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Patrizia Dettorre - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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chemical disguise of myrmecophilous cockroaches and its implications for understanding Nestmate Recognition mechanisms in leaf cutting ants
BMC Ecology, 2016Co-Authors: Patrizia Dettorre, Stefano Turillazzi, Francesca Romana Dani, Volker Nehring, Luca Calamai, Horst Bohn, Klausdieter KlassAbstract:Cockroaches of the genus Attaphila regularly occur in leaf-cutting ant colonies. The ants farm a fungus that the cockroaches also appear to feed on. Cockroaches disperse between colonies horizontally (via foraging trails) and vertically (attached to queens on their mating flights). We analysed the chemical strategies used by the cockroaches to integrate into colonies of Atta colombica and Acromyrmex octospinosus. Analysing cockroaches from nests of two host species further allowed us to test the hypothesis that Nestmate Recognition is based on an asymmetric mechanism. Specifically, we test the U-present Nestmate Recognition model, which assumes that detection of undesirable cues (non-Nestmate specific substances) leads to strong rejection of the cue-bearers, while absence of desirable cues (Nestmate-specific substances) does not necessarily trigger aggression. We found that nests of Atta and Acromyrmex contained cockroaches of two different and not yet described Attaphila species. The cockroaches share the cuticular chemical substances of their specific host species and copy their host nest’s colony-specific cuticular profile. Indeed, the cockroaches are accepted by Nestmate but attacked by non-Nestmate ant workers. Cockroaches from Acromyrmex colonies bear a lower concentration of cuticular substances and are less likely to be attacked by non-Nestmate ants than cockroaches from Atta colonies. Nest-specific Recognition of Attaphila cockroaches by host workers in combination with nest-specific cuticular chemical profiles suggest that the cockroaches mimic their host’s Recognition labels, either by synthesizing nest-specific substances or by substance transfer from ants. Our finding that the cockroach species with lower concentration of cuticular substances receives less aggression by both host species fully supports the U-present Nestmate Recognition model. Leaf-cutting ant Nestmate Recognition is thus asymmetric, responding more strongly to differences than to similarities.
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task specialization influences Nestmate Recognition ability in ants
Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology, 2016Co-Authors: Janni Larsen, Patrizia Dettorre, Volker NehringAbstract:Insect societies are a paramount example of efficiency based upon division of labour. Social insect workers specialize on different tasks, such as brood care and foraging. This polyethism is underlined by the development of brain and olfactory organs. Nestmate Recognition in ants is based on perception of chemical cues through olfaction; therefore, we asked whether task polyethism affects the ability of ants to discriminate friends from foes. We used the carpenter ant Camponotus aethiops to investigate the ability of three behavioural groups of worker (foragers, nurses and inactives) in recognizing intruders. Foragers, which are older workers mainly performing tasks outside the nest, showed higher levels of aggression towards intruders than nurses did. Foragers appeared to be more efficient at recognizing non-Nestmate cues than did intra-nidal workers (nurses and inactives), and they possibly have higher motivation to attack. This suggests that ant workers change their olfactory sensitivity to non-Nestmate stimuli during their life. This plasticity could be adaptive, as younger workers, who typically stay inside the nest, usually do not encounter intruders, while older workers have more experience outside the nest and differently developed neural circuits. A sensitive Nestmate Recognition system would thus be an unnecessary cost early in life. Ants are known to divide their workforce, often as a product of age. Younger workers take on safer tasks such as taking care of the brood, while older workers are often involved with more dangerous tasks such as foraging and defending the nest. Here, we show that workers change their olfactory sensitivity to intruders during their life. As a result, foragers are better than nurses at detecting intruders. Furthermore, foragers appeared to not only be more sensitive but also have higher motivation to attack. The higher sensitivity of foragers is most likely adaptive, as younger workers stay in the nest and typically do not encounter intruders, and a sensitive Recognition system would be for them an unnecessary cost.
