Gyne

Gyne

Gyne is the primary reproductive female caste of social insects (especially ants, wasps, and bees of order Hymenoptera). Gynes are those destined to become queens, whereas female workers are typically sterile and cannot become queens. A colony with multiple queens is said to be a polygyne form, whereas with only one is a monogyne form.

The fire ant Solenopsis invicta is known to have colonies in both polygyne and monogyne forms.

In species lacking morphological castes (i.e., where "workers" may not be sterile), the term "gyne" is usually reserved for those females whose entire life is spent as a reproductive or potential reproductive, as opposed to those who start life as a worker and subsequently attain reproductive status (often called a "replacement queen" or a "laying worker"). In most species with annual colony cycles, only gynes can enter diapause and overwinter, while workers - both non-reproductive and reproductive - die off. In some groups, such as paper wasps, gynes will join with other gynes at the time of nest founding, and may be relegated to subordinate reproductive roles, so being a gyne does not guarantee that a female will become a queen.

References

See also


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  • gyne — gyne·co·cen·tric; gyne·coc·ra·cy; gyne·co·gen·ic; gyne·co·log·ic; gyne·col·o·gist; gyne·col·o·gy; gyne·co·mast; gyne·co·mas·tia; gyne·co·mor·phous; gyne·type; me·loi·do·gyne; mi·cro·gyne; pseu·do·gyne; trich·o·gyne; gyne; gyne·coid; ep·i·gyne;… …   English syllables

  • -gyne — ♦ Élément, du gr. gunê « femme » : androgyne, misogyne. ⇒ GYNE, élém. formant Élém. terminal tiré du gr. « femme, femelle » et entrant dans la constr. de mots sav. (le plus souvent adj.) appartenant notamment au domaine de la botanique. Ces mots… …   Encyclopédie Universelle

  • ‘Gynė’ — statusas T sritis augalininkystė apibrėžtis Vengrinių tipo slyvų veislė, sukurta Lietuvos sodininkystės ir daržininkystės institute. Vaisiai tinka perdirbti, ypač džiovinti. 1992 m. perduota atlikti valstybinius tyrimus. atitikmenys: angl. ‘Gynė’ …   Žemės ūkio augalų selekcijos ir sėklininkystės terminų žodynas

  • -gyne — suff. Female reproductive organ: trichogyne.   [From Greek gunē, woman. See gʷen . * * * …   Universalium

  • Gyne — Gynomorphe oder Gyne ist eine morphologische Bezeichnung für eine weibliche Ameise mit stark ausgeprägter Gaster und meist übergroßem Körperbau. Bei den meisten Ameisenarten stellt eine begattete Gyne die Königin. Literatur Bernhard Seifert: Die… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • gyne — I. ˈjīn, ˈgīn noun ( s) Etymology: Greek gynē woman more at queen : female; especially : a functional female of one of the social insects II. ˌjīn …   Useful english dictionary

  • -gyne — noun combining form Etymology: Greek gynē female reproductive organ < trichogyne > …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • gyne — gynéco , gyn(é) ou gyne éléments, du gr. gunê, gunaïkos, femme …   Encyclopédie Universelle

  • gyné — gynéco , gyn(é) ou gyne éléments, du gr. gunê, gunaïkos, femme …   Encyclopédie Universelle

  • gyne- — combining form Etymology: Greek gynē woman : gyn gynecytology …   Useful english dictionary

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