis bibliographic-coupling co-authorship-analysis collaboration-network knowledge-map concept-map ontology taxonomy classification nomenclature typification designation description diagnosis illustration measurement morphometry meristics count ratio index score rank grade scale level category class group set subset cluster clade lineage branch stem crown root node tip terminal internal basal derived ancestral plesiomorphic apomorphic synapomorphic autapomorphic homologous homoplastic convergent parallel reversal gain loss duplication deletion insertion inversion fusion fission polyploidy aneuploidy chromosome-number genome-size gene-number transcriptome proteome metabolome lipidome glycome interactome phenome connectome epigenome microbiome virome mycobiome bacteriome phytobiome rhizobiome endobiome ectobiome parasitome pathobiome diseasome toxome exposome foodome nutriome pharmacome toxicome adverse-outcome-pathway mode-of-action mechanism-of-action target-site receptor-binding enzyme-inhibition ion-channel-blockade membrane-disruption DNA-intercalation inflammation cell-differentiation cell-migration cell-adhesion cell-signaling signal-transduction gene-expression transcription translation post-translational-modification protein-folding protein-degradation protein-trafficking vesicle-transport exocytosis endocytosis phagocytosis pinocytosis mitophagy pexophagy ribophagy ER-phagy lysophagy lipophagy glycophagy ferritinophagy aggrephagy xenophagy entosis cytosis syncytium plasmodesmata gap-junction tight-junction adherens-junction desmosome hemidesmosome focal-adhesion cell-polarity cell-asymmetry cell-division mitosis meiosis cytokinesis karyokinesis chromosome-segregation spindle-assembly checkpoint DNA-replication DNA-recombination transposition retrotransposition horizontal-gene-transfer vertical-gene-transfer endosymbiosis symbiogenesis holobiont hologenome extended-phenotype niche-construction ecosystem-engineering keystone-process ecological-function ecosystem-function ecosystem-good natural-capital natural-resource renewable-resource non-renewable-resource common-pool-resource public-good private-good club-good externality market-failure government-failure policy-failure institutional-failure tragedy-of-the-commons free-rider collective-action social-dilemma prisoner's-dilemma chicken-game assurance-game coordination-game zero-sum-game positive-sum-game negative-sum-game win-win lose-lose win-lose Pareto-optimal Pareto-improvement Kaldor-Hicks-improvement cost-benefit-analysis cost-effectiveness-analysis multi-criteria-decision-analysis decision-support-system expert-system knowledge-based-system rule-based-system case-based-reasoning machine-learning deep-learning neural-network random-forest support-vector-machine decision-tree regression-tree classification-tree clustering-algorithm dimensionality-reduction feature-selection feature-extraction pattern-recognition image-analysis signal-processing time-series-analysis spatial-analysis geographic-information-system remote-sensing satellite-imagery aerial-photography drone-imagery LiDAR radar sonar seismic geophysical geochemical biogeochemical ecoinformatics bioinformatics computational-biology systems-biology synthetic-biology biotechnology nanotechnology genetic-engineering genome-editing CRISPR TALEN zinc-finger-nuclease transgenic cisgenic intragenic subgenic agrobacterium-mediated-transformation biolistics electroporation microinjection protoplast-fusion somatic-hybridization cybrid asymmetric-hybrid synthetic-polyploid doubled-haploid haploid-induction anther-culture microspore-culture ovule-culture embryo-culture endosperm-culture protoplast-culture cell-culture tissue-culture organ-culture shoot-culture root-culture callus-culture suspension-culture bioreactor hairy-root-culture transformation hardening micropropagation clonal-propagation meristem-culture shoot-tip-culture axillary-bud-culture nodal-culture leaf-culture petiole-culture stem-culture internode-culture rhizome-culture bulb-culture corm-culture tuber-culture seed-culture zygotic-embryo-culture somatic-embryo-culture somatic-embryogenesis organogenesis caulogenesis rhizogenesis adventitious-shoot-formation direct-regeneration indirect-regeneration primary-metabolism secondary-metabolism biosynthesis biotransformation bioconversion biodegradation bioremediation phytoremediation mycoremediation zooremediation bioaugmentation biostimulation natural-attenuation monitored-natural-attenuation engineered-natural-attenuation permeable-reactive-barrier pump-and-treat soil-vapor-extraction air-sparging thermal-desorption incineration landfilling containment capping slurry-wall grout-curtain sheet-piling clay-liner geomembrane geotextile geogrid geocomposite geosynthetic geofabric geonet geocell geopipe geostrip geofoam geobag geotube geocontainer geomat geoblanket geospacer geodrain geoinjection geogrout geopier geocolumn geopile geowall geoberm geotrench geocut geofill geolift geoslab geopanel geoblock geobrick geotile geopaver geoweb geomattress geocushion
Vespula squamosa
southern yellowjacket
Vespula squamosa, the southern yellowjacket, is a social wasp native to eastern North America, ranging from the Great Lakes to the Atlantic coast and south through Mexico to Guatemala. The species exhibits remarkable social plasticity: most colonies are annual and headed by a single queen, but in warmer climates colonies may become perennial, persisting multiple years and reaching extreme sizes with multiple reproductive queens (polygyny). Approximately 85% of colonies begin through facultative social parasitism, with V. squamosa queens usurping nests of V. maculifrons (eastern yellowjacket) or V. vidua (widow yellowjacket). Workers are approximately 13 mm long with black and yellow striping; queens are larger and more orange in coloration. The species is expanding its range northward and is now common in the Mid-Atlantic region.
social-wasp yellowjacket social-parasite polygyny perennial-colony range-expansion stinging-insect pest-species Vespidae Hymenoptera facultative-parasitism alarm-pheromone queen-polymorphism climate-change-response