Rapid modification in the olfactory signal of ants following a change in reproductive status |
| |
Authors: | Virginie Cuvillier-Hot Valérie Renault Christian Peeters |
| |
Institution: | (1) Laboratoire dEcologie, CNRS UMR 7625, Université Pierre et Marie Curie, 7 quai St Bernard, 75005 Paris, France;(2) Faculté des Sciences, CNRS UMR 6035, Institut de Recherche sur la Biologie de lInsecte, Parc de Grandmont, 37200 Tours, France;(3) Present address: Laboratoire de Neuroimmunologie des Annélides, USTL, Bâtiment SN3, 59655 Villeneuve dAscq Cedex, France |
| |
Abstract: | In insect societies, the presence and condition of egg-layers can be assessed with pheromones. Exocrine secretions are expected to vary in time in order to give up-to-date information on an individuals reproductive physiology. In the queenless monogynous ant Streblognathus peetersi, we allowed a previously infertile high-ranking worker to accede to the alpha rank, thus triggering the onset of her oogenesis (15 replicates). We then studied her interactions with an established egg-layer from the same colony after different durations, ranging from 20 h to several days. Even though her eggs are only ready to be laid after 30 days, the new alpha was recognised within 1–2 days. Detection occurred at a distance of a few millimetres, suggesting the involvement of a pheromone with low volatility, such as cuticular hydrocarbons. When the new alpha had differentiated for >48 h, she was attacked by the established egg-layer. In all cases, low-ranking workers eventually immobilised one of the two alphas: the new alpha was the target if she had differentiated only recently, suggesting that police workers select the dominant worker with the less fertile odour. Using the behaviour of ants as our measure, we demonstrate that a dominants olfactory signal changes rapidly with a modification in her social status, and it occurs well before the onset of egg-laying. |
| |
Keywords: | |
本文献已被 PubMed SpringerLink 等数据库收录! |
|