Moritz, Robin F.A.Pirk, Christian Walter WernerHepburn, H. RandallNeumann, Peter2009-05-092009-05-092008Moritz, RFA, Pirk, CWW, Hepburn, HR & Neumann, P 2008, ‘Short-sighted evolution of virulence in parasitic honeybee workers ( Apis mellifera capensis Esch.)’, Naturwissenscaften, vol. 95, no. 6, pp. 507-513.1432-190410.1007/s00114-008-0351-6http://hdl.handle.net/2263/9996The short-sighted selection hypothesis for parasite virulence predicts that winners of within-host competition are poorer at transmission to new hosts. Social parasitism by self-replicating, female-producing workers occurs in the Cape honeybee Apis mellifera capensis, and colonies of other honeybee subspecies are susceptible hosts. We found high within-host virulence but low transmission rates in a clone of social parasitic A. m. capensis workers invading the neighbouring subspecies A. m. scutellata. In contrast, parasitic workers from the endemic range of A. m. capensis showed low within-host virulence but high transmission rates. This suggests a short-sighted selection scenario for the host–parasite co-evolution in the invasive range of the Cape honeybee, probably facilitated by beekeeping-assisted parasite transmission in apiaries.enSpringer. The original publication is available at www.springerlink.com.Apis mellifera capensisShort-sighted selectionSocial parasitismWorker reproductionWithin-host virulenceHoneybee (Apis mellifera)EvolutionVirulence (Microbiology)Postprint Article