On the communication systems of the antsPseudomyrmex termitarius andP. triplarinus

Jaffé, Klaus; López, Mónica; Aragort, W.

doi:10.1007/bf02224591

Cited by 15 publications

(9 citation statements)

References 8 publications

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“…MG secretions appear to be used to mark nest entrances or territories in some ant species, including Tetramorium caespitum , T. impurum (Cammaerts & Cammaerts, 2001), Pheidole pallidula (Cammaerts & Cammaerts, 1998), Solenopsis geminata (Jaffe & Puche, 1984), and Pseudomyrmex triplarinus (Jaffe, Lopez & Aragort, 1986). These studies tested the ability of workers to differentiate between non‐native and native territories (Jaffe & Puche, 1984) and showed that workers are more aggressive when their own nest entrance had been marked by non‐native ants (Cammaerts & Cammaerts, 1998, 2001).…”

Section: Functions Of the Metapleural Glandmentioning

confidence: 99%

The metapleural gland of ants

2010

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The metapleural gland (MG) is a complex glandular structure unique to ants, suggesting a critical role in their origin and ecological success. We synthesize the current understanding of the adaptive function, morphology, evolutionary history, and chemical properties of the MG. Two functions of the MG, sanitation and chemical defence, have received the strongest empirical support; two additional possible functions, recognition odour and territorial marking, are less well supported. The design of the MG is unusual for insects; glandular secretions are stored in a rigid, non-compressible invagination of the integument and the secretion is thought to ooze out passively through the non-closable opening of the MG or is groomed off by the legs and applied to target surfaces. MG loss has occurred repeatedly among the ants, particularly in the subfamilies Formicinae and Myrmicinae, and the MG is more commonly absent in males than in workers. MG chemistry has been characterized mostly in derived ant lineages with unique biologies (e.g. leafcutter ants, fire ants), currently precluding any inferences about MG chemistry at the origin of the ants. A synthetic approach integrating functional morphology, phylogenetic transitions and chemical ecology of the MGs of both the derived and the unstudied early-branching (basal) ant lineages is needed to elucidate the evolutionary origin and diversification of the MG of ants.

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Section: Functions Of the Metapleural Glandmentioning

confidence: 99%

The metapleural gland of ants

2010

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“…In some species, the metapleural gland is the organ responsible for the production of pheromones of recognition and identification of nest mates, as well as foreign individuals (Brown, 1968). In other species, the secretion of the metapleural gland is used to mark the nest entrance or territory in some ant species including Tetramorium caespitum, Tetramorium impurum (Cammaerts & Cammaerts, 2001), Pheidole pallidula (Cammaerts & Cammaerts, 1998), Solenopsis geminata (Jaffe & Puche, 1984) and Pseudomyrmex triplarinus (Jaffe et al, 1986). The use of the metapleural gland secretion in chemical defense has been reported for Crematogaster (sub genus Physocrema), which possesses a hypertrophied metapleural gland (Janet, Figure 1.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The metapleural glands of fungus-growing and non-fungus-growing ants: Ultrastructural study

2014

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The metapleural glands are considered an autapomorphic structure to ants and probable have an antibiotic or antifungal function. The present study was aimed at investigating the ultrastructural mor phology of the metapleural glands in ants which have different feeding types: from fungus-growing ants, the higher and lower attine, and non-fungus-growing ants from the tribes Blepharidattini and Ectatommini analyzed by transmission electron microscopy. Plasma membrane invaginations in secre tory cells of both fungus-growing and non-fungus-growing ants facilitate absorption of extracellular material from hemolymph. Higher and lower attines differed slightly from non-fungus-growing ants, by the presence of oval secretory cells and well-developed RER in the metapleural glands, which indi cates a higher production of secretion in attines. Also, well-developed Golgi regions in the leaf-cutting ants and Ectatommini probably modify the secretions, produced by the secretory cell or coming of the hemolymph, into pheromone or antimicrobial compounds, the latter mainly in leaf-cutting ants. Still, the secretory cells of the metapleural gland of leaf-cutting ants exhibited several mitochondria near microvilli of the intracytoplasmic portion of the canaliculus, indicating an important role of the meta pleural gland in the production and transport of secretion in metapleural gland of leaf-cutting ants. Thus, our work corroborates other findings, however our results add that the slight ultrastructural dif ference in the metapleural glands of leaf-cutting ants can be due to the feeding type (fungus-growing ants), resulting in greater secretory capacity and antimicrobial properties to combat pathogens (for example, micro-fungi parasites Escovopsis).

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“…Studies about nestmate recognition system (Jaffé et al, 1986;Mintzer, 1982;Starks et al, 1998) and kinship (Mintzer & Vinson, 1985) in Pseudomyrmex genus are scarce and little is known about how the neotropical Pseudomyrmex ants recognize nestmates. Here, we investigated the nestmate recognition system in the stinging amazon ant P. concolor.…”

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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On the communication systems of the antsPseudomyrmex termitarius andP. triplarinus

Cited by 15 publications

References 8 publications

The metapleural gland of ants

The metapleural gland of ants

The metapleural glands of fungus-growing and non-fungus-growing ants: Ultrastructural study

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

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