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Science 28 September 1979:
Vol. 205. no. 4413, pp. 1403 - 1405
DOI: 10.1126/science.205.4413.1403
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Articles

Sibling Matings in a Hunting Wasp: Adaptive Inbreeding?

DAVID P. COWAN 1

1 Museum of Zoology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor 48109

Upon emergence as adults, brothers of Euodynerus foraminatus compete among themselves for the microterritory around their natal nest. The winning male inseminates his sisters as they emerge several days later. Unlike most species that inbreed in a similar fashion, both sexes of this common wasp are strong fliers. The possibility is raised that siblings may be preferred as mates even when out-breeding is possible.

Submitted on May 2, 1979
Revised on July 13, 1979


THIS ARTICLE HAS BEEN CITED BY OTHER ARTICLES:
Functionally reproductive diploid and haploid males in an inbreeding hymenopteran with complementary sex determination.
D. P. Cowan and J. K. Stahlhut (2004)
PNAS 101, 10374-10379
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New colony formation in the "highly inbred" eusocial naked mole-rat: outbreeding is preferred.
D. Ciszek (2000)
Behav. Ecol. 11, 1-6
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