Cuticular hydrocarbons as cues of caste and sex in the German wasp Vespula germanica

Silva, R. C. da; Brown, Robert L.; Nascimento, Fábio Santos do; Wenseelers, T.; Oi, Cintia Akemi

doi:10.1007/s00040-021-00817-5

Cited by 6 publications

(3 citation statements)

References 44 publications

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“…Our results are in line with previous reports of chemical composition in V. germanica (queens, workers, virgin queens, and males), that CHCs vary in quantity and are probably important to mediate intranidal interactions (da Silva et al, 2021). One key hydrocarbon that has been reported to be queen-characteristic was the linear alkane n-C27, which was also found in higher proportions in our queen samples, and can potentially be a candidate for the queen pheromone in V. germanica (da Silva et al, 2021). This compound was also higher in methoprene-treated workers.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 93%

Juvenile hormone modulates hydrocarbon expression and reproduction in the german wasp Vespula germanica

et al. 2022

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Juvenile hormone (JH) affects multiple physiological traits in insects. In social insects, besides development, JH has been demonstrated to influence caste determination and the production of chemical compounds. In social wasps, JH triggers behavioral maturation, gonadotropic effects, and hydrocarbon modulation. Here, we investigated whether JH displays the same function in fertility and fertility cue production in females of the German wasp Vespula germanica, previously shown in the related species Vespula vulgaris. By experimentally treating workers with JH-analog, an anti-JH, and acetone solvent control, we tested whether JH modulates the cuticular chemical expression (CHCs), the Dufour’s gland chemical composition, and hence the compounds found over the egg’s surface. Additionally, we explored whether JH has a gonadotropic effect on workers. Workers treated with the JH-analog acquired a chemical profile that was intermediate between the queen and other treated workers. Interestingly, the same pattern was also seen in the Dufour’s glands and eggs, although more subtle. Furthermore, workers treated with the JH-analog were more fertile when compared to the controls, supporting the fact that JH acts as a gonadotropic hormone. Our results indicate a similar function of JH in societies of related wasp species V. germanica and V. vulgaris.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 93%

Juvenile hormone modulates hydrocarbon expression and reproduction in the german wasp Vespula germanica

et al. 2022

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“…some compounds were sex specific) and quantitatively (e.g. a compound were relatively more common in one of the sexes), as in most species in which sex differences have been investigated ( Polistes : Beani et al 2019 ; da Silva et al 2021a ; Vespula : da Silva et al 2021b ; Ropalidia : Mitra et al 2015 ). Again, at least in P. dominula , CHCs profile has been experimentally confirmed as a sex recognition cue ( da Silva et al 2021a ).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Sex differences in odor and visual appearance have been previously documented in different social wasps. Specifically, the antennal morphology ( Romani et al 2005 ), the facial coloration ( Chavarria-Pizaro and West-Eberhard 2010 ; de Souza et al 2014 , 2017a ; Cappa et al 2016 ) and the cuticular chemical profile ( Beani et al 2019 ; da Silva et al 2021a , 2021b ) are potential cues of sex. Surprisingly, experimental tests on sex discrimination are rare and restricted to Polistes (e.g.…”

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confidence: 99%

Sex recognition does not modulate aggression toward nest intruders in a paper wasp

et al. 2022

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During social interactions, the behavior of an individual often depends on the sex of its social partner. Many animal societies have males and females that play very different behavioral roles, although they coexist and interact non-sexually. At specific phases of the colony cycle, social wasp females and males are contemporaries within a nest, they often interact, although mating occurs mostly off the nest, therefore providing an opportunity to test sex discrimination in contexts other than classical sexual ones. We performed a lure presentation experiment to test if Mischocyttarus metathoracicus discriminate between conspecifics of the two sexes during on-nest social interactions. Female wasps discriminated conspecific sex during experimentally simulated nest intrusions. Visual and chemical cues may account for this sex discrimination. Despite sex discrimination (evidenced by differential inspective behavior from the nest females toward the female and the male lures), female wasps were as aggressive toward lures of both sexes. In the female dominated hymenopteran societies, males are often subordinate and not aggressive on nest, resulting in females directing less aggression to them compared to other females. Instead, M. metathoracicus males and females are both aggressive toward nestmates, so they might be perceived as similar threat during on-nest social interactions.

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Chemical signatures of egg maternity and Dufour’s gland in Vespine wasps

Silva

Nascimento

Wenseleers

et al. 2023

Sci Nat

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Cuticular hydrocarbons as cues of caste and sex in the German wasp Vespula germanica

Cited by 6 publications

References 44 publications

Juvenile hormone modulates hydrocarbon expression and reproduction in the german wasp Vespula germanica

Juvenile hormone modulates hydrocarbon expression and reproduction in the german wasp Vespula germanica

Sex recognition does not modulate aggression toward nest intruders in a paper wasp

Chemical signatures of egg maternity and Dufour’s gland in Vespine wasps

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