Nestmate recognition and intraspecific chemical and genetic variation in Temnothorax ants

Foitzik, Susanne; Sturm, Heike; Pusch, Katja; d’Ettorre, Patrizia; Heınze, Jürgen

doi:10.1016/j.anbehav.2006.07.017

Cited by 52 publications

(37 citation statements)

References 47 publications

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“…Previous work has found a correlation between chemical distance and aggression between colonies in some species of ants, but not in others (Foitzik et al, 2007;Van Wilgenburg et al, 2010;Martin et al, 2012;Sturgis and Gordon, 2013;Signorotti et al, 2014). Our results demonstrate that even within a species, the correlation may be evident only in a subset of individuals.…”

Section: Discussioncontrasting

confidence: 59%

Variation in nestmate recognition ability among polymorphic leaf-cutting ant workers

Larsen

Fouks

Bos

et al. 2014

Journal of Insect Physiology

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Section: Discussioncontrasting

confidence: 59%

Variation in nestmate recognition ability among polymorphic leaf-cutting ant workers

Larsen

Fouks

Bos

et al. 2014

Journal of Insect Physiology

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“…Their high intraspecific tolerance is probably caused by a low genetic inter-colony differentiation, which translates into lower differentiation of the chemical recognition cues (Suarez et al, 2008;Tsutsui et al, 2000;Tsutsui et al, 2003). A possibly similar mechanism has recently been described for non-invasive ants with unusually low intraspecific aggression (Foitzik et al, 2007).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Intraspecific nestmate recognition in two parabiotic ant species: acquired recognition cues and low inter-colony discrimination

2009

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Parabiotic ants-ants that share their nest with another ant species-need to tolerate not only conspecific nestmates, but also nestmates of a foreign species. The parabiotic ants Camponotus rufifemur and Crematogaster modiglianii display high interspecific tolerance, which exceeds their respective partner colony and extends to alien colonies of the partner species. The tolerance appears to be related to unusual cuticular substances in both species. Both species possess hydrocarbons of unusually high chain lengths. In addition, Cr. modiglianii carries high quantities of hereto unknown compounds on its cuticle. These unusual features of the cuticular profiles may affect nestmate recognition within both respective species as well. In the present study, we therefore examined inter-colony discrimination within the two parabiotic species in relation to chemical differentiation. Cr. modiglianii was highly aggressive against workers from alien conspecific colonies in experimental confrontations. In spite of high inter-colony variation in the unknown compounds, however, Cr. modiglianii failed to differentiate between intracolonial and allocolonial unknown compounds. Instead, the cuticular hydrocarbons functioned as recognition cues despite low variation across colonies. Moreover, inter-colony aggression within Cr. modiglianii was significantly influenced by the presence of two methylbranched alkenes acquired from its Ca. rufifemur partner. Ca. rufifemur occurs in two varieties ('red' and 'black') with almost no overlap in their cuticular hydrocarbons. Workers of this species showed low aggression against conspecifics from foreign colonies of the same variety, but attacked workers from the respective other variety. The low inter-colony discrimination within a variety may be related to low chemical differentiation between the colonies. Ca. rufifemur majors elicited significantly more intercolony aggression than medium-sized workers. This may be explained by the density of recognition cues: majors carried significantly higher quantities of cuticular hydrocarbons per body surface.

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“…Most likely, low cuticular hydrocarbon variation and reduced aggression between conspecifics facilitates the success of P. simplex and P. ejectus regardless of whether these nests are a part of the same colony or multiple nonaggressive colonies. Studies with Temnothorax ants report that species with reduced nestmate recognition have higher nest density than those with more efficient nestmate recognition (Foitzik et al 2007). Additionally, nest site limitation can trigger cooperative colony founding of unrelated queens (i.e.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Social insects use low-volatility chemical cues found on their cuticle (generally hydrocarbons) to distinguish colony members from non-colony members (Vander Meer and Morel 1998;Howard and Blomquist 2005). Nestmates share a common chemical signature through a combination of genetic similarity and the colony members creating an admixture through physical contact, social grooming, and trophallaxis (Crozier and Dix 1979;Foitzik et al 2007). If an ant's chemical signature deviates from the admixed template (i.e.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Variation in spatial scale of competing polydomous twig-nesting ants in coffee agroecosystems

Mathis¹

2016

2016 International Congress of Entomology

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Arboreal ants are both highly diverse and ecologically dominant in the tropics. This ecologically important group is particularly useful in ongoing efforts to understand processes that regulate species diversity and coexistence. Our study addresses how polydomy can influence patterns of nest occupation in competing arboreal ants. We examined the spatial structure of nest occupation (nest distance, abundance and density) in three polydomous co-occurring twig-nesting ant species (Pseudomyrmex simplex, P. ejectus and P. PSW-53) by mapping twigs occupied by ants from each species within plots in our study site. We then used two colony structure estimators (intraspecific aggression and cuticular hydrocarbon variation) to determine the relative degree of polydomy for each species. All work was conducted in coffee agroforests in Chiapas, Mexico. Our results revealed that the two species with highest abundance and nest density were also highly polydomous, where both species had either single or multiple non-aggressive colonies occupying nests on a large spatial scale (greater than the hectare level). Our results also indicate that the species with the lowest abundance and density is less polydomous, occupying several overlapping and territorial colonies at the hectare level in which multiple colonies never co-occur on the same host plant. These results contribute evidence that successful coexistence and highly polydomous colony structure may allow ants, through reduced intraspecific aggression, to successfully occupy more nests more densely than ant species that have multiple territorial colonies. Furthermore our study highlights the importance of considering intraspecific interactions when examining community assembly of ants.

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Nestmate recognition and intraspecific chemical and genetic variation in Temnothorax ants

Cited by 52 publications

References 47 publications

Variation in nestmate recognition ability among polymorphic leaf-cutting ant workers

Variation in nestmate recognition ability among polymorphic leaf-cutting ant workers

Intraspecific nestmate recognition in two parabiotic ant species: acquired recognition cues and low inter-colony discrimination

Variation in spatial scale of competing polydomous twig-nesting ants in coffee agroecosystems

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