Cuticular Chemistry of Two Social Forms in a Facultatively Polygyne Ant (Hymenoptera: Formicidae: Formica truncorum)

In monogyne (single queen) ant colonies, worker aggression against intruders, including newly-mated sister queens (gynes) seeking readoption, prevents the development of multi-queen colonies. Some ant species, however, produce multiple queen colonies (polygyny) via the adoption of new gynes in respo...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Annales zoologici fennici 2012, Vol.49 (1), p.1-17
Main Authors: Johnson, Christine A, Sundström, Liselotte
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adoption
Aggression
ant colonies
Ants
Chemicals
chemistry
Colonies
Cuticular hydrocarbons
Developmental stages
Dispersal
Ecological genetics
Formica
Formica truncorum
Formicidae
Genetic diversity
Hymenoptera
Insect behavior
Insect colonies
Insect ecology
Insect genetics
Insect reproduction
Intruder
loci
males
Mating
nestmate recognition
Polygyny
Queen insects
Queens
Reproduction
Social insects
Wings
Worker insects
Workers
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Summary:In monogyne (single queen) ant colonies, worker aggression against intruders, including newly-mated sister queens (gynes) seeking readoption, prevents the development of multi-queen colonies. Some ant species, however, produce multiple queen colonies (polygyny) via the adoption of new gynes in response to ecological, genetic and social parameters. Cuticular chemistry mediates nestmate recognition as well as plays a role in intra-colonial regulation of reproduction. Although aggression against intruders is diminished in some polygyne species, apparently due to depauperate allelic diversity at loci that code for recognition cues or a loss of receptor sites, the mechanism underlying the development of polygyny is largely unknown. Here, we examine the cuticular chemical profiles of new gynes at several stages post-emergence, males and workers from monogyne and polygyne colonies in the facultatively polygyne ant Formica truncorum. Individuals from the two colony types were chemically distinguishable, as were gynes according to developmental stage post-emergence (callow versus mature) and with respect to wing presence and mating status. Overall profile complexity did not differ between populations. These results suggest an association of cuticular hydrocarbon profiles with dispersal tendencies and that the disparate tendency of workers from monogyne and polygyne colonies to adopt new gynes is due to a complex interaction between gyne cuticular chemistry and differential worker sensitivity to those cues.
ISSN:0003-455X
1797-2450
DOI:10.5735/086.049.0101