Ants, bees and wasps have a system of inheritance in which adult males are haplo

Question

Ants, bees and wasps have a system of inheritance in which adult males are haploid, developing from unfertilized eggs, whereas adult females are diploid, and develop normally. The result is an unusual pattern of relatedness, in which females are more closely related to their full sisters (r= 0.75) than they are to their own daughters (r0.5). Using Hamilton's Rule for the evolution of altruistic traits, rb > c, explain whether a female bee would gain a greater amount of inclusive fitness by (i) producing three of her own daughters versus (ii) helping her mother produce two additional female offspring. (6 points) Answer: the female bees inclusive fitness would be exactly the same in either case. Inclusive fitness from producing three of her own daughters (direct fitness) would be: rb (0.5)(3) 1.5. Inclusive fitness from helping her mother to produce two additional full sisters (indirect fitness) would be: rb (0.75)(2) 1.5

Explanation / Answer

Ans:-Bees are insects of group hymenoptera which have eusocial behaviour. They perform altruistic behaviour. These behaviour benefit the recipient but harm the actor. Fitness cost and benefit are measured in terms of fecundity. In the provided answer, For producing 3 daughters rb= c will be r= 0.5 (genetic relatedness between mother and daughter) b= 3 (no of daughters which will add individual fitness(Direct benefit to mother) so c= 0.5 *3= 1.5. so these 3 daughters which genetically 50% related with their mother wil be beneficial to all the recipient. so it is taken as 3.

Helping her own mother to produce 2 sisters which are 75% related to her will gain indirect fitness to her own. here 2 is indirect benefit. Because these 2 sisters wil bear some of the same genes with female honey bee. So it is indirect benefit to female honey bees. so rb=c where r= 0.75 *b =2( indirect benefit )= 3

This is reason to use values 3 and 2 as benefit. As Fitness cost and benefit is measured in terms of fecundity.

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