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pupal experience and Nestmate Recognition in polistes dominula wasps
Insectes Sociaux, 2015Co-Authors: Lisa Signorotti, Patrizia Dettorre, G Sguanci, Rita CervoAbstract:Social insects can discriminate between Nestmates and aliens by comparing the chemical phenotype of an individual with the neural representation of their own colony odor (template). For social paper wasps of the genus Polistes, a general Recognition model has been proposed and tested on few North American species: wasps learn colonial Recognition cues from the nest paper during the first hours after emergence as adults. However, a recent study revealed that workers of Polistes dominula do not necessarily use the nest paper for early post-emergence cue-learning, suggesting that cues used for the formation of the referent template in this species could be learned at different life stages. Pre-natal learning is a widespread phenomenon in animals and it can shape various behaviors in adults. Here, we investigated whether pre-imaginal learning affects later Nestmate Recognition in P.dominula wasps. We reared worker pupae in artificial conditions to test whether the absence of nest material, or the exposure to nest material taken from a foreign conspecific colony, during pupal development would alter the Nestmate Recognition ability in adult life. Our results show that wasps maintain their correct Recognition ability regardless of the treatment, suggesting that wasps do not form their referent template during the pupal stage from the nest paper. Alternative hypotheses for template formation timing and source of Recognition cues are discussed. Moreover, we investigated whether young wasps already possess, on their own body, reliable chemical cues to form a Recognition template by self-referent phenotype matching.
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ontogeny of Nestmate Recognition in social hymenoptera
2015Co-Authors: Lisa Signorotti, Rita Cervo, Patrizia DettorreAbstract:The ability to discriminate between friends and foes is a central feature of social life. In social insects, Nestmate Recognition is mediated by colony specific cuticular hydrocarbons (CHCs) (label) that are perceived by an individual and compared with its neural representation of the colony odour (template). Although numerous advances have been made in understanding the identity, origin and production of Recognition cues in social hymenoptera, relatively little is known about the ontogeny of Nestmate Recognition, and the learning processes that might be involved. It appears that wasps and bees learn the Recognition cues required for template formation from their nest/comb odour, while ants learn principally from their Nestmates. In general, the referent template is learned during the early stages of adult life, although pre-imaginal learning might play a role. The CHC blend can change over time; cue-exchange among Nestmates is therefore needed to reduce chemical variability among individuals and to integrate environmental compounds into the colony odour. As a result of this process, the referent template is updated during life. This relative plasticity of the Recognition system can be exploited by insect social parasites to integrate themselves within the host colonies and to fool host workers about their real identity. By studying the chemical integration strategies of social parasites new insights on the ontogeny of Nestmate Recognition could be acquired. However, further studies are needed to reveal the neural substrates implicated in learning and memory at different stages of social insect life to better understand how and when template formation occurs.
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variation in Nestmate Recognition ability among polymorphic leaf cutting ant workers
Journal of Insect Physiology, 2014Co-Authors: Janni Larsen, Patrizia Dettorre, Bertrand Fouks, Volker NehringAbstract:Abstract A key feature for the success of social insects is division of labour, allowing colony members to specialize on different tasks. Nest defence is a defining task for social insects since it is crucial for colony integrity. A particularly impressive and well-known case of worker specialization in complex hymenopteran societies is found in leaf-cutting ants of the genera Atta and Acromyrmex. We hypothesized that three morphological worker castes of Acromyrmex echinatior differ in their likelihood to attack intruders, and show that major workers are more aggressive towards non-Nestmate workers than medium and minor workers. Moreover, minors do not discriminate between Nestmate and non-Nestmate brood, while larger workers do. We further show that A. echinatior ants use cuticular chemical compounds for Nestmate Recognition. We took advantage of the natural variation in the cuticular compounds between colonies to investigate the proximate factors that may have led to the observed caste differences in aggression. We infer that major workers differ from medium workers in their general propensity to attack intruders (the “action component” of the Nestmate Recognition system), while minors seem to be less sensitive to foreign odours (“perception component”). Our results highlight the importance of proximate mechanisms underlying social insect behaviour, and encourage an appreciation of intra-colony variation when analysing colony-level traits such as nest defence.
