Pygidial gland chemistry and potential alarm-recruitment function in column foraging, but not solitary, Nearctic Messor harvesting ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae: Myrmicinae)

Hölldobler, Bert; Plowes, Nicola J. R.; Johnson, Robert A.; Nishshanka, Upul; Liu, Chongming; Attygalle, Athula B.

doi:10.1016/j.jinsphys.2013.06.006

Cited by 10 publications

(10 citation statements)

References 28 publications

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“…These glands have also been found to contain 3-methyl-1-butanol, butanoic acid (Wood et al 2002) and phenylethanol (Wood et al 2011), the latter having also been found in poison glands, along with 2, 5-dimethylpyrazine; phenylethanol is involved in recruitment ant trail laying (Attygalle and Morgan 1984;Liu and Liu 2002;Plowes et al 2014). Benzaldehyde has been found in pygidial glands (Hölldobler et al 2013). However, none of these compounds have previously been found in the genus Lasius, nor identified as semiochemicals for this genus.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Bacteria may enhance species association in an ant–aphid mutualistic relationship

et al. 2015

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The mutualistic relationships between certain ant and aphid species are well known, the primary benefits being protection for the aphids and carbohydrate-rich honeydew for the ants. Questions remain, however, as to the exact semiochemical factors that establish and maintain such relationships. In this study, we used a series of treatments and associated controls placed at the end of a two-way olfactometer to determine the degree of attractiveness of a complete plant-aphid-honeydew system as well as individual components of that system. Both the olfactometer branch selected by the black garden ant (Lasius niger) and the linear speed with which ants moved through the device were measured. Study results showed that ants were attracted not just to the complete plant system and the honeydew itself, but also to the microbial flora in the absence of plant or honeydew, and specifically to a bacterium from the black bean aphid (Aphis fabae) honeydew, Staphylococcus xylosus. This bacterium produces a blend of semiochemicals that attract the ant scouts. This information suggests the presence of a naturally occurring, reliable biotic cue for detection of potential aphid partners. This would have to be confirmed in natural conditions by further field experiments. Rather than being opportunistic species that coincidentally colonize a sugarrich environment, microorganisms living in aphid honeydew may be able to alter emissions of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), thus significantly mediating partner attraction. A bacterial involvement in this mutualistic relationship could alter the manner in which these and similar relationships are viewed and evaluated. Future studies into mutualism stability and function among macroscopic partners will likely need for transition from a two-partner perspective to a multiple-partner perspective, and consider the microbial component, with the potential for one or more taxa making significant contributions to the relationship.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Bacteria may enhance species association in an ant–aphid mutualistic relationship

et al. 2015

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“…To demonstrate the potential importance of secretions from mandibular glands, we designed two experiments in which mandible-based pheromone communication was blocked between nest mates or the contents of the mandibular glands was used to provoke the expression of rescue behaviour. Our methods were similar to those used in previous studies (e.g., Hölldobler et al 2013; Stuttard et al 2016). …”

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confidence: 89%

Secretions of mandibular glands are not involved in the elicitation of rescue behaviour in Formica cinerea ants

Miler

Kuszewska

2017

Insect. Soc.

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Certain ants perform rescue behaviour for other ants that require help, and the expression of rescue behaviour is hypothesized to depend on signals (“calls for help”) sent by the imperilled individuals. We studied whether the mandibular glands were involved in the elicitation of rescue behaviour in Formica cinerea Mayr ants. In the first experiment, we determined the occurrence and characteristics of rescue behaviour directed towards nest mates with impaired mandibular gland communication. We did not observe any difference in rescue behaviour directed towards individuals who were untreated, treated with paint over the mandibles, or sham-treated with paint over the thorax. In the second experiment, we determined whether rescue behaviour would occur towards dummy ants coated with the contents of the mandibular glands. Compared with the control untreated nest mates, we found that rescue behaviour was not directed towards either the untreated dummy ants or the dummy ants covered with crushed mandibular glands. Our results indicated that the “call for help” signal does not originate from the mandibular glands. Therefore, we propose that gaster-tip glands represent a plausible alternative source of rescue-eliciting pheromone(s) for the F. cinerea ants examined in this study.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1007/s00040-017-0547-x) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

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“…Although n -alkanes are simple in chemical terms, the ways in which insects and other arthropods have evolved to use them as semiochemicals are far from simple [ 15 ]. Semiochemical functions attributed to n -alkanes include, for example, sex pheromones and aphrodisiacs [ 17 , 18 ], species and caste recognition cues [ 19 , 20 ], territory marking [ 21 ], recruitment and alarm pheromones [ 22 , 23 ], as well as defensive secretions [ 15 , 24 ]. Some of these six compounds identified in the spittle mass produced by C. versicolor nymphs also act as aggregation pheromones in a number of Hemiptera species.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Identification of a self-regulatory pheromone system that controls nymph aggregation behavior of rice spittlebug Callitettix versicolor

Chen

Liang

2015

Front Zool

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BackgroundNymphs of many spittlebug species are known to aggregate in one spittle mass, a behavior which greatly benefits the survival of the developing nymphs. Little is known, however, about the precise mechanisms that induce and regulate aggregation. Here, we investigated the aggregation behavior of nymphs of the rice spittlebug Callitettix versicolor, and analyzed the chemical composition of spittle masses.ResultsWe identified six n-alkane compounds, namely un-, do-, tri-, tetra-, penta- and hexadecane in the spittle mass. Importantly, we showed that solitary spittle mass (SSM) and aggregation spittle mass (ASM) differed significantly in the amounts and composition of these compounds. While un-, do-, tri-, tetra-and hexadecane were overrepresented in SSM, pentadecane was found at significantly higher levels in ASM. Electrophysiological experiments showed that antennae responses to these six compounds were significantly higher than to both the hexane and the docosane control, which suggests a specific role of the six volatile alkanes as pheromones. In agreement with this hypothesis, behavioral tests revealed that five of the six compounds (e.g. un-, do-, tri-, tetra-, and hexadecane) acted as attractants across a wide concentration range. Thus, these five compounds allow recruitment of additional nymphs to a growing spittle mass. The sixth compound, pentadecane, attracted nymphs at low doses, whereas at higher doses, this effect vanished, suggesting that this alkane functioned as a repellent, thus preventing recruitment of additional individuals to a full aggregation in a spittle mass.ConclusionsIn summary, our study identified a simple, yet fully functional feedback mechanism which allows aggregation at low nymph numbers, while preventing over-crowding beyond a set number of nymphs within one spittle mass. In conclusion, our study provides new insights into C. versicolor development and behavior that should greatly facilitate the identification of new approaches for pheromonal control of this pest.

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Pygidial gland chemistry and potential alarm-recruitment function in column foraging, but not solitary, Nearctic Messor harvesting ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae: Myrmicinae)

Cited by 10 publications

References 28 publications

Bacteria may enhance species association in an ant–aphid mutualistic relationship

Bacteria may enhance species association in an ant–aphid mutualistic relationship

Secretions of mandibular glands are not involved in the elicitation of rescue behaviour in Formica cinerea ants

Identification of a self-regulatory pheromone system that controls nymph aggregation behavior of rice spittlebug Callitettix versicolor

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