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Dataset examining worker reproduction in the yellow crazy ant (Anoplolepis gracilipes)

Dataset collected as part of a study on the worker reproduction of the invasive yellow crazy ant, Anoplolepis gracilipes. The files are all excel spreadsheets containing raw data. The data was analysed and published here: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12983-021-00392-2. Descriptions of the variables are all included in sheet number two of each excel file.

Dissection entire colony:

Contains raw data of workers and queen dissections of captive colonies of yellow crazy ants. We dissected the ovaries of all the workers from two queenright colonies (colonies with at least one queen). We also dissected all the workers from two queenless colonies. For each dissection, we counted the number of ovarioles and yolky (i.e. opaque) oocytes and determined the presence of yellow bodies.

Male morphometry:

Contains raw data of yellow crazy ant male measurements. We measured the head width (i.e. maximum width of the head in full face view including the eyes), Weber’s length, wing width and wing length of males that could have been produced by queens (alate or dealate) or workers and worker-produced males from queenless colonies.

Queen transfer:

We evenly split workers and brood from 14 yellow crazy ant colonies into two subcolonies and randomly assigned one of each pair to house a queen while the other was queenless. We observed the colonies for 60 days.  After 60 days we moved the queens to their corresponding queenless subcolony pair.

  • Queen transfer weekly observations: Contains raw data of weekly observations of yellow crazy ant colonies from the queen transfer experiment. 60 days sheet: weekly observations of colonies for which the queen in the queenright treatments survived until day 60 of the experiment. 120 days sheet: weekly observations of colonies for which the queen in the queenright treatments survived until day 120 of the experiment.
  • Queen transfer worker dissections: Contains raw data of worker dissections of colonies which survived until day 120 of the experiment

Aggression tests:

We conducted aggression trials between yellow crazy ant and native green tree ant (Oecophylla smaragdina) workers.

  • Aggression tests data: Contains raw data of the aggression tests in which the interaction of three yellow crazy ant workers and one green tree ant workers were recorded for 5 minutes. The tests were conducted in fluon-coated 60x93mm (diameter x height) PVC cylinders. The highest aggression score between the two species were recorded at 30s intervals according to the method used in Lai et al. (2015): as: 0 ignoring, 1 touching, 2 avoiding, 3 holding, 4 aggression, and 5 fighting.

Lai L, Hua KH, Wu WJ. Intraspecific and interspecific aggressive interactions between two species of fire ants, Solenopsis geminata and S. invicta (Hymenoptera: Formicidae), in Taiwan. J Asia Pac 755Entomol. 2015;18:93–8.

  • Aggression tests dissections: Contains raw data of yellow crazy ant worker dissections conducted following the aggression tests
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    Data Record Details
    Data record related to this publication Dataset examining worker reproduction in the yellow crazy ant (Anoplolepis gracilipes)
    Data Publication title Dataset examining worker reproduction in the yellow crazy ant (Anoplolepis gracilipes)
  • Description

    Dataset collected as part of a study on the worker reproduction of the invasive yellow crazy ant, Anoplolepis gracilipes. The files are all excel spreadsheets containing raw data. The data was analysed and published here: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12983-021-00392-2. Descriptions of the variables are all included in sheet number two of each excel file.

    Dissection entire colony:

    Contains raw data of workers and queen dissections of captive colonies of yellow crazy ants. We dissected the ovaries of all the workers from two queenright colonies (colonies with at least one queen). We also dissected all the workers from two queenless colonies. For each dissection, we counted the number of ovarioles and yolky (i.e. opaque) oocytes and determined the presence of yellow bodies.

    Male morphometry:

    Contains raw data of yellow crazy ant male measurements. We measured the head width (i.e. maximum width of the head in full face view including the eyes), Weber’s length, wing width and wing length of males that could have been produced by queens (alate or dealate) or workers and worker-produced males from queenless colonies.

    Queen transfer:

    We evenly split workers and brood from 14 yellow crazy ant colonies into two subcolonies and randomly assigned one of each pair to house a queen while the other was queenless. We observed the colonies for 60 days.  After 60 days we moved the queens to their corresponding queenless subcolony pair.

    • Queen transfer weekly observations: Contains raw data of weekly observations of yellow crazy ant colonies from the queen transfer experiment. 60 days sheet: weekly observations of colonies for which the queen in the queenright treatments survived until day 60 of the experiment. 120 days sheet: weekly observations of colonies for which the queen in the queenright treatments survived until day 120 of the experiment.
    • Queen transfer worker dissections: Contains raw data of worker dissections of colonies which survived until day 120 of the experiment

    Aggression tests:

    We conducted aggression trials between yellow crazy ant and native green tree ant (Oecophylla smaragdina) workers.

    • Aggression tests data: Contains raw data of the aggression tests in which the interaction of three yellow crazy ant workers and one green tree ant workers were recorded for 5 minutes. The tests were conducted in fluon-coated 60x93mm (diameter x height) PVC cylinders. The highest aggression score between the two species were recorded at 30s intervals according to the method used in Lai et al. (2015): as: 0 ignoring, 1 touching, 2 avoiding, 3 holding, 4 aggression, and 5 fighting.

    Lai L, Hua KH, Wu WJ. Intraspecific and interspecific aggressive interactions between two species of fire ants, Solenopsis geminata and S. invicta (Hymenoptera: Formicidae), in Taiwan. J Asia Pac 755Entomol. 2015;18:93–8.

    • Aggression tests dissections: Contains raw data of yellow crazy ant worker dissections conducted following the aggression tests
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  • Other Descriptors
    • Descriptor
      Dataset collected as part of a study on the worker reproduction of the invasive yellow crazy ant, Anoplolepis gracilipes. It includes raw data collected in dissections of workers’ ovaries, a queen transfer experiment, aggression tests, male morphometry, and colony observations.
      •
      Descriptor type Brief
    • Data type dataset
  • Keywords
    • Anoplolepis gracilipes
    • aggression tests
    • eusocial insects
    • Oecophylla smaragdina
    • oocytes
    • ovaries
    • worker reproduction
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    • Research themes
    Tropical Ecosystems, Conservation and Climate Change
    Tropical Health, Medicine and Biosecurity
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  • Locations
    • Queensland, Australia
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- Citation
    Citation Lenancker, Pauline; Feldhaar, Heike; Holzinger, Anja; Greenfield, Melinda; Strain, Angela; Yeeles, Peter; Hoffmann, Benjamin D.; Tay, Wee Tek; Lach, Lori (2021): Dataset examining worker reproduction in the yellow crazy ant (Anoplolepis gracilipes). James Cook University. https://doi.org/10.25903/sjzv-my64