| [foraging intensity of ants in solenopsis invicta buren (hymenoptera: formiciddae) invaded and un-invaded habitats]. | by the methods of bait (honey, peanut oil, sausage, and mealworm larvae) trap, this paper studied the searching time, recruitment time, and recruitment number of ants in 3 typical habitats invaded and un-invaded by red imported fire ant (solenopsis invicta) in south china, and analyzed the effects of s. invicta invasion on the foraging intensity of native ants. in s. invicta invaded lawn, the searching time of ants for mealworm larvae and peanut oil was significantly shorter, compared with that ... | 2009 | 20077713 |
| examination of host genome for the presence of integrated fragments of solenopsis invicta virus 1. | a series of oligonucleotide primer pairs covering the entire genome of solenopsis invicta virus 1 (sinv-1) were used to probe the genome of its host, s. invicta, for integrated fragments of the viral genome. all of the oligonucleotide primer sets yielded amplicons of anticipated size from cdna created from an rna template from sinv-1. however, no corresponding amplification was observed when genomic dna (from 32 colonies of s. invicta) was used as template for the pcr amplifications. host dna in ... | 2011 | 21536046 |
| interspecific variation of delta1,6-piperideines in imported fire ants. | delta(1,6)-piperideines have been recently reported in the venom of the red imported fire ants, solenopsis invicta buren and the black imported fire ants, solenopsis richteri forel. however, they have never been quantified in either species. furthermore, there is no information available about those piperideines in the hybrid imported fire ants (s. invicta x s. richteri). the abundance of six delta(1,6)-piperideines was investigated in both species and their hybrid using gas chromatography-mass ... | 2010 | 20093136 |
| isolation of a pyrazine alarm pheromone component from the fire ant, solenopsis invicta. | alarm pheromones in social insects are an essential part of a complex of pheromone interactions that contribute to the maintenance of colony integrity and sociality. the alarm pheromones of ants were among the first examples of animal pheromones identified, primarily because of the large amount of chemical produced and the distinctive responses of ants to the pheromone. however, the alarm pheromone of the fire ant, solenopsis invicta, eluded identification for over four decades. we identified 2- ... | 2010 | 20145982 |
| analysis of chemical signals in red fire ants by gas chromatography and pattern recognition techniques. | gas chromatographic (gc) profiles of cuticular hydrocarbon extracts obtained from individual and pooled ant samples were analyzed using pattern recognition techniques. clustering according to the biological variables of social caste and colony were observed. pooling individual extracts enhanced the recognition of patterns in the gc profile data characteristic of colony. evidently, the contribution of the ant's individual pattern to the overall hydrocarbon profile pattern can obscure information ... | 2010 | 21215868 |
| interspecific competition between solenopsis invicta and two native ant species, pheidole fervens and monomorium chinense. | this study was designed to understand the effects of the interspecific competition between red imported fire ant, solenopsis invicta buren and two native ant species, pheidole fervens smith and monomorium chinense santschi, by conducting colony interference and individual confrontation tests under laboratory conditions. the colony interference test showed that both native ant species, owing to their numerical advantage, killed the solenopsis invicta virus-1 (sinv-1)-infected or healthy queens of ... | 2011 | 21510213 |
| fire ant decapitating fly cooperative release programs (1994-2008): two pseudacteon species, p. tricuspis and p. curvatus, rapidly expand across imported fire ant populations in the southeastern united states. | abstract natural enemies of the imported fire ants, solenopsis invicta buren s. richteri forel (hymenoptera: formicidae), and their hybrid, include a suite of more than 20 fire ant decapitating phorid flies from south america in the genus pseudacteon. over the past 12 years, many researchers and associates have cooperated in introducing several species as classical or self-sustaining biological control agents in the united states. as a result, two species of flies, pseudacteon tricuspis borgmeie ... | 2011 | 21526930 |
| fire ants self-assemble into waterproof rafts to survive floods. | why does a single fire ant solenopsis invicta struggle in water, whereas a group can float effortlessly for days? we use time-lapse photography to investigate how fire ants s. invicta link their bodies together to build waterproof rafts. although water repellency in nature has been previously viewed as a static material property of plant leaves and insect cuticles, we here demonstrate a self-assembled hydrophobic surface. we find that ants can considerably enhance their water repellency by linki ... | 2011 | 21518911 |
| insect insulin receptors: insights from sequence and caste expression analyses of two cloned hymenopteran insulin receptor cdnas from the fire ant. | the insulin and insulin-like growth factor (igf) signalling (iis) pathway in the honey bee (apis mellifera) is linked to reproductive division of labour and foraging behaviour. two insulin receptor genes are present in the released genomes of other social hymenopterans. limited information is available on the iis pathway role in ants. the predicted insulin receptor sequences from the recently released draft genome of the fire ant solenopsis invicta (hymenoptera: formicidae) are incomplete and bi ... | 2011 | 21797944 |
| worker allometry in relation to colony size and social form in the fire ant solenopsis invicta. | workers of the polymorphic fire ant solenopsis invicta buren (hymenoptera: formicidae) show modest changes of shape with increases in body size. these shape changes (allometries) have been described only for workers taken from mature colonies of the monogyne social form. for the study reported here, workers were collected from small and large monogyne and large polygyne colonies for tests of the effects of colony size and social form on allometry. the differential growth of body parts in relatio ... | 2010 | 20673118 |
| the organization of foraging in the fire ant, solenopsis invicta. | abstract although natural selection in ants acts most strongly at the colony, or superorganismal level, foraging patterns have rarely been studied at that level, focusing instead on the behavior of individual foragers or groups of foragers. the experiments and observations in this paper reveal in broad strokes how colonies of the fire ant, solenopsis invicta buren (hymenoptera: formicidae), allocate their available labor to foraging, how they disperse that force within their territory, and how t ... | 2011 | 21529150 |
| dynamic thermal structure of imported fire ant mounds. | a study was undertaken to characterize surface temperatures of mounds of imported fire ant, solenopsis invicta buren (hymenoptera: formicidae) and s. richteri forel, and their hybrid, as it relates to sun position and shape of the mounds, to better understand factors that affect absorption of solar radiation by the nest mound and to test feasibility of using thermal infrared imagery to remotely sense mounds. mean mound surface temperature peaked shortly after solar noon and exceeded mean surface ... | 2008 | 20334599 |
