Static allometries of caste-associated traits vary with genotype but not environment in the clonal raider ant

Polyphenic traits in animals often exhibit nonlinear scaling with body size. Static allometries (i.e., scaling relationships) themselves can exhibit plasticity, such that individuals of the same size and genotype differ in body proportions across different environments. In ants, both the larval environment and genotype regulate the expression of caste-associated traits, including body size and the number of ovarioles. However, it remains untested whether environmental variables independently regulate caste-associated traits or if they covary due to coupled developmental mechanisms. If caste traits are regulated independently, developmental plasticity should affect both trait expression and the scaling relationships between traits. Using the clonal raider ant, Ooceraea biroi, we tested this by manipulating the rearing environment of genetically identical larvae. We found that caregiver genotype, temperature, and food quantity influenced caste morphology strictly in tandem with body ..., , # Static allometries of caste-associated traits vary with genotype but not environment in the clonal raider ant

Dataset DOI: [10.5061/dryad.0p2ngf2c8](10.5061/dryad.0p2ngf2c8)

## Description of the data and file structure

We use the clonal raider ant *Ooceraea biroi* to investigate whether the developmental plasticity of caste-associated traits is strictly tied to plasticity in body size, or whether the static allometries of these traits themselves can shift. Additionally, we test whether static allometry differs among three closely related clonal genotypes—A, B, and M.

**Experiment 1:**

To assess environmental effects on intercaste development and trait allometry, we established four experimental conditions. Ten colonies with line B caregivers were maintained at 28°C and fed every 48 hours with 16 frozen *Solenopsis invicta* pupae and/or larvae (i.e., well-fed). Ten colonies with line A caregivers were also well-fed at 28°C, while another ten were well-fed but kept at 23°C. A four...,

动物的多型性状通常表现出与体型相关的非线性缩放关系。静态异速生长（static allometries，即缩放关系）本身也可表现出可塑性，即相同体型和基因型的个体在不同环境下的身体比例存在差异。在蚂蚁中，幼虫环境与基因型共同调控与品级（caste）相关的性状表达，包括体型以及卵巢小管（ovarioles）数量。然而，环境变量是否独立调控品级相关性状，或是这些性状因发育耦合机制而出现协变，目前仍未得到验证。若品级性状受独立调控，则发育可塑性应同时影响性状表达以及性状间的缩放关系。本研究以克隆掠夺蚁（clonal raider ant，*Ooceraea biroi*）为模式生物，通过操控遗传一致幼虫的饲养环境验证了这一假说。研究发现，抚育蚁基因型、温度与食物供应量均严格伴随体型变化而影响品级形态……，# 克隆掠夺蚁品级相关性状的静态异速生长随基因型变化但不受环境影响

数据集DOI：10.5061/dryad.0p2ngf2c8

## 数据与文件结构说明
本研究以克隆掠夺蚁*Ooceraea biroi*为模式生物，旨在探究品级相关性状的发育可塑性是否严格绑定于体型的可塑性，或是此类性状的静态异速生长本身可发生改变。此外，我们还检验了三种近缘克隆基因型（clonal genotypes，A、B、M）间的静态异速生长是否存在差异。

**实验1：**
为评估环境对品级间发育与性状异速生长的影响，我们设置了四种实验条件。以B系抚育蚁构建的10个蚁群饲养于28℃环境，每48小时投喂16只冰冻红火蚁（*Solenopsis invicta*）蛹和/或幼虫，即饱食组。以A系抚育蚁构建的10个蚁群同样设置为28℃饱食组，另有10个蚁群保持饱食状态但饲养于23℃环境。第四组……