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In a new paper expanding the links between supergenes and complex social traits, Lagunas-Robles et al. (1) describe a supergene implicated in the control of reproductive sex allocation for two… Click to show full abstract
In a new paper expanding the links between supergenes and complex social traits, Lagunas-Robles et al. (1) describe a supergene implicated in the control of reproductive sex allocation for two species of the ant genus Formica. The study identifies a supergene connected to the queen strategy of laying highly skewed or “split” sex ratios, in which colonies produce either almost all male or primarily female reproductive offspring. In doing so, the study offers a genomic insight into one of the most intriguing examples of parent–offspring conflict. Who—queens or workers—has primary control over colony allocation to reproductive sex ratios?
Journal Title: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
Year Published: 2022
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