| a new method for distinguishing colony social forms of the fire ant, solenopsis invicta. | two distinct forms of colony social organization occur in the fire ant solenopsis invicta buren (hymenoptera: formicidae): colonies of the monogyne social form are headed by a single egg-laying queen, whereas those of the polygyne social form contain multiple egg-laying queens. this major difference in social organization is associated with genetic variation at a single gene (gp-9) whereby all polygyne queens possess at least one b-like allele, while monogyne queens lack such b-like alleles and ... | 2010 | 20673191 |
| exploitation of a high genomic mutation rate in solenopsis invicta virus 1 to infer demographic information about its host, solenopsis invicta. | the rna-dependent rna polymerase (rdrp) region of solenopsis invicta virus 1 (sinv-1) was sequenced from 47 infected colonies of s. invicta, s. richteri, s. geminata, and s. invicta/richteri hybrids collected from across the usa, northern argentina, and northern taiwan in an attempt to infer demographic information about the recent s. invicta introduction into taiwan by phylogenetic analysis. nucleotide sequences were calculated to exhibit an overall identity of >90% between geographically-separ ... | 2010 | 20685367 |
| molecular diversity of the microsporidium kneallhazia solenopsae reveals an expanded host range among fire ants in north america. | kneallhazia solenopsae is a pathogenic microsporidium that infects the fire ants solenopsis invicta and solenopsis richteri in south america and the usa. in this study, we analyzed the prevalence and molecular diversity of k. solenopsae in fire ants from north and south america. we report the first empirical evidence of k. solenopsae infections in the tropical fire ant, solenopsis geminata, and s. geminata×solenopsis xyloni hybrids, revealing an expanded host range for this microsporidium. we al ... | 2010 | 20691187 |
| targeted removal of ant colonies in ecological experiments, using hot water. | ecological experiments on fire ants cannot, or should not, use poison baits to eliminate the fire ants because such baits are not specific to fire ants, or even to ants. hot water is an extremely effective and specific killing agent for fire ant colonies, but producing large amounts of hot water in the field, and making the production apparatus mobile have been problematical. the construction and use of a charcoal-fired kiln made from a 55-gal. oil drum lined with a sand-fireclay mixture is desc ... | 2007 | 20233079 |
| wolbachia wsinvictaa infections in natural populations of the fire ant solenopsis invicta: testing for phenotypic effects. | abstract wolbachia are intracellular bacteria that commonly infect many arthropods and some nematodes. in arthropods, these maternally transmitted bacteria often induce a variety of phenotypic effects to enhance their own spread within host populations. wolbachia phenotypic effects generally either provide benefits to infected host females (cytoplasmic incompatibility, positive fitness effects) or bias host sex ratio in favor of females (male-killing, parthenogenesis, feminization), all of which ... | 2011 | 21526927 |
| exclusion of forensically important flies due to burying behavior by the red imported fire ant (solenopsis invicta) in southeast texas. | on march 3, 2009, the remains of an adult male were partially buried at the southeast texas applied forensic science (stafs) facility at the center for biological field studies (cbfs), sam houston state university, texas. the individual was buried except for a small portion of the left abdominal region. a postmortem incised wound was created in the exposed area with the intention of attracting carrion flies. worker ants of a colony of solenopsis invicta buren 1972 (red imported fire ant) filled ... | 2010 | 21216358 |
| bacterial diversity in solenopsis invicta and solenopsis geminata ant colonies characterized by 16s amplicon 454 pyrosequencing. | social insects harbor diverse assemblages of bacterial microbes, which may play a crucial role in the success or failure of biological invasions. the invasive fire ant solenopsis invicta (formicidae, hymenoptera) is a model system for understanding the dynamics of invasive social insects and their biological control. however, little is known about microbes as biotic factors influencing the success or failure of ant invasions. this pilot study is the first attempt to characterize and compare micr ... | 2011 | 21243351 |
| reduction of venom alkaloids in solenopsis richteri×solenopsis invicta hybrid: an attempt to identify new alkaloidal components. | the alkaloid chemistry of the venom of hybrid fire ant, solenopsis richteri × solenopsis invicta, was investigated using silica gel chromatography and gc-ms techniques. in addition to most cis alkaloids of parental species, s. richteri forel and s. invicta buren, the cis alkaloid fraction of the body extract of hybrid fire ants also contains five significant new alkaloids. hydrogenation of the cis alkaloid fraction yielded only five piperidines, 4', 12', 12, 20', and 20. sodium borohydride and l ... | 2010 | 20964344 |
| the red imported fire ant (solenopsis invicta buren) kept y not f: predicted snpy endogenous ligands deorphanize the short npf (snpf) receptor. | neuropeptides and their receptors play vital roles in controlling the physiology and behavior of animals. short neuropeptide f (snpf) signaling regulates several physiological processes in insects such as feeding, locomotion, circadian rhythm and reproduction, among others. previously, the red imported fire ant (solenopsis invicta) snpf receptor (s. invicta snpfr), a g protein-coupled receptor, was immunolocalized in queen and worker brain and queen ovaries. differential distribution patterns of ... | 2014 | 25310341 |
| identification of bacterial species in the hemolymph of queen solenopsis invicta (hymenoptera: formicidae). | evidence that symbiotic microorganisms can impact the development and fitness of insects has been shown in many species. hemolymph-associated symbiotic bacteria have been identified in larvae of solenopsis invicta buren, the red imported fire ant; however, their association with adult red imported fire ants and the mode by which these organisms are transmitted from queens to offspring are not well known. in this study, bacillus spp. bacteria were routinely recovered in the hemolymph of queen s. ... | 2009 | 19825289 |
| efficacy of beauveria bassiana against the red imported fire ant, solenopsis invicta (hymenoptera: formicidae), in taiwan. | background: combining biological control and chemical control could be used for controlling red imported fire ant (rifa), solenopsis invicta, more effectively. beauveria bassiana f256, a local strain from taiwan, was evaluated for its efficacy in the control of s. invicta under both laboratory and field conditions. results: the efficacies of different doses of b. bassiana (bb) using direct application and bait formulation methods were compared. the number of rifa workers killed by the direct app ... | 2011 | 21538803 |
| pyrokinin β-neuropeptide affects necrophoretic behavior in fire ants (s. invicta), and expression of β-np in a mycoinsecticide increases its virulence. | fire ants are one of the world's most damaging invasive pests, with few means for their effective control. although ecologically friendly alternatives to chemical pesticides such as the insecticidal fungus beauveria bassiana have been suggested for the control of fire ant populations, their use has been limited due to the low virulence of the fungus and the length of time it takes to kill its target. we present a means of increasing the virulence of the fungal agent by expressing a fire ant neur ... | 2012 | 22238569 |
