---
_id: '3922'
abstract:
- lang: eng
text: Dispersal is advantageous, but, at the same time, it implies high costs and
risks. Due to these counteracting selection pressures, many species evolved dispersal
polymorphisms, which, in ants, are typically restricted to the female sex (queens).
Male polymorphism is presently only known from a few genera, such as Cardiocondyla,
in which winged dispersing males coexist with wingless fighter males that mate
exclusively inside their maternal nests. We studied the developmental mechanisms
underlying these alternative male morphs and found that, first, male dimorphism
is not genetically determined, but is induced by environmental conditions (decreasing
temperature and density). Second, male morph is not yet fixed at the egg stage,
but it differentiates during larval development. This flexible developmental pattern
of male morphs allows Cardiocondyla ant colonies to react quickly to changes in
their environment. Under good conditions, they invest exclusively in philopatric
wingless males. But, when environmental conditions turn bad, colonies start to
produce winged dispersal males, even though these males require a many times higher
investment by the colony than their much smaller wingless counterparts. Cardiocondyla
ants share this potential of optimal resource allocation with other colonial animals
and some seed dimorphic plants.
author:
- first_name: Sylvia
full_name: Cremer, Sylvia
id: 2F64EC8C-F248-11E8-B48F-1D18A9856A87
last_name: Cremer
orcid: 0000-0002-2193-3868
- first_name: Jürgen
full_name: Heinze, Jürgen
last_name: Heinze
citation:
ama: 'Cremer S, Heinze J. Stress grows wings: Environmental induction of winged
dispersal males in Cardiocondyla ants. Current Biology. 2003;13(3):219-223.
doi:10.1016/S0960-9822(03)00012-5'
apa: 'Cremer, S., & Heinze, J. (2003). Stress grows wings: Environmental induction
of winged dispersal males in Cardiocondyla ants. Current Biology. Cell
Press. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0960-9822(03)00012-5'
chicago: 'Cremer, Sylvia, and Jürgen Heinze. “Stress Grows Wings: Environmental
Induction of Winged Dispersal Males in Cardiocondyla Ants.” Current Biology.
Cell Press, 2003. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0960-9822(03)00012-5.'
ieee: 'S. Cremer and J. Heinze, “Stress grows wings: Environmental induction of
winged dispersal males in Cardiocondyla ants,” Current Biology, vol. 13,
no. 3. Cell Press, pp. 219–223, 2003.'
ista: 'Cremer S, Heinze J. 2003. Stress grows wings: Environmental induction of
winged dispersal males in Cardiocondyla ants. Current Biology. 13(3), 219–223.'
mla: 'Cremer, Sylvia, and Jürgen Heinze. “Stress Grows Wings: Environmental Induction
of Winged Dispersal Males in Cardiocondyla Ants.” Current Biology, vol.
13, no. 3, Cell Press, 2003, pp. 219–23, doi:10.1016/S0960-9822(03)00012-5.'
short: S. Cremer, J. Heinze, Current Biology 13 (2003) 219–223.
date_created: 2018-12-11T12:05:54Z
date_published: 2003-02-04T00:00:00Z
date_updated: 2021-01-12T07:53:13Z
day: '04'
doi: 10.1016/S0960-9822(03)00012-5
extern: '1'
intvolume: ' 13'
issue: '3'
language:
- iso: eng
month: '02'
oa_version: None
page: 219 - 223
publication: Current Biology
publication_status: published
publisher: Cell Press
publist_id: '2234'
status: public
title: 'Stress grows wings: Environmental induction of winged dispersal males in Cardiocondyla
ants'
type: journal_article
user_id: 2DF688A6-F248-11E8-B48F-1D18A9856A87
volume: 13
year: '2003'
...