No correlation between mother and daughter life-history traits in Cardiocondyla obscurior

Abstract

Fitness variation among individuals can be explained by both genetic and non-genetic factors, such as maternal age. Little is known about the genetic and non-genetic factors influencing fitness variation in ant queens. From queens of the ant Cardiocondyla obscurior exhibiting either high or low fertility, we set up genetic lines and found no correlation between maternal and daughter queen lifetime fertility or lifespan, indicating low heritability of life-history traits. However, differences in fertility suggest that developmental variation is influenced by the maternal environment or by mate quality. Finally, we found that maternal age, specifically the remaining reproductive output of the mother, had no effect on daughter fitness traits. This is coherent with the hypothesis that senescence in ant queens is selected against until very old ages because of late-life fitness gains.