| analysis of chemical signals in red fire ants by gas chromatography and pattern recognition techniques. | gas chromatographic (gc) profiles of cuticular hydrocarbon extracts obtained from individual and pooled ant samples were analyzed using pattern recognition techniques. clustering according to the biological variables of social caste and colony were observed. pooling individual extracts enhanced the recognition of patterns in the gc profile data characteristic of colony. evidently, the contribution of the ant's individual pattern to the overall hydrocarbon profile pattern can obscure information ... | 2010 | 21035667 |
| discovery and effects of texas solenopsis invicta virus [sinv-1 (tx5)] on red imported fire ant populations. | solenopsis invicta buren (hymenoptera: formicidae), the red imported fire ant is native to south america but has invaded areas of the southeastern us, and parts of southern california. the s. invicta virus-1 (sinv-1) is a positive sense, single-stranded rna picorna-like virus that only affects solenopsis species. the virus can infect all caste members and developmental stages. infection of sinv-1 can result in colony collapse in less than 3 months under laboratory conditions. this study screened ... | 2010 | 20350552 |
| molecular diversity of pban family peptides from fire ants. | the pban/pyrokinin peptide family is a major neuropeptide family characterized with a common fxprlamide in the c-termini. these peptides are ubiquitously distributed in the insecta and are involved in many essential endocrinal functions, e.g., pheromone production. previous work demonstrated the localization of pban in the fire ant central nervous system, and identified a new family of pban from the red imported fire ant, solenopsis invicta. in this study, we identified five more pban/pyrokinin ... | 2010 | 20513055 |
| cloning and expression of multiple cytochrome p450 genes: induction by fipronil in workers of the red imported fire ant (solenopsis invicta buren). | both exogenous and endogenous compounds can induce the expression of cytochrome p450 genes. the insect cytochrome p450 genes related to insecticide resistance are likely to be expressed as the "first line of defense" when challenged with insecticides. in this study, four cytochrome p450 genes, sinvcyp6b1, sinvcyp6a1, sinvcyp4c1, and sinvcyp4g15, were firstly isolated from workers of the red imported fire ant (solenopsis invicta) through rapid amplification of cdna ends (race) and sequenced. the ... | 2016 | 26982576 |
| the genome of the fire ant solenopsis invicta. | ants have evolved very complex societies and are key ecosystem members. some ants, such as the fire ant solenopsis invicta, are also major pests. here, we present a draft genome of s. invicta, assembled from roche 454 and illumina sequencing reads obtained from a focal haploid male and his brothers. we used comparative genomic methods to obtain insight into the unique features of the s. invicta genome. for example, we found that this genome harbors four adjacent copies of vitellogenin. a phyloge ... | 2011 | 21282665 |
| fire ant-detecting canines: a complementary method in detecting red imported fire ants. | in this investigation, detection dogs are trained and used in identifying red imported fire ants, solenopsis invicta buren, and their nests. the methodology could assist in reducing the frequency and scope of chemical treatments for red imported fire ant management and thus reduce labor costs and chemical use as well as improve control and quarantine efficiency. three dogs previously trained for customs quarantine were retrained to detect the scents of red imported fire ants. after passing tests ... | 2011 | 21404862 |
| activity of bifenthrin, chlorfenapyr, fipronil, and thiamethoxam against red imported fire ants (hymenoptera: formicidae). | bifenthrin, chlorfenapyr, fipronil, and thiamethoxam were evaluated for activity against the red imported fire ant, solenopsis invicta buren (hymenoptera: formicidae). mobility impairment and lethal times were determined after topical treatments. both immobilization and mortality occurred most quickly with bifenthrin, followed by thiamethoxam, chlorfenapyr, and fipronil. mortality due to horizontal exposure was evaluated at 10, 20, or 30 degrees c, with three ratios of topically treated donor an ... | 2010 | 20568621 |
| characteristics of 11 polymorphic microsatellite markers in the red imported fire ant, solenopsis invicta buren. | we have characterized 11 polymorphic microsatellite loci in the invasive ant solenopsis invicta. primer pairs were evaluated on fire ants collected from monogyne mounds in lauderdale county, mississippi. the observed and effective number of alleles ranged from two to six and from 1.31 to 2.64, respectively. the observed and expected heterozygosity values ranged from 0.1613 to 0.7826 and from 0.1491 to 0.6242, respectively. the polymorphism information content of the microsatellites ranged from 0 ... | 2009 | 21564756 |
| macronutrient content of plant-based food affects growth of a carnivorous arthropod. | many arthropods engage in mutualisms in which they consume plant-based foods including nectar, extrafloral nectar, and honeydew. however, relatively little is known about the manner in which the specific macronutrients in these plant-based resources affect growth, especially for carnivorous arthropods. using a combination of laboratory and field experiments, we tested (1) how plant-based foods, together with ad libitum insect prey, affect the growth of a carnivorous ant, solenopsis invicta, and ... | 2011 | 21618912 |
| invasive fire ants reduce reproductive success and alter the reproductive strategies of a native vertebrate insectivore. | introduced organisms can alter ecosystems by disrupting natural ecological relationships. for example, red imported fire ants (solenopsis invicta) have disrupted native arthropod communities throughout much of their introduced range. by competing for many of the same food resources as insectivorous vertebrates, fire ants also have the potential to disrupt vertebrate communities. | 2011 | 21799904 |
| hymenoptera venom proteins and peptides for diagnosis and treatment of venom allergic patients. | stings by insects of the order hymenoptera cause systemic, sometimes life threatening allergic reactions in 1 - 5% of the population in europe and north america. responsible for these reactions is an ige mediated sensitization to proteins of the venoms injected during the stings of social hymenoptera species, mainly the honey bee (apis mellifera), vespids like vespula spp, polistes spp and ants, in southern us and central america solenopsis invicta and in australia myrmecia pilosula. the venoms ... | 2011 | 21756243 |
| propagule pressure and colony social organization are associated with the successful invasion and rapid range expansion of fire ants in china. | we characterized patterns of genetic variation in populations of the fire ant solenopsis invicta in china using mitochondrial dna sequences and nuclear microsatellite loci to test predictions as to how propagule pressure and subsequent dispersal following establishment jointly shape the invasion success of this ant in this recently invaded area. fire ants in wuchuan (guangdong province) are genetically differentiated from those found in other large infested areas of china. the immediate source o ... | 2011 | 22181975 |
