21/10: Developmental plasticity of holometabolous social insects

ORGANISERS: Eva Schultner, Jan Oettler

University of Regensburg, Germany

SUMMARY: 

Superorganismality is characterized by distinct castes, which are obligately co-dependent and of which one is mated for life. Despite this fundamental importance of reproductive division of labor, not much is actually known about the underlying developmental biology. Khila and Abouheif have identified five different forms of reproductive constraints in workers, which renders workers effectively sterile, to different degrees. While some species show some flexibility in developmental outcomes (e.g. honey bees, Platythyrea, Myrmica), others seem to be hardwired in their developmental trajectories (e.g. Cardiocondyla, Pheidole). On the molecular side, recent studies have emphasized the importance of JH and insulin-like signalling, but how these mediators are integrated into the developmental program remains elusive. Furthermore, recent studies of imaginal disc development have highlighted the codependency of modular anlagen in the development of alternative castes. In this symposium we want to shine light on recent advances concerning the molecular and developmental mechanisms of caste determination and caste differentiation. We aim to bring together the fields of classic evo-devo and molecular evolution for a better understanding of the factors mediating the development of castes.

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