Queen attractivity in the Argentine ant Iridomyrmex humilis (Mayr)

Cariou-Etienne, A.; Aron, Serge; Passera, Luc

doi:10.1016/0376-6357(92)90174-c

Cited by 9 publications

(6 citation statements)

References 24 publications

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“…In contrast, numerous studies demonstrated the existence of pheromones on the cuticle of queens but failed to locate their glandular source (e.g., refs. [43][44][45][46][47]. This can be explained in the light of our findings.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 76%

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Cuticular hydrocarbons mediate discrimination of reproductives and nonreproductives in the ant Myrmecia gulosa

Dietemann

Peeters

Liebig

et al. 2003

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

179

116

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In many species of social insects, the cuticular hydrocarbons of adults vary with both colony identity and individual physiology (oogenesis). Such variations have been shown in some ants and social wasps to function in nestmate recognition, but as yet there is no demonstration of their use by workers to recognize egg layers. We report that in the ant Myrmecia gulosa, workers can discriminate queens and fertile workers from infertile individuals based on distinctive blends of long-chained hydrocarbons present both on the cuticle and in the postpharyngeal gland. The purified hydrocarbon fraction of cuticular extracts from queens elicited high interest in workers, unlike the nonhydrocarbon fraction. However, both fractions were necessary to trigger a response of maximal intensity. In contrast, extracts of mandibular and Dufour glands from queens or infertile workers were not treated differentially by workers. We suggest that cuticular hydrocarbons function as pheromones allowing for recognition of the queen as well as egg-laying workers.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 76%

“…The absence of a structured reservoir storing CHCs has hindered the investigation of this pheromonal source. Only two studies envisaged the origin of queen pheromones to be epidermal gland cells (45,46). The possibility that CHCs could function as queen or gamergate (mated workers) recognition pheromones was suggested only recently (18 -23).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Cuticular hydrocarbons mediate discrimination of reproductives and nonreproductives in the ant Myrmecia gulosa

Dietemann

Peeters

Liebig

et al. 2003

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

179

116

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“…Reproductive activity has been associated with pheromone production by queens in several ant species (reviewed in Cariou‐Etienne & Passera 1993). In general, mated, egg‐laying queens are attractive to workers, whereas young winged virgin queens which are not yet reproductively active elicit little or no response.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Reproductive development and ontogeny of queen pheromone production in the fire ant Solenopsis invicta

Vargo

1999

Physiological Entomology

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Queens of the fire ant, Solenopsis invicta Buren, produce several releaser and primer pheromones. Using bioassays, the ontogeny of three of these pheromones related to reproductive development was investigated. Virgin queens, in which the process of wing‐shedding (dealation) serves as an indicator of the initiation of reproductive development, were studied. First, the production of two queen pheromones produced in the poison gland was examined. The pheromone responsible for initiation and maintenance of retinue formation, a releaser effect, was found to be produced in detectable quantities 2 days after dealation, at which time queens showed significant ovary development and many (30%) had started laying eggs. A primer pheromone that inhibits alate virgin queens from dealating was detected in queens 3 days following wing‐shedding, when 80% of the queens were ovipositing. Second, I examined the onset of a pheromone of unknown glandular origin produced by reproductively active virgin queens which leads to their destruction in queenright colonies by stimulating workers to attack and kill them. This pheromone is secreted in quantities detectable by bioassay 2 days after dealation. Thus, in S. invicta, the ontogeny of three distinct queen pheromones is tightly linked with ovary development and initiation of egg laying. These results demonstrate reproductive and communicative functions are closely associated during the transition from potential to functional queen.

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“…Another interesting fact is the occurrence of inseminated alate queens, suggesting that these ones may not have engaged in nuptial flight. In other words, mating could be intranidal or take place near the nest entrance, as is the case in Linepithema humile (Cariou-Etienne and Passera, 1993;Aron et al, 1994), Camponotus nawai (Satoh, 1989), Formica lugubris (Cherix et al, 1991), and in ant species with wingless females (reviewed in Peeters, 1991). The lack of correlation between the number of workers and the number of queens in polygynous colonies could stem from the recent integration of young queens (particularly in polygynous colonies with more than 10 queens).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Facultative polygyny in Ectatomma tuberculatum (Formicidae, Ectatomminae)

et al. 2005

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Polygyny, the presence of several mated queens within the same colony, is widespread in insect societies. This phenomenon is commonly associated with ecological constraints such as limited nest sites. In habitats where solitary nest foundation is risky, monogynous colonies can reintegrate young daughter queens (secondary polygyny). We studied the reproductive structure (i.e. queen number) of the ectatommine ant Ectatomma tuberculatum from Bahia State, Brazil. This species was found to present facultative polygyny: out of a total of 130 colonies collected, 39.2% were monogynous, while 43.8% were polygynous. Polygynous colonies had significantly more workers than monogynous ones. Queen number in polygynous colonies ranged from 2 to 26, with an average of 4 ± 4 queens per colony. All nestmate queens were egg-layers with no apparent dominance hierarchy or agonistic behavior. Non-nestmate queens were adopted by monogynous colonies suggesting that polygyny is secondary, originating through queen adoption. This species is characterized by an open recognition system, which probably allows a switch from monogynous to polygynous colonies. The behavioral acts of queens showed that resident queens remained frequently immobile on or near the brood, contrarily to alien or adopted queens and gynes. In addition, monogynous queens showed no behavioral or physiological (i.e. by ovarian status) differences in comparison with polygynous ones. Secondary or facultative polygyny, probably associated with queen adoption, may have been favored in particular environmental conditions. Indeed, by increasing colony productivity (i.e. number of workers) and territory size (by budding and polydomy), polygyny could uphold E. tuberculatum as a dominant species in the mosaic of arboreal ants in Neotropical habitats.

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Queen attractivity in the Argentine ant Iridomyrmex humilis (Mayr)

Cited by 9 publications

References 24 publications

Cuticular hydrocarbons mediate discrimination of reproductives and nonreproductives in the ant Myrmecia gulosa

Cuticular hydrocarbons mediate discrimination of reproductives and nonreproductives in the ant Myrmecia gulosa

Reproductive development and ontogeny of queen pheromone production in the fire ant Solenopsis invicta

Facultative polygyny in Ectatomma tuberculatum (Formicidae, Ectatomminae)

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