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.