Morphology of the mandibular gland of the ant Paraponera clavata (Hymenoptera: Paraponerinae)

Abstract

The ant Paraponera clavata (Fabricius, 1775) is the only extant species of Paraponerinae and is widely distributed in Brazilian forests. Aspects of its biology are documented extensively in the literature; however, knowledge of P. clavata internal morphology, specifically of exocrine glands, is restricted to the venom apparatus. The objective of this study was to describe the mandibular gland morphology of P. clavata workers. The mandibular gland is composed of a reservoir connected to a cluster of Type III secretory cells with cytoplasm rich in mitochondria and lipid droplets, similar to that of other ants. Notably, the glandular secretion is rich in protein and has a solid aspect. This is the first morphological description of the mandibular gland of P. clavata. Research Highlights This study presents the morphological description of the mandibular gland of Paraponera clavata (Hymenoptera: Paraponerinae). Singular characteristics of the gland are described: the glandular secretion is rich in protein and has a solid aspect.

Anatomy and histology of the metapleural gland in the giant tropical ant Paraponera clavata (Fabricius, 1775) (Formicidae: Paraponerinae)

“…Social insects have a wide spectrum of interactions between the numerous individuals in the colony, involving a sophisticated system of physiological and chemical regulation (Tragust 2016, Penick et al 2018, Santos et al 2020. In ants (Formicidae), behavioral control and colony asepsis are mediated by compounds produced by approximately 85 exocrine glands (Adams et al 2012, Billen & Sobotník 2015, Andrade et al 2019, Guarda & Lutinski 2020, including the metapleural glands that are unique to ants, although they have been lost in a few tree species and social parasites (Brown 1968, Hölldobler & Engel-Siegel 1984.…”