| Intercontinental differences in resource use reveal the importance of mutualisms in fire ant invasions. | Mutualisms play key roles in the functioning of ecosystems. However, reciprocally beneficial interactions that involve introduced species also can enhance invasion success and in doing so compromise ecosystem integrity. For example, the growth and competitive ability of introduced plant species can increase when fungal or microbial associates provide limiting nutrients. Mutualisms also may aid animal invasions, but how such systems may promote invasion success has received relatively little atte ... | 2011 | 22143788 |
| sampling efficacy for the red imported fire ant solenopsis invicta (hymenoptera: formicidae). | cost-effective detection of invasive ant colonies before establishment in new ranges is imperative for the protection of national borders and reducing their global impact. we examined the sampling efficiency of food-baits and pitfall traps (baited and nonbaited) in detecting isolated red imported fire ant (solenopsis invicta buren) nests in multiple environments in gainesville, fl. fire ants demonstrated a significantly higher preference for a mixed protein food type (hotdog or ground meat comb ... | 2011 | 22251738 |
| lack of interactions between fire ant control products and white grubs (coleoptera: scarabaeidae) in turfgrass. | insecticides are widely used to manage turfgrass pest such as white grubs (coleoptera: scarabaeidae). red imported fire ants, solenopsis invicta (buren) are important predators and pests in managed turfgrass. we tested the susceptibility of white grub life stages (adults, egg, and larvae) to predation by s. invicta and determined if insecticides applied for control of s. invicta would result in locally greater white grub populations. field trials over 2 yr evaluated bifenthrin, fipronil, and hyd ... | 2011 | 22299364 |
| raft formation by the red imported fire ant, solenopsis invicta. | the raft behavior of the invasive red imported fire ant, solenopsis invicta buren (hymenoptera: formicidae), has been documented for over a century. however, no rigorous tests have been performed elucidating the structure, limits, and important characteristics of this behavior. rafting makes s. invicta competitive in both native and foreign environments. further understanding of this behavior will provide critical advancement to the comprehension of this ant's global invasion ecology. though spe ... | 2011 | 22950473 |
| superiority of solenopsis invicta venom to whole-body extract in rast for diagnosis of imported fire ant allergy. | rast determinations using imported fire ant (ifa) whole-body extract (ifawbe) and venom (ifav) were performed with the sera of 29 sting-sensitive patients. only 48% (14/29) of sera were positive (percent binding greater than or equal to 6%) in rast to ifawbe compared with 79% (23/29) positive to ifav, and there was significantly greater binding to ifav than to ifawbe (p less than or equal to 0.0002). thus, rast with ifav identified 31% more sting-sensitive individuals than rast with ifawbe, a fi ... | 2012 | 3356476 |
| allergens in hymenoptera venom. xvii. allergenic components of solenopsis invicta (imported fire ant) venom. | pure venom from solenopsis invicta was collected by having the insects sting into a capillary tube. sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (sds-page) demonstrated that three major protein bands were present in the venom. a prototype commercial extract was compared and found to contain the three major venom proteins and additional components as well as high potency and specificity by rast. immunoblot studies were performed with sera from allergic individuals with blots prepared ... | 2013 | 3624682 |
| fumigant toxicity and repellence activity of camphor essential oil from cinnamonum camphora siebold against solenopsis invicta workers (hymenoptera:formicidae). | the red imported fire ant (rifa) solenopsis invicta buren causes severe damage to humans and animals as well as the environment. chemical treatment is the main strategy of rifa management, which also is potentially toxic to the environment. plant essential oils (eos) are considered as potential substance that can be used to control insects. this study aimed to identify the chemical composition of camphor eo and investigate the insecticidal activity on rifas. the chemical composition of the eo wa ... | 2015 | 26392574 |
| identification and expression of capa gene in the fire ant, solenopsis invicta. | recent genome analyses suggested the absence of a number of neuropeptide genes in ants. one of the apparently missing genes was the capa gene. capa gene expression in insects is typically associated with the neuroendocrine system of abdominal ganglia; mature capa peptides are known to regulate diuresis and visceral muscle contraction. the apparent absence of the capa gene raised questions about possible compensation of these functions. in this study, we re-examined this controversial issue and s ... | 2014 | 24718032 |
| decreased small mammal and on-host tick abundance in association with invasive red imported fire ants (solenopsis invicta). | invasive species may impact pathogen transmission by altering the distributions and interactions among native vertebrate reservoir hosts and arthropod vectors. here, we examined the direct and indirect effects of the red imported fire ant (solenopsis invicta) on the native tick, small mammal and pathogen community in southeast texas. using a replicated large-scale field manipulation study, we show that small mammals were more abundant on treatment plots where s. invicta populations were experime ... | 0 | 27651533 |
| defensive spiroketals from asceles glaber (phasmatodea): absolute configuration and effects on ants and mosquitoes. | insects are the largest and most diverse group of organisms on earth, with over 1,000,000 species identified to date. stick insects ("walkingsticks" or "phasmids", order phasmatodea) are known for and name-derived from their camouflage that acts as a primary line of defense from predation. however, many species also possess a potent chemical defense spray. recently we discovered that the spray of asceles glaber contains spiroketals [a confirmed major component: (2s,6r)-(-)(e)-2-methyl-1,7-dioxas ... | 2012 | 22976590 |
| molecular structure and diversity of pban/pyrokinin family peptides in ants. | neuropeptides are the largest group of insect hormones. they are produced in the central and peripheral nervous systems and affect insect development, reproduction, feeding, and behavior. a variety of neuropeptide families have been identified in insects. one of these families is the pban/pyrokinin family defined by a common fxprlamide or similar amino acid fragment at the c-terminal end. these peptides, found in all insects studied thus far, have been conserved throughout evolution. the most we ... | 2012 | 22654860 |
| effects of ploidy and sex-locus genotype on gene expression patterns in the fire ant solenopsis invicta. | males in many animal species differ greatly from females in morphology, physiology and behaviour. ants, bees and wasps have a haplodiploid mechanism of sex determination whereby unfertilized eggs become males while fertilized eggs become females. however, many species also have a low frequency of diploid males, which are thought to develop from diploid eggs when individuals are homozygous at one or more sex determination loci. diploid males are morphologically similar to haploids, though often l ... | 0 | 25355475 |