Michael D Breed - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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Nestmate Recognition in eusocial insects the honeybee as a model system
2015Co-Authors: Michael D Breed, Chelsea N Cook, Helen F Mccreery, Michael RodriguezAbstract:This review summarizes and evaluates the available information on honeybee Nestmate Recognition. Nestmate Recognition is the ability of members of a colony to discriminate members of their own colony from others, particularly conspecifics, trying to enter the nest. Honeybee Nestmate Recognition is mediated by chemical cues that bees gain after emergence as adults. The comb wax in the nest is an important intermediary for transfer of cues among bees in the colony, resulting in a relatively uniform Recognition profile which is carried by workers in the colony. Alkenes and free fatty acids are the primary chemical cues in the Recognition profile. The ability of honeybees to discriminate Nestmates from non-Nestmates has raised the question of whether Recognition mechanisms might exist to support nepotism within colonies. A variety of experimental approaches have failed to generate support for preferential behavior among highly related subgroups of bees in honeybee colonies. Other questions addressed in this review include queen Recognition, response thresholds for expression of Recognition, and sensory and information gathering aspects of the Recognition system of honeybees. Nestmate Recognition in honeybees is a valuable model system for the study of social Recognition in animals.
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use of flax oil to influence honey bee Nestmate Recognition
Journal of Economic Entomology, 2012Co-Authors: Michael D Breed, Cecily A Lyon, Anna Sutherland, Robert BuchwaldAbstract:Fatty acids, normally found in comb wax, have a strong influence on Nestmate Recognition in honey bees, Apis mellifera L. Previous work has shown that bees from different colonies, when treated with 16- or 18-carbon fatty acids, such as oleic, linoleic, or linolenic acids, are much less likely to fight than bees from two colonies when only one of the two is treated. Previous work also shows that the influence of comb wax on Recognition has practical applications; transfer of empty comb between colonies, before merger of those colonies, reduces fighting among workers within the merged colony. Flax oil contains many of the same fatty acids as beeswax. Here, we tested the hypothesis that treatment of individual bees with flax oil affects Nestmate Recognition; the results proved to be consistent with this hypothesis and showed that treated bees from different colonies were less likely to fight than untreated bees. These results suggest that flax oil may be useful in facilitating colony mergers.
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comparative Nestmate Recognition in asian honey bees apis florea apis andreniformis apis dorsata and apis cerana
Apidologie, 2007Co-Authors: Xiaobao Deng, Michael D Breed, Robert BuchwaldAbstract:In Nestmate Recognition bioassays, Apis florea, A andreniformis, A. dorsata and A. cerana do not exhibit aggressive responses. These negative results were obtained using three distinct techniques: pairings of bees between colonies, switching nest box locations (A. cerana only), and treatment with compounds known to serve as Nestmate Recognition pheromones in A. mellifera. This is in sharp contrast to previously observed responses in A. mellifera, which displays strong aggressive responses to conspecific non-Nestmates in the same types of bioassays. A. cerana expresses Nestmate Recognition, but only under limited circumstances — when robbing is precipitated by honey harvesting or the merger of colonies by a beekeeper. Our results suggest that robbing of stored food may be more characteristic of A. mellifera than other species in the genus Apis, and consequently A. mellifera displays a more strongly developed response to conspecific non-Nestmates than other Apis species.
