Chemical basis of nest-mate discrimination in the ant
            <i>Formica exsecta</i>

Martin, Stephen J.; Vitikainen, Emma I. K.; Helanterä, Heikki; Drijfhout, Falko P.

doi:10.1098/rspb.2007.1708

Cited by 156 publications

(152 citation statements)

References 37 publications

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“…Hence, slavemakers carry less of the CHCs known to be important in recognition [13,14] including the putative recognition substances described for T. longispinosus [26]. Instead, they possess more n-alkanes, which are thought to have little recognition value [56]. Slavery arose several times independently in this clade (figure 1a; [36]), so that chemical similarities in slavemaker profiles cannot have a common origin.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The influence of slavemaking lifestyle, caste and sex on chemical profiles in Temnothorax ants: insights into the evolution of cuticular hydrocarbons

Kleeberg¹,

Menzel²,

Foitzik³

2017

Proc. R. Soc. B.

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Chemical communication is central for the formation and maintenance of insect societies. Generally, social insects only allow nest-mates into their colony, which are recognized by their cuticular hydrocarbons (CHCs). Social parasites, which exploit insect societies, are selected to circumvent host recognition. Here, we studied whether chemical strategies to reduce recognition evolved convergently in slavemaking ants, and whether they extend to workers, queens and males alike. We studied CHCs of three social parasites and their related hosts to investigate whether the parasitic lifestyle selects for specific chemical traits that reduce host recognition. Slavemaker profiles were characterized by shorter-chained hydrocarbons and a shift from methyl-branched alkanes to n -alkanes, presumably to reduce recognition cue quantity. These shifts were consistent across independent origins of slavery and were found in isolated ants and those emerging in their mother colony. Lifestyle influenced profiles of workers most profoundly, with little effect on virgin queen profiles. We detected an across-species caste signal, with workers, for which nest-mate recognition is particularly important, carrying more and longer-chained hydrocarbons and males exhibiting a larger fraction of n -alkanes. This comprehensive study of CHCs across castes and species reveals how lifestyle-specific selection can result in convergent evolution of chemical phenotypes.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The influence of slavemaking lifestyle, caste and sex on chemical profiles in Temnothorax ants: insights into the evolution of cuticular hydrocarbons

Kleeberg¹,

Menzel²,

Foitzik³

2017

Proc. R. Soc. B.

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“…CHCs are used by ants to identify and discern nest-mates and non-nest-mates [32 -34]. CHCs-coated glass beads have been used successfully to mimic both nest-mate [35 -38] and non-nest-mate ants [33,36,38,39]. To prepare the beads, we collected 10 workers from the test colony, chilled them for 2 min at 2208C and then placed them in a glass vial with 500 ml pentane for 10 min to dissolve CHCs.…”

Section: Part 2: Simulating Crowding With Glass Beadsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Negative feedback in ants: crowding results in less trail pheromone deposition

Czaczkes

Grüter

Ratnieks

2013

J. R. Soc. Interface.

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Crowding in human transport networks reduces efficiency. Efficiency can be increased by appropriate control mechanisms, which are often imposed externally. Ant colonies also have distribution networks to feeding sites outside the nest and can experience crowding. However, ants do not have external controllers or leaders. Here, we report a self-organized negative feedback mechanism, based on local information, which downregulates the production of recruitment signals in crowded parts of a network by Lasius niger ants. We controlled crowding by manipulating trail width and the number of ants on a trail, and observed a 5.6-fold reduction in the number of ants depositing trail pheromone from least to most crowded conditions. We also simulated crowding by placing glass beads covered in nest-mate cuticular hydrocarbons on the trail. After 10 bead encounters over 20 cm, forager ants were 45 per cent less likely to deposit pheromone. The mechanism of negative feedback reported here is unusual in that it acts by downregulating the production of a positive feedback signal, rather than by direct inhibition or the production of an inhibitory signal.

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“…Such parasite-induced changes in cuticular hydrocarbon profiles [11 -14] may enable group members to recognize infected individuals, and to either provide enhanced care towards infected members to reduce the risk of pathogen spread [15,16] or to expel them from the colony if their maintenance is costly [17,18]. Social insects use cuticular hydrocarbons generally as recognition cues to discriminate nest-mates from non-nest-mates [19,20]. They detect differences based on the quantitative variations of cuticular hydrocarbons [21].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The parasite's long arm: a tapeworm parasite induces behavioural changes in uninfected group members of its social host

Beros¹,

Jongepier²,

Hagemeier³

et al. 2015

Proc. R. Soc. B.

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Parasites can induce alterations in host phenotypes in order to enhance their own survival and transmission. Parasites of social insects might not only benefit from altering their individual hosts, but also from inducing changes in uninfected group members. Temnothorax nylanderi ant workers infected with the tapeworm Anomotaenia brevis are known to be chemically distinct from nest-mates and do not contribute to colony fitness, but are tolerated in their colonies and well cared for. Here, we investigated how tapeworminfected workers affect colony aggression by manipulating their presence in ant colonies and analysing whether their absence or presence resulted in behavioural alterations in their nest-mates. We report a parasite-induced shift in colony aggression, shown by lower aggression of uninfected nest-mates from parasitized colonies towards conspecifics, potentially explaining the tolerance towards infected ants. We also demonstrate that tapeworm-infected workers showed a reduced flight response and higher survival, while their presence caused a decrease in survival of uninfected nest-mates. This anomalous behaviour of infected ants, coupled with their increased survival, could facilitate the parasites' transmission to its definitive hosts, woodpeckers. We conclude that parasites exploiting individuals that are part of a society not only induce phenotypic changes within their individual hosts, but in uninfected group members as well.

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Chemical basis of nest-mate discrimination in the ant Formica exsecta

Cited by 156 publications

References 37 publications

The influence of slavemaking lifestyle, caste and sex on chemical profiles in Temnothorax ants: insights into the evolution of cuticular hydrocarbons

The influence of slavemaking lifestyle, caste and sex on chemical profiles in Temnothorax ants: insights into the evolution of cuticular hydrocarbons

Negative feedback in ants: crowding results in less trail pheromone deposition

The parasite's long arm: a tapeworm parasite induces behavioural changes in uninfected group members of its social host

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