| immunolocalization of the short neuropeptide f receptor in queen brains and ovaries of the red imported fire ant (solenopsis invicta buren). | insect neuropeptides are involved in diverse physiological functions and can be released as neurotransmitters or neuromodulators acting within the central nervous system, and as circulating neurohormones in insect hemolymph. the insect short neuropeptide f (snpf) peptides, related to the vertebrate neuropeptide y (npy) peptides, have been implicated in the regulation of food intake and body size, and play a gonadotropic role in the ovaries of some insect species. recently the snpf peptides were ... | 2011 | 21672256 |
| diversification of the ant odorant receptor gene family and positive selection on candidate cuticular hydrocarbon receptors. | chemical communication plays important roles in the social behavior of ants making them one of the most successful groups of animals on earth. however, the molecular evolutionary process responsible for their chemosensory adaptation is still elusive. recent advances in genomic studies have led to the identification of large odorant receptor (or) gene repertoires from ant genomes providing fruitful materials for molecular evolution analysis. the aim of this study was to test the hypothesis that d ... | 2015 | 26306879 |
| ant trail pheromone biosynthesis is triggered by a neuropeptide hormone. | our understanding of insect chemical communication including pheromone identification, synthesis, and their role in behavior has advanced tremendously over the last half-century. however, endocrine regulation of pheromone biosynthesis has progressed slowly due to the complexity of direct and/or indirect hormonal activation of the biosynthetic cascades resulting in insect pheromones. over 20 years ago, a neurohormone, pheromone biosynthesis activating neuropeptide (pban) was identified that stimu ... | 2012 | 23226278 |
| invader danger: lizards faced with novel predators exhibit an altered behavioral response to stress. | animals respond to stressors by producing glucocorticoid stress hormones, such as corticosterone (cort). cort acts too slowly to trigger immediate behavioral responses to a threat, but can change longer-term behavior, facilitating an individual's survival to subsequent threats. to be adaptive, the nature of an animal's behavior following elevated cort levels should be matched to the predominant threats that they face. seeking refuge following a stressful encounter could be beneficial if the pred ... | 2011 | 21549122 |
| relative effects of disturbance on red imported fire ants and native ant species in a longleaf pine ecosystem. | the degree to which changes in community composition mediate the probability of colonization and spread of non-native species is not well understood, especially in animal communities. high species richness may hinder the establishment of non-native species. distinguishing between this scenario and cases in which non-native species become established in intact (lacking extensive anthropogenic soil disturbance) communities and subsequently diminish the abundance and richness of native species is c ... | 2011 | 21561472 |
| evaluation of a new entomopathogenic strain of beauveria bassiana and a new field delivery method against solenopsis invicta. | solenopsis invicta buren is one of the most important pests in china, and control measures are mainly based on the use of synthetic pesticides, which may be inadequate and unsustainable. hence, there is a growing interest in developing biological control alternatives for managing s. invicta, such as the use of entomopathogenic fungi. to facilitate the commercialization of entomopathogenic fungi against s. invicta, 10 beauveria bassiana isolates originating from different hosts were tested for vi ... | 2016 | 27341441 |
| antimicrobial properties of nest volatiles in red imported fire ants, solenopsis invicta (hymenoptera: formicidae). | the antimicrobial property of volatiles produced by red imported fire ants, solenopsis invicta, against beauveria bassiana, a common entomopathogenic fungus, was demonstrated. the germination rate of b. bassiana spores was significantly reduced after they were exposed to volatiles within an artificial ant nest. since the air that contained the same level of o2 and co2 as that in artificial fire ant nests did not suppress the germination rate of b. bassiana, the observed reduction of germination ... | 2015 | 26467352 |
| chemical composition, antifungal and insecticidal activities of hedychium essential oils. | the antimicrobial properties of essential oils have been documented, and their use as "biocides" is gaining popularity. the aims of this study were to analyze the chemical composition and assess the biological activities of hedychium essential oils. oils from 19 hedychium species and cultivars were analyzed by gas chromatography (gc) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (gc-ms) techniques. the antifungal and insecticidal activities of these oils were tested against colletotrichum acutatum, c ... | 2013 | 23579997 |
| identification, expression, and immuno-reactivity of sol i 2 & sol i 4 venom proteins of queen red imported fire ants, solenopsis invicta buren (hymenoptera: formicidae). | we report on two low-molecular weight proteins that are stored in the venom of queen red imported fire ants (solenopsis invicta). translated amino acid sequences identified one protein to have 74.8% identity with the sol i 2w worker allergen, and the other protein was found to have 96/97% identity with sol i 4.01w/4.02w worker allergens. both sol i 2 and sol i 4 queen and worker proteins were expressed using pexp1-dest vector in shuffle™ t7 express lysy escherichia coli. proteins were expressed ... | 2012 | 22683679 |
| characterizing igr ires-mediated translation initiation for use in yeast cell-free protein synthesis. | eukaryotic cell-free protein synthesis (cfps) systems are limited, in part, by inefficient translation initiation. here, we report three internal ribosome entry site (ires) sequences from the dicistroviridae family that are highly active in yeast cfps. these include the intergenic region (igr) ires from cricket paralysis virus (crpv), plautia stali intestine virus (psiv) and solenopsis invicta virus 1 (sinv1). optimization of combined transcription and translation (tx/tl) cfps reactions primed w ... | 2014 | 25017988 |
| mitigating the allergic effects of fire ant envenomation with biologically based population reduction. | to describe the current efforts to use biological control agents to reduce fire ant population levels, thus ultimately reducing the number of human sting and allergic reaction incidents. | 2013 | 23799333 |
| metarhizium anisopliae infection alters feeding and trophallactic behavior in the ant solenopsis invicta. | in social insects, social behavior may be changed in a way that preventing the spread of pathogens. we infected workers of the ant solenopsis invicta with an entomopathogenic fungus metarhizium anisopliae and then videotaped and/or measured worker feeding and trophallactic behavior. results showed that fungal infected s. invicta enhanced their preference for bitter alkaloid chemical quinine on 3days after inoculation, which might be self-medication of s. invicta by ingesting more alkaloid substa ... | 2016 | 27234423 |
