Differences Between the Allometric Rules Governing Two Formica lugubris Zetterstedt, 1838 (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) Ants Populations in Northern Greece

Abstract

Red wood ant workers, despite being monomorphic, show a wide range in their body size even within the same colony. As overall size grows, some organs grow in a negative allometric relationship with the body. Genetic and environmental factors, like diet and temperature, are considered as key factors that determine differences in body and organ growth. We studied the allometric rules governing the organs in two different populations of red wood ants in two different environments in Northern Greece to identify similarities and differences. These rules, although linear for both populations and negative allometric for most of the traits measured, differ in the two study areas, while the shape of the head found to be governed by different allometric rules between the two populations. The whole shape and size of red wood ants varies greatly even within the same species and we cannot create allometric models for two different areas, even when they belong in the same species. The differences might be a result of differences in the genome and the environmental conditions between the two populations.