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Patterns of reproductive differentiation and reproductive plasticity in the major evolutionary transition to superorganismality

Taylor, B; Reuter, M; Sumner, S; (2019) Patterns of reproductive differentiation and reproductive plasticity in the major evolutionary transition to superorganismality. Current Opinion in Insect Science , 34 pp. 40-47. 10.1016/j.cois.2019.02.007. Green open access

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Abstract

Major evolutionary transitions in individuality are characterised by the formation of new levels of biological complexity from the cooperation of previously independent lower-level units. The evolution of superorganismality in insects is one such major transition, and is characterised by an extreme division of reproductive labour between ancestrally autonomous units, in the form of queen and worker castes. Here, we discuss the nature of plasticity in the emergence of castes across the major transition to superorganismality in insects. We identify key changes in plasticity which act at different levels of selection: a loss of reproductivity plasticity at the individual level is matched by a gain in plasticity at the colony level. Taking multi-level selection into consideration has important implications for formulating testable hypotheses regarding the nature of plasticity in a major transition from a lower to a higher level of biological complexity.

Type: Article
Title: Patterns of reproductive differentiation and reproductive plasticity in the major evolutionary transition to superorganismality
Open access status: An open access version is available from UCL Discovery
DOI: 10.1016/j.cois.2019.02.007
Publisher version: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cois.2019.02.007
Language: English
Additional information: This version is the author accepted manuscript. For information on re-use, please refer to the publisher’s terms and conditions.
UCL classification: UCL
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences > Faculty of Life Sciences
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences > Faculty of Life Sciences > Div of Biosciences
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences > Faculty of Life Sciences > Div of Biosciences > Genetics, Evolution and Environment
URI: https://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/10069755
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