| differential necrophoric behaviour of the ant solenopsis invicta towards fungal-infected corpses of workers and pupae. | necrophoric behaviour is critical sanitation behaviour in social insects. however, little is known about the necrophoric responses of workers towards different developmental stages in a colony as well as its underlying mechanism. here, we show that solenopsis invicta workers display distinct necrophoric responses to corpses of workers and pupae. corpses of workers killed by freezing (dead for <1 h) were carried to a refuse pile, but pupal corpses would take at least 1 day to elicit workers' necr ... | 2015 | 26082426 |
| [bahaviour of solenopsis invicta workers to protect pupae from infection by metarhizium anisopliae]. | previous studies have focused on how ants deal with workers infected by pathogens but how pupae are protected from infection by fungi is not well understood. the behavioral mechanisms adopted by solenopsis invicta (red imported fire ants, rifa) adult workers to protect pupae against metarhizium anisopliae infection were studied. we observed the behavioral changes of m. anisopliae infected adult workers in the brood chamber as well as the behavioral changes of healthy workers to fungus exposed pu ... | 2014 | 25757319 |
| indirect effects of red imported fire ants on attwater's prairie-chicken brood survival. | the invasive red imported fire ant (solenopsis invicta) has negatively affected a host of taxonomic groups throughout its acquired north american range. many studies have hypothesized indirect trophic impacts, but few documented those impacts. we evaluated invertebrate abundance as a factor limiting juvenile survival of the endangered attwater's prairie-chicken (tympanuchus cupido attwateri), and whether fire ants reduce invertebrate numbers and biomass. from 2009-2013, we monitored survival of ... | 2015 | 26900176 |
| vitellogenin underwent subfunctionalization to acquire caste and behavioral specific expression in the harvester ant pogonomyrmex barbatus. | the reproductive ground plan hypothesis (rgph) proposes that the physiological pathways regulating reproduction were co-opted to regulate worker division of labor. support for this hypothesis in honeybees is provided by studies demonstrating that the reproductive potential of workers, assessed by the levels of vitellogenin (vg), is linked to task performance. interestingly, contrary to honeybees that have a single vg ortholog and potentially fertile nurses, the genome of the harvester ant pogono ... | 2013 | 23966882 |
| solenopsis invicta virus 3: mapping of structural proteins, ribosomal frameshifting, and similarities to acyrthosiphon pisum virus and kelp fly virus. | solenopsis invicta virus 3 (sinv-3) is a positive-sense single-stranded rna virus that infects the red imported fire ant, solenopsis invicta. we show that the second open reading frame (orf) of the dicistronic genome is expressed via a frameshifting mechanism and that the sequences encoding the structural proteins map to both orf2 and the 3' end of orf1, downstream of the sequence that encodes the rna-dependent rna polymerase. the genome organization and structural protein expression strategy re ... | 2014 | 24686475 |
| the effects of solenopsis invicta (hymenoptera: formicidae) and burned habitat on the survival of amblyomma americanum (acari: ixodidae) and amblyomma maculatum (acari: ixodidae). | identifying ways in which humans can reduce tick populations is important for preventing the spread and emergence of diseases. during a recent study on effects of long-term prescribed burning on ticks, differences in species composition were observed with lone star ticks, amblyomma americanum (l.), preferring unburned habitats and gulf coast ticks, amblyomma maculatum (koch), preferring burned habitats. interestingly, the red imported fire ant, solenopsis invicta buren, is found predominantly in ... | 2013 | 23540113 |
| how ants send signals in saliva. | adult ants use saliva to transfer juvenile hormone and other chemical signals to their larvae. | 2016 | 27938666 |
| sociogenomics of cooperation and conflict during colony founding in the fire ant solenopsis invicta. | one of the fundamental questions in biology is how cooperative and altruistic behaviors evolved. the majority of studies seeking to identify the genes regulating these behaviors have been performed in systems where behavioral and physiological differences are relatively fixed, such as in the honey bee. during colony founding in the monogyne (one queen per colony) social form of the fire ant solenopsis invicta, newly-mated queens may start new colonies either individually (haplometrosis) or in gr ... | 2013 | 23950725 |
| hyaluronidase from the venom of the social wasp polybia paulista (hymenoptera, vespidae): cloning, structural modeling, purification, and immunological analysis. | in this study, we describe the cdna cloning, sequencing, and 3-d structure of the allergen hyaluronidase from polybia paulista venom (pp-hyal). using a proteomic approach, the native form of pp-hyal was purified to homogeneity and used to produce a pp-specific polyclonal antibody. the results revealed that pp-hyal can be classified as a glycosyl hydrolase and that the full-length pp-hyal cdna (1315 bp; gi: 302201582) is similar (80-90%) to hyaluronidase from the venoms of endemic northern wasp s ... | 2013 | 23305623 |
| the molecular clockwork of the fire ant solenopsis invicta. | the circadian clock is a core molecular mechanism that allows organisms to anticipate daily environmental changes and adapt the timing of behaviors to maximize efficiency. in social insects, the ability to maintain the appropriate temporal order is thought to improve colony efficiency and fitness. we used the newly sequenced fire ant (solenopsis invicta) genome to characterize the first ant circadian clock. our results reveal that the fire ant clock is similar to the clock of the honeybee, a soc ... | 2012 | 23152747 |
| the effects of kin selection on rates of molecular evolution in social insects. | the evolution of sociality represented a major transition point in biological history. the most advanced societies, such as those displayed by social insects, consist of reproductive and nonreproductive castes. the caste system fundamentally affects the way natural selection operates. specifically, selection acts directly on reproductive castes, such as queens, but only indirectly through the process of kin selection on nonreproductive castes, such as workers. in this study, we present theoretic ... | 2012 | 22759286 |
| no evidence for translation of pog, a predicted overlapping gene of solenopsis invicta virus 1. | an overlapping open reading frame (orf) with a potential to encode a functional protein has been identified within the 3'-proximal orf of solenopsis invicta virus 1 (sinv-1) and three bee viruses. this orf has been referred to as predicted overlapping gene (pog). protein motif searches of pog revealed weak relationships precluding assignment of a potential function. neither a transcript nor a protein encoded by the pog orf has been detected. however, recently, a protein encoded by the correspond ... | 2012 | 22528643 |
| oral transfer of chemical cues, growth proteins and hormones in social insects. | social insects frequently engage in oral fluid exchange - trophallaxis - between adults, and between adults and larvae. although trophallaxis is widely considered a food-sharing mechanism, we hypothesized that endogenous components of this fluid might underlie a novel means of chemical communication between colony members. through protein and small-molecule mass spectrometry and rna sequencing, we found that trophallactic fluid in the ant camponotus floridanus contains a set of specific digestio ... | 2016 | 27894417 |
