Gene expression in the fatbody of macro- and microgyne queens of the ant Temnothorax rugatulus

Life history theory explains the widespread negative association between longevity and fecundity as the result of a trade-off between these traits. However, as both traits also covariate with others, the cost of reproduction on lifespan is difficult to quantify. With their atypical positive association between lifespan and reproduction, social insects are ideal to investigate the links between these life history traits on a phenotypic and molecular level. We experimentally disentangled the influence of colony size, body size and social structure on ant queen fecundity. Our model, the ant Temnothorax rugatulus, exhibits two queen morphs varying in body size and we compared their molecular physiology by analysing fat body transcriptomes.