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Nestmate Recognition cues in a stingless bee trigona fulviventris
Animal Behaviour, 2005Co-Authors: Robert Buchwald, Michael D BreedAbstract:We investigated the use of Nestmate Recognition cues in a stingless bee, Trigona fulviventris. We first established that T. fulviventris can discriminate Nestmates from non-Nestmates, then bioassayed putative Nestmate Recognition cue compounds including fatty acids, alkanes, an alkene, wax esters and floral oils. At least one compound of every type affected Nestmate Recognition, but sham treatment of controls had no effect on Nestmate Recognition. Mean latency (time from first contact between bees to expression of aggression) was significantly negatively correlated with the probability that aggression would occur. These results suggest that T. fulviventris workers use a set of cues similar to that used by the honeybee, Apis mellifera; 16-C and 18-C fatty acids appear to be important in Nestmate Recognition in both A. mellifera and T. fulviventris. In contrast to A. mellifera, however, T. fulviventris workers also used other compound types, including alkanes and floral oils, for Nestmate Recognition. We discuss the implications of these findings for understanding the evolution of Nestmate Recognition in bees.
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Nestmate Recognition assays as a tool for population and ecological studies in eusocial insects a review
Journal of the Kansas Entomological Society, 2003Co-Authors: Michael D BreedAbstract:Nestmate Recognition bioassays are useful in detecting the dispersion of eusocial insect colonies. They also allow investigators to draw inferences concerning the degree of genetic similarity among Nestmates and between worker eusocial insects from neighboring colonies. The objectives of this review are to: 1) establish the reliability of Nestmate Recognition bioassays, as used in ecological studies, 2) provide guidance for investigators who wish to design Nestmate Recognition bioassays, and 3) suggest future applications of Nestmate Recognition bioassays in ecological studies of eusocial insects. While investigators have utilized Nestmate Recognition bioassays in some ecological studies, these assays still have great potential for giving additional insights to our understanding of colony dispersion and of competitive interactions among eusocial insect colonies.
Robin F A Moritz - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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seasonal Nestmate Recognition in the ant formica exsecta
Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology, 2006Co-Authors: Andreas Katzerke, Peter J Neumann, Christian Walter Werner Pirk, Peter Bliss, Robin F A MoritzAbstract:Under favorable conditions, the mound-building ant Formica exsecta may form polydomous colonies and can establish large nest aggregations. The lack of worker aggression towards nonNestmate conspecifics is a typical behavioral feature in such social organization, allowing for a free flux of individuals among nests. However, this mutual worker toleration may vary over the seasons and on spatial scales. We studied spatio-temporal variation of worker–worker aggression within and among nests of a polydomous F. exsecta population. In addition, we determined inter- and intracolony genetic relatedness by microsatellite DNA genotyping and assessed its effect on Nestmate Recognition. We found significant differences in the frequency of worker exchange among nests between spring, summer, and autumn. Moreover, we found significant seasonal variation in the level of aggression among workers of different nests. Aggression levels significantly correlated with spatial distance between nests in spring, but neither in summer nor in autumn. Multiple regression analysis revealed a stronger effect of spatial distances rather than genetic relatedness on aggressive behavior. Because Nestmate discrimination disappeared over the season, the higher aggression in spring is most plausibly explained by cue intermixing during hibernation.
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Nestmate Recognition and genetic variability among individuals from nests of the queenless ponerine ant, Streblognathus aethiopicus Smith (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)
African Entomology, 2006Co-Authors: Ellen A. Schlüns, Peter J Neumann, Helge Schlüns, H. R. Hepburn, Robin F A MoritzAbstract:Nestmate Recognition in the queenless ponerine ant, Streblognathus aethiopicus, was evaluated with a behavioural bioassay. Ten pairs of nests were randomly chosen from an aggregation of 74 nests. While Nestmates never showed aggression towards each other, the behaviour towards non-Nestmates was either aggressive or non-aggressive, demonstrating the ability to recognize Nestmates. Also, the nests in this aggregation were evenly spaced, further supporting the notion of territoriality in this species. To evaluate the relative importance of environment and genetics on the observed variation in Nestmate Recognition, we measured the spatial and genetic distances between nests. Workers of 13 nests were genotyped with the AFLP technique. Multiple regression analysis revealed no significant impact of spatial and genetic distance on aggressive behaviour. Thus, further studies are necessary to reveal the actual mechanisms underlying Nestmate Recognition in this species. Two distinct groups of nests with genetically homogeneous and heterogeneous workers were found, which may indicate gamergate replacement or colony fission.
