Comments on: Termite queen avoids inbreeding by leaving a legacy of clones

By: DNLee

DNLee — Sun, 04 Oct 2009 00:46:37 +0000

It’s good to be the king.

By: Bethany

Bethany — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 13:54:23 +0000

In termites, are secondary queens exact clones? In other words, are the secondary queens products of a meiosis/recombination and joining of two meiotic products (producing nonidentical parthenogens)? Or are they produced by a single egg copying the chromosomes that it contains, producing total homozygotes (again nonidentical parthenogens)? Or are they actual clones, produced somehow with the exact same chromosomes as the mother?

By: JAC

JAC — Sat, 11 Apr 2009 05:51:34 +0000

Awesome, but eerie stuff. Also, I had the same thought as Jessica. Go figure that out… o_O

By: Paper Hand

Paper Hand — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 06:13:19 +0000

So, what happens when the king dies? Does a new king from outside of the colony arrive, or does a king arise from the colony, mating with his mother (or a clone thereof)?

By: Zach Miller

Zach Miller — Fri, 27 Mar 2009 22:21:06 +0000

My mind is reeling with the implications for xenomorph reproductive strategies (Aliens films).

By: Lilian Nattel

Lilian Nattel — Fri, 27 Mar 2009 20:19:57 +0000

Maybe another pixar movie?

By: Jessica

Jessica — Fri, 27 Mar 2009 15:58:28 +0000

Excellent writeup. Am I the only one that wants to turn this into a scifi novel?