Table 1.

Overview of the samples used for the measurement of protein oxidation and the expression of antioxidant genes.

species	social complexity/lifespan	samples (N) protein oxidation	samples (N) antioxidant genes	tissue protein oxidation/antioxidant genes
Cryptotermes secundus (Hill, 1925) (Kalotermitidae, Isoptera, Blattodea)	low: ‘Cooperative breeders' colony size: 200–400 individuals; totipotent workers; lifespan: queens: up to 13 years workers: at least 4 years	young (7)/old (7) queens young (7)/old (7) kings young (7)/old (7) workers	young (2)/old (2) queens young (2)/old (2) kings young (2)/old (2) workers	whole body (without gut)
Euglossa viridissima Friese, 1899 (Apidae, Apoidea, Hymenoptera)	low: ‘Facultative eusocial’ colony size: 1–5 individuals; totipotent workers; lifespan: queens: min 2–6 months workers: 2–6 weeks	solitary nest: young (4)/old (5) queens social nest: young (4)/old (7) queens young (5)/old (3) workers	young (4)/old (6) queens young (4)/old (3) workers	thorax/abdomen
Apis mellifera Linneaus, 1758 (Apidae, Apoidea, Hymenoptera)	high ‘Superorganism’ colony size: several thousand individuals; functionally sterile workers; lifespan: queens: 1–5 years workers: 4–6 weeks	young (12)/old (9) workers	—	thorax
Apis mellifera capensis Eschscholtz, 1822 (Apidae, Apoidea, Hymenoptera)	high ‘Superorganism’ colony size: several thousand individuals; functionally sterile workers, though functionally reproductive workers can develop as pseudoqueens; lifespan: queens: 1–5 years workers: 4–6 weeks	—	early stagea (2)/late stageb (2) pseudoqueens early stagea (2)/late stageb (2) workers	fat body
Platythyrea punctata Smith, 1858 (Formicidae, Hymenoptera)	low: ‘Clonal ant’ colony size: 30–80 individuals; totipotent workers; lifespan: reproductive worker: > 400–500 days non-reproductive workers: approximately 200 days	young (9)/old (9) subordinates	young (5)/old (5) dominants – head and abdomen young (5)/old (5) subordinates – head and abdomen	head + thorax/head, abdomen

^aearly stage: day 3, day 4.

^blate stage: day 7, day 8.