The Scent of Ant Brood: Caste Differences in Surface Hydrocarbons of Formica exsecta Pupae.

ABSTRACT: Chemical communication is common across all organisms. Insects in particular use predominantly chemical stimuli in assessing their environment and recognizing their social counterparts. One of the chemical stimuli used for recognition in social insects, such as ants, is the suite of long-chain, cuticular hydrocarbons. In addition to providing waterproofing, these surface hydrocarbons serve as a signature mixture, which ants can perceive, and use to distinguish between strangers and colony mates, and to determine caste, sex, and reproductive status of another individual. They can be both environmentally and endogenously acquired. The surface chemistry of adult workers has been studied extensively in ants, yet the pupal stage has rarely been considered. Here we characterized the surface chem

SUBMITTER: Pulliainen U 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8217064 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature