Nest volatiles as modulators of nestmate recognition in the ant Camponotus fellah

Katzav-Gozansky, Tamar; Boulay, Raphaël; Ionescu-Hirsh, Armin; Hefetz, Abraham

doi:10.1016/j.jinsphys.2007.10.008

Cited by 15 publications

(9 citation statements)

References 22 publications

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“…Rather, we have traced these compounds to the ants' Dufour's gland (Fig. 2b)40. Second, the chemical samples we extracted directly from the ants' cuticles (in five of the 23 experiments) did not match those present on the surfaces of the chambers these ants occupy.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Indeed, chemicals originating from this gland have previously been associated with the ants' foraging activity3536373839. Although Dufour's gland extracts are, to an extent, colony specific their composition across colonies predominantly includes, light section hydrocarbons of 11–21 carbons40. Specifically, for all colonies, the main chemical components of the light section were: heptadecane (C 17 H 36 ), nonadecane (C 19 H 40 ) and heneicosane (C 21 H 44 ).…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Ants regulate colony spatial organization using multiple chemical road-signs

et al. 2017

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Communication provides the basis for social life. In ant colonies, the prevalence of local, often chemically mediated, interactions introduces strong links between communication networks and the spatial distribution of ants. It is, however, unknown how ants identify and maintain nest chambers with distinct functions. Here, we combine individual tracking, chemical analysis and machine learning to decipher the chemical signatures present on multiple nest surfaces. We present evidence for several distinct chemical ‘road-signs' that guide the ants' movements within the dark nest. These chemical signatures can be used to classify nest chambers with different functional roles. Using behavioural manipulations, we demonstrate that at least three of these chemical signatures are functionally meaningful and allow ants from different task groups to identify their specific nest destinations, thus facilitating colony coordination and stabilization. The use of multiple chemicals that assist spatiotemporal guidance, segregation and pattern formation is abundant in multi-cellular organisms. Here, we provide a rare example for the use of these principles in the ant colony.

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Ants regulate colony spatial organization using multiple chemical road-signs

et al. 2017

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“…Aggression toward nonnestmates is often attenuated in the lab for two reasons. First, colonies, which are kept in proximity to each other, habituate to olfactory volatiles of other colonies, which reduces aggression (Katzav-Gozansky et al 2008). Second, lab colonies are typically fed with the same diet, which can reduce inter-colony differences in hydrocarbon profiles (Richard et al 2004, Ichinose et al 2009).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Camponotus fellah queens are singly mated

2017

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“…These substances play a central role in ants such as recognition of species, sexual pheromones, marking of territories and parental recognition (Hölldobler & Wilson, 1990;Van Zweden & d'Ettorre, 2010). There are several evidences that olfactory cues (cuticular hydrocarbons) are responsible for recognition and discrimination between nestmates and non-nestmates in ants (Hölldobler, 1995;Sudd & Franks, 1987;Carlin, 1988;Errard & Hefetz, 1997;Vander Meer & Alonso, 1998;Astruc et al, 2001;Katzav-Gozansky, 2008;Van Zweden & d'Ettorre, 2010;Newey, 2011;Bos & d'Ettorre, 2012;Sturgis & Gordon, 2012;Nascimento et al, 2013). The individuals are recognized as nestmates when their recognition cues are congruent with internal patterns, template, of their own colony (Vander Meer & Alonso, 1998;Sturgis & Gordon, 2012).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Nestmate Recognition in the Amazonian Myrmecophyte Ant Pseudomyrmex concolor Smith (Hymenoptera, Formicidae)

Del‐Claro

2015

Sociobiology

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Nestmate recognition is fundamental to colonial cohesion in social insects, since it allows altruistic behavior towards relatives, recognition of intruders, territorial monopoly and resources defense. In ants, olfactory cues is a key factor in this process. Pseudomyrmex concolor is a highly aggressive ant that defends their host plant Tachigali myrmecophila against herbivores. However, this defense depends on the ant ability to discriminate in order to treat differentially between members of their own colony and intruders . In this study we investigated "whether" and "how" P. concolor recognizes nestmates from non-nestmates. We hypothesized that P. concolor is skillful in recognizing nestmates and tested it in field with experiments using nestmates and non-nestmates. Additionally, to test the efficiency of resident ants against intraspecific competition during colony foundation, we simulate the plant occupation by a competitor queen, introducing nonnestmates queens in plants previously occupied by P. concolor. For the issue of the "how", we hypothesized that the main cue used by this ant in nestmate recognition is olfactory signal. Thus, we tested adaptive threshold model, which predicts that, if the individual odor and colony's internal template are discrepant enough, the resident nestmate will behave aggressively towards incoming individuals. In this case, we confined nestmates with non-nestmates odors, and then, we reintroduced them in its host plants. In each experiment the frequency of aggressive behaviors were recorded and compared. Results showed that P. concolor recognize and discriminate nestmates from non-nestmates workers (biting and stinging them) and exclude potential competitors queens. Workers reintroduced in their own colony after impregnated with non-familiar odor were treated as non-nestmates. The adaptive threshold hypothesis was confirmed, the main cue used by this ant species in nestmate recognition is olfactory signals.

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Nest volatiles as modulators of nestmate recognition in the ant Camponotus fellah

Cited by 15 publications

References 22 publications

Ants regulate colony spatial organization using multiple chemical road-signs

Ants regulate colony spatial organization using multiple chemical road-signs

Camponotus fellah queens are singly mated

Nestmate Recognition in the Amazonian Myrmecophyte Ant Pseudomyrmex concolor Smith (Hymenoptera, Formicidae)

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