1982] 
Alloway, Buschinger, Talbot, Stuart & Thomas 
269 
Table 1 1. Apparently Incipient Colonies of L. ambiguus and L. longispinosus 
Incipient Colonies of L. ambiguus 
Colony No. Number of 9$ Brood When Collected 
1 
2 
3 
4 
5 
6 
7 
8 
5 
3 
2 
10 
2 
2 
4 
4 
eggs and larvae 
eggs and larvae 
eggs, larvae, pupae 
eggs, larvae, pupae 
larvae 
eggs and larvae 
eggs and larvae 
eggs, larvae and pupae 
Incipient Colonies of L. longispinosus 
Colony No. Number of $9 Brood When Collected 
1 
2 
3 
4 
5 
6 
7 
1 
1 
1 
5 
2 
1 
1 
Nil 
eggs, larvae, pupae 
Nil 
eggs and larvae 
larvae 
larvae 
eggs, larvae, pupae 
Discussion 
These data indicate that colonies of L. longispinosus can be 
founded either by a single queen (haplometrosis) or by more than 
one queen (pleometrosis) and that colonies of L. ambiguus can be 
founded pleometrotically. These preliminary findings indicate that 
the colony-foundation behavior of L. ambiguus, L. curvispinosus, 
and L. longispinosus deserves more thorough investigation. Among 
the questions remaining to be answered are the following: 
a. Can pleometrosis in these species lead directly and smoothly to 
polygynous mature colonies; or is there an obligatory period of 
monogyny between a colony’s pleometrotic beginnings and the 
later adoption of supernumerary queens (Holldobler & Wilson 
1977)? 
b. How closely related are multiple colony foundresses? Are they 
always sisters? If so, how do they get together to found a new 
colony? 
c. Is foraging for food and water a laboratory artifact; or do 
colony-founding queens of these species normally forage? 
