Behaviour and Genetics of Social Insects Lab, School of Life and Environmental Sciences A12, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia.
Curr Opin Insect Sci. 2019 Aug;34:73-79. doi: 10.1016/j.cois.2019.03.009. Epub 2019 Apr 3.
In contrast to human societies, where kings and queens can be sources of conflict, we argue that the morphologically distinct queens of insect colonies are central to the minimization of conflict within their societies. Thus, the evolution of irreversible queen and worker castes represents a major transition in social evolution. Queens are selected to become better reproducers, and workers are selected to become better workers. The reproductive success of queens and workers are, therefore, inextricably linked. Workers achieve reproductive success by assisting the queen, whereas the queen needs her workers to provide her with the wherewithal to raise her brood. The tighter the mutual dependence, the lower conflict, and the larger insect societies can become. As the queen becomes a better breeder, workers are selected to become better at raising their siblings. Yet, nothing in nature is ever free of conflict and with the evolution of a true worker caste a new set of conflicts arises. Multiple mating by queens in particular opens the door to a new set of conflicts. Ironically, multiple mating can only evolve once within-colony conflict is reduced by evolving a true worker caste.
与人类社会不同，人类社会中的国王和王后可能是冲突的根源，而我们认为昆虫群体中形态独特的王后是减少其社会内部冲突的核心。因此，不可逆的蜂王和工蜂等级的进化代表了社会进化的一个主要转变。蜂王被选择成为更好的繁殖者，而工蜂被选择成为更好的工蜂。蜂王和工蜂的繁殖成功是紧密相连的。工蜂通过协助蜂王来实现繁殖成功，而蜂王则需要她的工蜂为她提供养育后代的手段。相互依赖越紧密，冲突就越低，昆虫社会就可以变得越大。随着蜂王成为更好的繁殖者，工蜂被选择成为更好的养育兄弟姐妹的人。然而，自然界中没有什么是没有冲突的，随着真正的工蜂等级的进化，一系列新的冲突也随之产生。特别是蜂王的多次交配为一系列新的冲突打开了大门。具有讽刺意味的是，只有在通过进化出真正的工蜂等级来减少群体内冲突后，多次交配才能进化。
