Jürgen Heinze, Biologie I, University of Regensburg, Universitätsstraße 31, Regensburg, 93040, Germany
Bergmann’s rule states that the body size of endothermic animals increases with latitude. A similar correlation is also found in a number of ectotherms, including several fish and insects, though here the underlying causes are not well understood. Workers of the Holarctic ant Leptothorax acervorum from populations near the Polar Circle were found to be 10 - 20% larger than workers from mountainous populations in Southern Europe. In controlled rearing experiments with colonies from Karelia and Germany, several hypotheses on the proximate causes of Bergmann’s rule in this ant were tested. Larger body size of workers from boreal populations appears to be associated with increased fasting endurance and might help the ants to survive in areas with extremely long winters. Colony size (worker number) was not associated with latitude but instead appears to depend on the size of available nesting cavities.
Heinze J. et al. 2003. Ecography 26: 349-355
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