According to sex allocation theory, hermaphrodites are expected to allocate most of their reproductive resources to the female function when there is a low level of mate competition and to shift them to the male function when mate competition increases: sex allocation theory assumes that there is a trade-off between sexual functions. Although several studies highlight some adjustments of sex allocation according to mating opportunities, empirical support for the trade-off between sexual functions is surprisingly...

Asexual queen succession (AQS), in which workers, soldiers and dispersing reproductives are produced sexually while numerous non-dispersing queens arise through thelytokous parthenogenesis, has recently been described in three species of lower termites of the genus Reticulitermes. Here, we show that AQS is not an oddity restricted to a single genus of lower termites, but a more widespread strategy occurring also in the most advanced termite group, the higher termites (Termitidae). We analysed the genetic structure...