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differences in Nestmate Recognition for drones and workers in the honeybee apis mellifera l
Animal Behaviour, 2004Co-Authors: Robin F A Moritz, Peter J NeumannAbstract:Abstract Nestmate Recognition is the basic mechanism for rejecting foreign individuals and is essential for maintaining colony integrity in insect societies. However, in honeybees, Apis mellifera, both workers and males occasionally gain access to foreign colonies in spite of nest guards (=drifting). Instead of conducting direct behavioural observations, we inferred Nestmate Recognition for males and workers from the genotypes of naturally drifting individuals in honeybee colonies. We evaluated the degree of polyandry of the resident queens, because Nestmate Recognition theory predicts that the genotypic composition of insect colonies may affect the Recognition precision of guards. Workers (N=1346) and drones (N=407) from 38 colonies were genotyped using four DNA microsatellite loci. Foreign bees were identified by maternity testing. The proportion of foreign individuals in a host colony was defined as immigration. Putative mother queens were identified if a queen's genotype corresponded with the genotype of a drifted individual. The proportion of a colony's individuals in the total number of drifted individuals was defined as emigration. Drones immigrated significantly more frequently than workers. The impact of polyandry was significantly different between drones and workers. Whereas drones immigrated more readily into less polyandrous colonies, worker immigration was not correlated with the degree of polyandry of the host colony. Furthermore, colonies with high levels of emigrated drones did not show high levels of emigration for workers, and colonies that adopted many workers did not adopt many foreign drones. Our data indicate that genetically derived odour cues are important for honeybee Nestmate Recognition in drones and show that different Nestmate Recognition mechanisms are used to identify drones and workers.
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intranest relatedness and Nestmate Recognition in the meadow ant formica pratensis r
Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology, 2001Co-Authors: Christian Walter Werner Pirk, Peter J Neumann, Robin F A Moritz, Pekka PamiloAbstract:The impact of intranest relatedness on Nestmate Recognition was tested in a population of polydomous and monodomous nests of the mound-building ant Formica pratensis. Nestmate Recognition was evaluated by testing aggression levels between 37 pairs of nests (n=206 tests). Workers from donor colonies were placed on the mounds of recipient nests to score aggressive interactions among workers. A total of 555 workers from 27 nests were genotyped using four DNA microsatellites. The genetic and spatial distances of nests were positively correlated, indicating budding and/or fissioning as spread mechanisms. Monodomous and polydomous nests did not show different aggression levels. Aggression behavior between nests was positively correlated with both spatial distance and intranest relatedness of recipient colonies, but not with genetic distance or intranest relatedness of donor colonies. Multiple regression analysis revealed a stronger effect of spatial distance than of genetics on aggression behavior in this study, indicating that the relative importance of environment and genetics can be variable in F. pratensis. Nevertheless, the positive regression between intranest relatedness of recipient colonies and aggression in the multiple analysis supports earlier results that Nestmate Recognition is genetically influenced in F. pratensis and further indicates that foreign label rejection most likely explains our data.
