Acquisition of chemical recognition cues facilitates integration into ant societies.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Social insects maintain the integrity of their societies by discriminating between colony members and foreigners through cuticular hydrocarbon (CHC) signatures. Nevertheless, parasites frequently get access to social resources, for example through mimicry of host CHCs among other mechanisms. The origin of mimetic compounds, however, remains unknown in the majority of studies (biosynthesis vs. acquisition). Additionally, direct evidence is scarce that chemical mimicry is indeed beneficial to the parasites (e.g., by improving social acceptance).

Results

In the present study we demonstrated that the kleptoparasitic silverfish Malayatelura ponerophila most likely acquires CHCs directly from its host ant Leptogenys distinguenda by evaluating the transfer of a stable-is

SUBMITTER: Beeren Cv 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3271039 | biostudies-literature | 2011 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature