Abstract
Major transitions in individuality occur when a group of separate organisms evolves into a higher-level organism in its own right. For example, the ancestors of the social insects used to live a solitary existence, but today they form highly elaborate, cooperative societies that can be considered "superorganisms" in their own right. Current theory describing major transitions in individuality highlights the importance of clonal reproduction and systems of policing in maintaining the integrity of the superorganism. However, the social insects appear to have evolved a higher level of individuality on the basis of strict lifetime monogamy, which has abolished conflicts of interest within the colony. I will develop new theory to incorporate this monogamy hypothesis into the theory of major transitions in individuality, and I will investigate how the quirky genetics of some species can lead to other forms of conflict arising within their societies.
United Kingdom