Caste differences and related bionomic aspects of Chartergellus communis, a neotropical swarm-founding polistine wasp (Hymenoptera: Vespidae: Polistinae: Epiponini)

Five colonies of Chartergellus communis, a Neotropical swarm-founding social wasp, were analyzed in order to determine morphological differences between queens and workers. Although castes could be differentiated by color patterns, morphological differences were practically absent in three out of the five colonies. In the two other colonies, we found queens smaller than workers in all the five measured characters in one colony while in the other queens were larger than workers in the same five characters. The importance of such caste variation according to colony is discussed. Colonies contained a large variety of individuals with different kinds of ovarian development, including intermediates between queens and workers. The occurrence of such intermediate females and their role in different wasp taxa is discussed.