Caste is a specific term pertaining to societies, invertebrates or vertebrates.  Gender is a wider term pertaining to indviduals with opposing gametes, who, when coupled, exchange genetic material.  I would suggest that the terminology is not an issue of mere semantics as there has been considerable thought devoted to the construction of both definitions.

There are two papers and two books that provide good background as to the orgins and recent discussions on the term caste;

Crespi, B. J. and D. Yanega.  The definition of eusociality.  Behavioral Ecology.  6: 109-115.

Keller, L. and H. K. Reeve.  Partitioning of reeproduction in animal societies.  TREE 9: 98-102.

Mitchener, C.D. 1974.  The Social Behavior of the Bess, a Comparative Study.  Harvard University Press. Camridge, Mass.

Wilson, E.O. 1971.  The Insect Societies.  Harvard University Press.  Camridge, Mass.

Caste, is generally agreed upon as a term exclusive to societies where there is a reproductive skew among the members of the society, that is to say a small subset of the society has more offspring than other members of the society.  There are different degrees of caste and this is an area of hot debate.  Among most mammals, caste are, in most cases physiologically irreversable during an individual's life.  Wolves are a good example.  Only a few wolves reproduce at a time, skewing reproduction, however, the wolves not reproducing are fertile and, if opportunity arises, they can and will have or sire offspring.  Honey bees females, by contrast, are only plastic to caste determination up to three days after the egg has hatched.  After that time, their physiology is fixed and they can not become a queen, no matter what the conditions.  Not many mammals have such rigid caste structures, a possible exception being the naked mole rats of Africa.  Bumble bees are more plastic than honey bees and other social bees are more plastic yet, resembling the pattern observed in wolves.


Adony Melathopoulos
Apiculture Biotechnologist
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada
Beaverlodge Research Farm
Box CP 29
Beaverlodge, Alberta CANADA
T0H 0C0

T +1 780 354 5130
F +1 780 354 8171

>>> Robert Mann <[log in to unmask]> 12/02 5:17 PM >>>
<< A caste is a subculture of humans who have organised for many generations to specialise in a particular social niche.  (India is of course the main arena where society has been thus organised.) >>

As you can see from above, the term has broader useage than that used by sociologists.

<<Of the three terms on offer, I now favour 'sex' as the most suitable....  The fact that the human has 2 sexes doesn't seem to me to preclude another species from having 3 sexes.>>

If they were truly different 'genders', as defined, then drones, workers and queens would all produce different gametes, which is not the case, queens and workers both produce eggs and drones sprem.  Gender is related to sex, not to irreversibility of ones condition or the type of work one does.

<<Gender, and even more extremely caste, are social constructs.>>

I agree.  Sociobiology is a difficult topic as it is easy to imagine the patterns which run our societies is common with other social creatures.  Imagining outside these confines is very difficult, making it a very difficult but rewarding area of inquiry.

Regards
Adony