| tissue, developmental, and caste-specific expression of odorant binding proteins in a eusocial insect, the red imported fire ant, solenopsis invicta. | insects interact with the surrounding environment via chemoreception, and in social insects such as ants, chemoreception functions to mediate diverse behaviors including food acquisition, self/non-self recognition, and intraspecific communication. the invasive red imported fire ant, solenopsis invicta, has spread worldwide, displaying a remarkable environmental adaptability. odorant binding proteins (obps) are chemical compound carriers, involved in diverse physiological processes including odor ... | 2016 | 27765943 |
| chemical compositions and biological activities of amomum subulatum essential oils from nepal. | the essential oils from the seed and rind of amomum subulatum roxb. (collected from nepal) were obtained by hydrodistillation and analyzed by gc-ms. a total of 87 components were identified among the two essential oils accounting for 99.1%, and 99.0% of the oils, respectively. the two essential oils were dominated by the monoterpenoids 1,8-cineole (60.8% and 39.0%), alpha-pinene (6.4% and 4.8%), beta-pinene (8.3% and 17.7%), and alpha-terpineol (9.8% and 12.3%). allelopathic testing of the seed ... | 2012 | 23074918 |
| multiple glandular origins of queen pheromones in the fire ant solenopsis invicta. | the poison sac of the fire ant solenopsis invicta is the only identified glandular source of pheromones produced by a functional ant queen. this structure, which contains the poison gland, has previously been shown to be the source of a releaser pheromone that mediates queen recognition and tending by workers. the poison sac has also been demonstrated to be the source of a primer pheromone that inhibits winged, virgin queens from shedding their wings (dealating) and developing their ovaries. to ... | 2000 | 10818242 |
| insecticidal, fumigant, and repellent activities of sweet wormwood oil and its individual components against red imported fire ant workers (hymenoptera: formicidae). | in total, 29 compounds from sweet wormwood (artemisia annua l.) oil were identified using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. the five active components were d-camphor, linalool, cineole, α-terpineol, and l(-)-borneol. the effectiveness of a. annua oil, as well as d-camphor, linalool, cineole, α-terpineol, and l(-)-borneol, as fumigants, contact insecticides, and repellents, were tested on the red imported fire ant solenopsis invicta buren. the results indicated that a. annua oil has no signif ... | 2014 | 25525106 |
| overcoming pcr inhibition during dna-based gut content analysis of ants. | generalist predators play an important role in many terrestrial systems, especially within agricultural settings, and ants (hymenoptera: formicidae) often constitute important linkages of these food webs, as they are abundant and influential in these ecosystems. molecular gut content analysis provides a means of delineating food web linkages of ants based on the presence of prey dna within their guts. although this method can provide insight, its use on ants has been limited, potentially due to ... | 2016 | 27452765 |
| ant aggregations self-heal to compensate for the ringelmann effect. | fire ants, solenopsis invicta, link their bodies together to form structures such as rafts, bivouacs and bridges. such structures are in danger of being damaged by natural disturbances such as passing water currents. in this combined experimental and theoretical study, we investigate the self-healing of ant assemblages. we press two ant aggregations together and measure the forces to pull them apart. as the group size increases, the contribution of each ant decreases. this phenomenon, known as t ... | 2016 | 27040612 |
| disruption of gene expression in hybrids of the fire ants solenopsis invicta and solenopsis richteri. | transcriptome analysis is a powerful tool for unveiling the distribution and magnitude of genetic incompatibilities between hybridizing taxa. the nature of such incompatibilities is closely associated with the evolutionary histories of the parental species and may differ across tissues and between the sexes. in eusocial insects, the presence of castes that experience divergent selection regimes may result in additional distinct patterns of caste-specific hybrid incompatibilities. we analysed lev ... | 2012 | 22548254 |
| anaphylaxis caused by stings from the solenopsis invicta, lava-pés ant or red imported fire ant. | ants are social insects with species of medical interest, such as the fire ants (solenopsis sp.). the sting causes inflammation, vesicles and sterile pustules, which may cause allergic phenomena and even anaphylactic shock. we describe a patient who suffered a large number of stings and an episode of syncope with fall in blood pressure and complete regression of symptoms after resuscitation and medication for anaphylaxis. considering the clinical manifestations and images of wheals and blisters ... | 2017 | 26312665 |
| effects of piperidine and piperideine alkaloids from the venom of red imported fire ants, solenopsis invicta buren, on pythium ultimum trow growth in vitro and the application of piperideine alkaloids to control cucumber damping-off in the greenhouse. | pythium ultimum is a plant pathogen that causes significant yield losses on many economically important crops. chemical treatment has been used for disease control. in searching for alternatives, venom piperidine and piperideine alkaloids from red imported fire ants were tested against p. ultimum in vitro, and piperideines were employed to control cucumber damping-off in the greenhouse as drench treatments. results piperidine and piperideine alkaloids of the red imported fire ant significantly i ... | 2012 | 22685059 |
| mini-winkler extractor and pitfall trap as complementary methods to sample formicidae. | the aim of the present study was to evaluate the use of mini-winkler extractor and pitfall traps as appropriate and complementary methods to sample ant communities in the phytophysiognomy mosaic in the poconé pantanal region, state of mato grosso, brasil. seven units were studied for landscape, located within a 25 km(2) collection area, formed by thirty 250-m transects, at 1-km intervals in a 5 × 5 km area. five collection points were marked in each transect at 50-m intervals, totaling 150 point ... | 2013 | 23949854 |
| proteomic view of the venom from the fire ant solenopsis invicta buren. | fire ants are well-known by their aggressive stinging behavior, causing many stinging incidents of medical importance. the limited availability of fire ant venom for scientific and clinical uses has restricted, up to now, the knowledge about the biochemistry, immunology, and pharmacology of these venoms. for this study, s. invicta venom was obtained commercially and used for proteomic characterization. for this purpose, the combination of gel-based and gel-free proteomic strategies was used to a ... | 2012 | 22881118 |
