Abstract
Eusociality in its various degrees represents an animal social system characterised by cooperative brood care, differentiation into castes and generational overlap. The fossil record indicates that eusociality is likely to have originated in hymenopterans and blattodeans during the Cretaceous. In this study, we present findings from surveys in Peruvian (Villa Carmen) and Ecuadorian (Rio Bigal, El Reventador) cloud forests revealing the first extant cockroach species living in complex, structured groups (n = 90–200 individuals, ˃ 20 adults). We observed and described behaviours that suggest the existence of cooperative care, nest guarding, nest chamber preparation within hardwood Casearia sp. (Salicaceae) and bamboo (Bambusoideae), multiple overlapping generations (‘different stages of’ instars), colony translocation, possibly a sole reproductive female (1.25 times larger white ‘queen’, but no potential ‘king’ observed), and morphologically diversified immature stages. In order to define the lineage where this type of sociality originated and occurs, the forms of Melyroidea magnifica Shelford, 1912, M. ecuadoriana sp. n., M. mimetica Shelford, 1912 and an undescribed species from Peru are also described in a separate section of this study. Blattoid morphological characteristics such as typical styli suggest categorisation within distinct Oulopterygidae (Rehn, 1951), outside Corydiidae Saussure 1864. Transitional advanced sociality or semisociality in related Aclavoidea socialis gen. et sp. n. is documented in a rotting stump (n = 80 individuals, few adults). Close phylogenetic relation between the genera, conserved morphology of numerous characters and their diverse feeding strategies generally lacking specialisation suggests a rather recent origin of a social way of life in this group. Eusociality in invertebrates and vertebrates can thus originate in various phylogenetical and ecological trajectories including predation, parasitism, care for herbs and the new one, documented through diet shift from detritivory to fungivory and algaevory. Interdisciplinary approaches reveal the low degree of knowledge of rainforest ecosystems, with fundamental groups remaining still systematically and also behaviourally undescribed.
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Acknowledgements
Finnegan Marsh, David Furth, Floyd Shockley and Julia Snyder are acknowledged for organizing award stay of P.V. in National Museum of Natural History, Washington, D.C., U.S.A., and for providing collection data from Ecuador and Peru. Oxford Scientific Collection (OUMNH Oxford) data were kindly provided by Katherine Child and Amoret Spooner. Professor David A. Neill (Universidad Estatal Amazónica, Puyo) is acknowledged for tree determination; Professor Pavol Prokop (IZ SAS) for behavioural consultations. Professor Donald L.J. Quicke is acknowledged for providing support during the stay of P.V. in BMNH London.
Funding
This work was supported by the Slovak Research and Development Agency contracts No. APVV-0436-12; UNESCO-Amba/ MVTS supporting grant of Presidium of the Slovak Academy of Sciences (VEGA 2/0042/18, VEGA 2/0139/17) and The Systematic Association (Oxford).
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J.H. performed most of the direct observations of the nest and wrote the paper; P.V. (PI) designed research, discovered social structure, performed SEM and wrote the paper; T.G. discovered the observed nest; P.B., A.T., G.G. provided observation and logistics and conservation in Ecuador and Peru; P.B. additionally discovered nest of A. socialis; I.K. illustrated new genus; Ľ.V. formalized new species, analysed species from Peru and wrote the paper. A.S. documented nests and co-wrote paper. Š.N. with Ľ.V. performed SEM.
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Multiple affiliations of P.V. are within one research body (Slovak Academy of Sciences); secondary affiliation of J.H. is in unpaid position. All the other authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.
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This is an observational study. The Research Ethics Committee of Bioscience center of Slovak Academy of Sciences has confirmed that no ethical approval is required. Systematical material originated from old collections.
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Communicated by: Dany Azar
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Hinkelman, J., Vršanský, P., Garcia, T. et al. Neotropical Melyroidea group cockroaches reveal various degrees of (eu)sociality. Sci Nat 107, 39 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00114-020-01694-x
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00114-020-01694-x