ASIAN
MYRMECOLOGY
online first (online version of paper published before print issue)
DOI: 10.20362/am.019007
Asian Myrmecology 19: 019007 (1-11)
article first published online: 27/June/2026
Colony composition and queen behavior in three allopatric forms of Stictoponera binghamii in Vietnam, Thailand and Peninsular Malaysia (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)
KENTO FURUKAWA1, RIOU MIZUNO1,2, WEEYAWAT JAITRONG3, ROSLI HASHIM4, DAI DAC NGUYEN5,6, KATSUYUKI EGUCHI5 & FUMINORI ITO1
Abstract:
Stictoponera (Formicidae: Ectatomminae) shows a wide range of reproductive structures and therefore represents a good model organism for studying the evolutionary process of diversifying reproductive strategies. In this paper, the colony composition, reproductive and behavioral characteristics of three allopatric forms of Stictoponera binghamii (“TH” from Thailand, “VN” from Vietnam, and “MA” from Malaysia) are described. Based on the examination of 14 colonies, the average colony size is small, ranging from 24 to 44 workers. Colonies of all three forms were monogynous, each containing one mated dealate queen with four (2-2) ovarioles. In contrast, important variation was observed in workers of the different forms of S. binghamii: “TH” and “MA” had four (2-2) and two (1-1) ovarioles, respectively, while “VN” had either two or four ovarioles. Queen behavior was observed for more than 100 hours across nine colonies of the three forms and revealed that all forms exhibited larval hemolymph feeding. Workers under queenright conditions laid trophic eggs, some of which were eaten by the queens. Under orphaned conditions, workers of S. binghamii “TH” laid reproductive eggs that developed into males, indicating that worker ovaries are functional for producing reproductive eggs.
Keywords:
Larval hemolymph feeding, ovary, trophic egg, worker reproduction
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KENTO FURUKAWA1, RIOU MIZUNO1,2, WEEYAWAT JAITRONG3, ROSLI HASHIM4, DAI DAC NGUYEN5,6, KATSUYUKI EGUCHI5 & FUMINORI ITO1
Abstract:
Stictoponera (Formicidae: Ectatomminae) shows a wide range of reproductive structures and therefore represents a good model organism for studying the evolutionary process of diversifying reproductive strategies. In this paper, the colony composition, reproductive and behavioral characteristics of three allopatric forms of Stictoponera binghamii (“TH” from Thailand, “VN” from Vietnam, and “MA” from Malaysia) are described. Based on the examination of 14 colonies, the average colony size is small, ranging from 24 to 44 workers. Colonies of all three forms were monogynous, each containing one mated dealate queen with four (2-2) ovarioles. In contrast, important variation was observed in workers of the different forms of S. binghamii: “TH” and “MA” had four (2-2) and two (1-1) ovarioles, respectively, while “VN” had either two or four ovarioles. Queen behavior was observed for more than 100 hours across nine colonies of the three forms and revealed that all forms exhibited larval hemolymph feeding. Workers under queenright conditions laid trophic eggs, some of which were eaten by the queens. Under orphaned conditions, workers of S. binghamii “TH” laid reproductive eggs that developed into males, indicating that worker ovaries are functional for producing reproductive eggs.
Keywords:
Larval hemolymph feeding, ovary, trophic egg, worker reproduction
Get PDF (0.3 MB) :
1Faculty of Agriculture, Kagawa University, Ikenobe, Miki, Japan
2Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology, Faculty of Agriculture, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, Thailand
3Thailand Natural History Museum, National Science Museum, Technopolis, Khlong 5, Khong Luang, Pathum Thani, Thailand
4Institute of Biological Sciences, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
5Systematic Zoology Laboratory, Department of Biological Sciences, Graduate School of Science, Tokyo Metropolitan University, 1-1 Minami-Osawa, Hachioji-shi, Tokyo, Japan.
6Institute of Biology (IB), Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology (VAST), 18 Hoang Quoc Viet Road, Nghia Do, Hanoi, Vietnam
*Corresponding author: ito.fuminori@kagawa-u.ac.jp
