Tofilski Adam, Couvillon Margaret J, Evison Sophie E F, Helanterä Heikki, Robinson Elva J H, Ratnieks Francis L W
Department of Pomology and Apiculture, Agricultural University, 29 Listopada 54, 31-425 Krakow, Poland.
Am Nat. 2008 Nov;172(5):E239-43. doi: 10.1086/591688.
Worker insects altruistically sacrifice their own reproduction to rear nondescendant kin. This sacrifice reaches its most spectacular level in suicidal colony defense. Suicidal defense, such as when the sting of a honeybee worker embeds in a predator and then breaks off, is normally a facultative response. Here we describe the first example of preemptive self-sacrifice in nest defense. In the Brazilian ant Forelius pusillus, the nest entrance is closed at sunset. One to eight workers finish the job from the outside and, in doing so, sacrifice their lives.
工蚁会无私地牺牲自己的繁殖机会来抚养非后代亲属。这种牺牲在自杀式群体防御中达到了最惊人的程度。自杀式防御，比如蜜蜂工蜂的螫针嵌入捕食者体内然后折断，通常是一种可选择的反应。在这里，我们描述了巢穴防御中先发制自我牺牲的首个例子。在巴西蚂蚁 Forelius pusillus 中，巢穴入口在日落时关闭。一到八只工蚁从外部完成这项工作，在此过程中牺牲了自己的生命。
