Beschreibung:
<jats:title>Abstract</jats:title><jats:p>Mating structure and genetic relatedness among gynes (potential reproductive females) of the paper wasp<jats:italic>Polistes snelleni</jats:italic>were investigated using DNA microsatellite markers. All colonies had one foundress inseminated by a single male, and no sign of inbreeding was detected. The mean genetic relatedness among gynes was 0.734 ± 0.028 (SE), which is not significantly different from the expected value of 0.75 for full sisters.</jats:p>