| [effects of solenopsis invicta invasion on the diversity of spider communities in a corn field]. | by using pitfall trapping and ocular estimation, this paper studied the effects of solenopsis invicta invasion on the diversity of spider communities in a corn field. a total of 16 spider species belonging to 8 families were recorded. in the plot s. invicta invaded, there were 10 spider species of 6 families, among which, 5 species of 4 families were in pesticide-treated plot, and 11 species of 8 families were in control plot. the spiders were dominated by wandering species, mainly belonging to ... | 2012 | 22803482 |
| distribution and abundance of parasites of the rhodesgrass mealybug, antonina graminis: reassessment of a classic example of biological control in the southeastern united states. | control of the rhodesgrass mealybug, antonina graminis maskell (hemiptera: pseudococcidae), by the encyrtid wasp neodusmetia sangwani is considered a textbook example of classical biological control. however, recent evidence suggests that a. graminis is abundant in the southeastern united states and no recent surveys have been conducted to determine the status of n. sangwani or other a. graminis parasites. a survey was conducted and it was found that n. sangwani was uncommon overall, occurring a ... | 2009 | 20050768 |
| yellow-head disease caused by a newly discovered mattesia sp. in populations of the red imported fire ant, solenopsis invicta. | | 2002 | 12417212 |
| susceptibility of twolined spittlebug (hemiptera: cercopidae) life stages to entomophagous arthropods in turfgrass. | prosapia bicincta (say) (hemiptera: cercopidae), the twolined spittlebug, is an economic pest of turfgrass in the southeastern united states. no data concerning natural enemies of p. bicincta in turfgrass have been reported previously. we compared predation of spittlebug eggs, nymphs, and adults in the laboratory by potential generalist predators commonly found in turfgrass: bigeyed bugs geocoris uliginosus say and geocoris punctipes say; red imported fire ant, solenopsis invicta buren; wolf spi ... | 2006 | 17066803 |
| impact of hurricane rita storm surge on sugarcane borer (lepidoptera: crambidae) management in louisiana. | twelve thousand to 16,000 ha of louisiana sugarcane (saccharum spp.) fields were flooded by saltwater from the hurricane rita storm surge in september 2005. a four treatment, 12-replication study comparing storm surge flooded and nonflooded plant and ratoon sugarcane fields was conducted during summer 2006 to assess sugarcane borer, diatraea saccharalis (f.), pest severity, pest control actions, and soil-associated arthropod abundance and diversity. even with a significant 2.4-fold increase in t ... | 2009 | 19610419 |
| are ant assemblages of brazilian veredas characterised by location or habitat type? | wetland areas in the brazilian cerrado, known as "veredas", represent ecosystems formed on sandy soils with high concentrations of peat, and are responsible for the recharge of aquiferous reservoirs. they are currently under threat by various human activities, most notably the clearing of vegetation for eucalyptus plantations. despite their ecological importance and high conservation value, little is known about the actual effects of human disturbance on the animal community. to assess how habit ... | 2014 | 25055090 |
| allergens in hymenoptera venom. xx. isolation of four allergens from imported fire ant (solenopsis invicta) venom. | commercial solenopsis invicta (sol i) venom was fractionated by gel filtration and high-performance cation exchange chromatography. four proteins were isolated and purified to homogeneity. the four proteins were tested with a panel of sera from patients allergic to fire ant venom; all proteins had significant allergenic activity. these proteins corresponded to four of the bands we previously reported to be allergenic by immunoblot analysis. sol i i has an apparent molecular weight of 37,000 dalt ... | 1988 | 3192865 |
| chemical mimicry in a parasitoid (hymenoptera: eucharitidae) of fire ants (hymenoptera: formicidae). | a wasp (orasema sp.) parasitic on the fire ant,solenopsis invicta buren, develops to the adult stage within the ant colony, where wasp larvae are ectoparasitic on ant pupae. this phase of the parasite's life cycle requires a mechanism of integration into the host colony. gas chromatographic profiles of hexane soaks of various stages of the parasite and host suggest that during development within the ant colony the parasite acquires the colony odor of the host through a passive mechanism, based o ... | 1989 | 24272384 |
| tetradonema solenopsis n. sp. (nematoda: tetradonematidae) parasitic on the red imported fire ant solenopsis invicta buren from brazil. | explorations in brazil to find parasites of the red imported fire ant, solenopsis invicta buren, have uncovered a new species of the tetradonematidae, tetradonema solenopsis n. sp. the nematode parasite was fatal to about 25% of the colony. the female nematodes are large and sausage shaped and the males are small and difficult to find, which is typical of the genus. the ant is a new host record for tetradonematids. | 1987 | 19290149 |
| odorant binding proteins of the red imported fire ant, solenopsis invicta: an example of the problems facing the analysis of widely divergent proteins. | we describe the odorant binding proteins (obps) of the red imported fire ant, solenopsis invicta, obtained from analyses of an est library and separate 454 sequencing runs of two normalized cdna libraries. we identified a total of 18 putative functional obps in this ant. a third of the fire ant obps are orthologs to honey bee obps. another third of the obps belong to a lineage-specific expansion, which is a common feature of insect obp evolution. like other obps, the different fire ant obps shar ... | 2011 | 21305009 |
| molecular cloning and oxidative stress response of a sigma-class glutathione s-transferase of the bumblebee bombus ignitus. | glutathione s-transferases (ec 2.5.1.18; gsts) are multifunctional enzymes that are mainly involved in xenobiotic metabolism and protection against oxidative damage. most studies of gsts in insects have been focused on their role in detoxifying exogenous compounds in particular insecticides. here, we show the expression profiles of gsts of the bumblebee bombus ignitus in response to oxidative stress. we identified a sigma-class gst from b. ignitus (bigsts). the bigsts gene consists of 4 exons th ... | 2011 | 20955814 |
| activity of selected neonicotinoids and dicrotophos on nontarget arthropods in cotton: implications in insect management. | certain neonicotinoids are used in cotton, gossypium hirsutum (l.), to control various piercing-sucking pests. we conducted field studies using three neonicotinoids (acetamiprid, thiamethoxam, and imidacloprid) and an organophosphate (dicrotophos) to assess the activity of these insecticides against nontarget arthropods, particularly predators, and to determine the potential economic consequences of such activity. mortality among populations of the big-eyed bug, geocoris punctipes (say), and the ... | 2005 | 16022310 |
| relaxed selection is a precursor to the evolution of phenotypic plasticity. | phenotypic plasticity allows organisms to produce alternative phenotypes under different conditions and represents one of the most important ways by which organisms adaptively respond to the environment. however, the relationship between phenotypic plasticity and molecular evolution remains poorly understood. we addressed this issue by investigating the evolution of genes associated with phenotypically plastic castes, sexes, and developmental stages of the fire ant solenopsis invicta. we first d ... | 2011 | 21911372 |