A new study on naked mole rats reveals that even the most vicious of societies is adaptive when survival is at stake.
Scientific American detailed the paper from the Salk Institute for Biological Studies, which showed that the animals' cycle of brutal warfare over the right to be queen isn't a certainty.
"We found that naked mole rats are capable of peaceful queen succession, suggesting these animals have greater reproductive flexibility than previously appreciated," said Janelle Ayres, a co-author of the paper, published in the Science Advances journal.
That's significant given the species' modus operandi. Naked mole rats are eusocial, organizing their colonies with designated reproductive and non-reproductive individuals like bees and ants.
In that framework, the battle to be queen leads to fierce territorial disputes. The upshot is one female responsible for breeding with the rest of the naked mole rats in their service.
This hierarchical structure is effective in the creatures' stable environments in sub-Saharan Africa. It does have downsides, though.
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Pups that share a single queen's genetics may be vulnerable to disease or environmental changes. Enforcing the structure also requires a hefty amount of energy with potential for injuries.
With this in mind, the scientists put in motion an experiment to gauge whether there could be change.
They tried two scenarios. One was an increase in colony density that led to worse survival outcomes for pups. The other was a move to a new facility, where the queen was unable to reproduce.
The second scenario unearthed a cooperative queen over a year of observation. The queen allowed a subordinate female to aid in keeping the colony alive. Another subordinate female eventually took the reins, with the queen taking a back seat in a non-reproductive role.
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This surprising result revealed that naked mole rats and other species are capable of doing what it takes to survive. That's a valuable lesson to consider in the natural world.
"By studying resilience in various biological systems, the principles can be applied to other systems to better understand health and disease," Ayres concluded in a news release.
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