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Eusociality

Eusociality is the phenomenon of reproductive specialisation found in some species, whereby a specialised caste carries out reproduction in a colony of non-reproductive animals.

The most familiar examples are insects such as ants and bees (the order Hymenoptera), with reproductive queens and sterile workers. Eusociality may be easier for these species to evolve due to their haplodiploidy[?], which increases the significance of kin selection. Another extremely widespread group exhibiting eusociality are the termites (order Isoptera).

Eusocial mammals (several naked mole rat[?] species), crustaceans and other arthropods are known.



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