Data from: Loss of pair formation predates the evolution of male-less society in termites

Asexual lineages are rare in social animals with biparental care, where
successful reproduction typically requires coordinated behavior between
two individuals of opposite sex. Male-less lineages of the
termite Glyptotermes nakajimai provide a unique
opportunity to unravel how sexual reproduction can be lost in such
animals. Here, we show that modification of the mate-pairing process
predated the evolution of the asexual lineage. Termite colonies are
typically initiated by a mating pair that searches for a nest site through
a tandem courtship behavior. Our comparative analysis of tandem running in
Glyptotermes termites revealed that two related
species, G. fuscus and G. satsumensis,
exhibited both female-leader and male-leader tandem runs. However, tandem
running was rare and ephemeral in both sexual and asexual lineages
of G. nakajimai. Furthermore, our comparative studies throughout
termites’ diversity showed that a typical monogamous pairing was uniquely
lost in G. nakajimai, while G.
fuscus and G. satsumensis initiated nests in
pairs. Our study evidenced that a clear disruption of the reproductive
behavioral sequence, coupled with an alternative mode of colony
foundation, seems to be a precondition for asexuality in biparental
species.