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Abstract
The reproductive biology of the small fire ant Wasmannia auropunctata (Roger), a polygynous neotropical species, was studied. The research focused on queen biology, particularly investigating two factors affecting fecundity: queen age and the number of queens in colonies. A significant correlation between fecundity and age was found. Egg-laying is highest in young queens and decreases as they age, with a lifespan ranging from 11 to 15 months. Observations in field and laboratory conditions revealed an inverse relationship between the number of queens and the individual queens fecundity.
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