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Nestmate Recognition and the genetic relatedness of nests in the ant formica pratensis
Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology, 1998Co-Authors: M Beye, Peter J Neumann, Pekka Pamilo, Michel Chapuisat, Robin F A MoritzAbstract:Genetic relatedness of the mound-building ant Formica pratensis was determined by means of microsatellite DNA polymorphism, and its impact on Nestmate Recognition was tested in a population in Southern Sweden (Oeland). Recognition between nests was measured by testing aggression levels between single pairs of workers. The genetic distances of nests (Nei's genetic distance) and the spatial distance of nests were correlated and both showed a strong relation to the aggression behavior. Multiple regression analysis revealed a stronger impact of genetic relatedness rather than spatial distances on aggression behavior. Neighbouring nests were more closely related than distant nests, which may reflect budding as a possible spreading mechanism. The genetic distance data showed that Nestmate Recognition was strongly genetically influenced in F. pratensis.
Peter J Neumann - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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Nestmate Recognition for eggs in the honeybee apis mellifera l
Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology, 2007Co-Authors: Christian Walter Werner Pirk, Peter J Neumann, Randall HepburnAbstract:Colony integrity is fundamental to social insects and is threatened by the reproduction of non-Nestmates. Therefore, discrimination between eggs derived from Nestmates and non-Nestmates would constitute an adaptation to prevent exploitation of the entire cooperative group by unrelated individuals. The removal of Nestmate and non-Nestmate queen and worker-laid eggs was evaluated in honeybees using colonies of Apis mellifera capensis to test female and of A. m. scutellata to test male eggs. The data show that honeybees can distinguish between Nestmate and non-Nestmate eggs of both sexes. Moreover, non-Nestmate female queen-laid eggs were removed significantly faster than Nestmate female worker-laid eggs in A. m. capensis, indicating that Nestmate Recognition cues can override caste-specific ones. While the experimental manipulation accounts for 37.2% (A. m. scutellata) or 1.6% (A. m. capensis) of variance in relation to egg removal, Nestmate Recognition explains 33.3% for male eggs (A. m. scutellata) and 60.6% for female eggs (A. m. capensis), which is almost twice as high as the impact of caste (16.7% A. m. scutellata; 25% A. m. capensis). Our data show a stronger effect of Nestmate Recognition on egg removal in the honeybee, suggesting that cues other than caste-specific ones (viability/kin) can dominate egg removal behavior. In light of intraspecific social parasitism, preventing the reproduction of unrelated individuals (group selection) rather than preferring queens’ eggs (kin selection) appears to be the driving force behind the evolution of egg removal behavior in honeybees.
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seasonal Nestmate Recognition in the ant formica exsecta
Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology, 2006Co-Authors: Andreas Katzerke, Peter J Neumann, Christian Walter Werner Pirk, Peter Bliss, Robin F A MoritzAbstract:Under favorable conditions, the mound-building ant Formica exsecta may form polydomous colonies and can establish large nest aggregations. The lack of worker aggression towards nonNestmate conspecifics is a typical behavioral feature in such social organization, allowing for a free flux of individuals among nests. However, this mutual worker toleration may vary over the seasons and on spatial scales. We studied spatio-temporal variation of worker–worker aggression within and among nests of a polydomous F. exsecta population. In addition, we determined inter- and intracolony genetic relatedness by microsatellite DNA genotyping and assessed its effect on Nestmate Recognition. We found significant differences in the frequency of worker exchange among nests between spring, summer, and autumn. Moreover, we found significant seasonal variation in the level of aggression among workers of different nests. Aggression levels significantly correlated with spatial distance between nests in spring, but neither in summer nor in autumn. Multiple regression analysis revealed a stronger effect of spatial distances rather than genetic relatedness on aggressive behavior. Because Nestmate discrimination disappeared over the season, the higher aggression in spring is most plausibly explained by cue intermixing during hibernation.
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Nestmate Recognition and genetic variability among individuals from nests of the queenless ponerine ant, Streblognathus aethiopicus Smith (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)
African Entomology, 2006Co-Authors: Ellen A. Schlüns, Peter J Neumann, Helge Schlüns, H. R. Hepburn, Robin F A MoritzAbstract:Nestmate Recognition in the queenless ponerine ant, Streblognathus aethiopicus, was evaluated with a behavioural bioassay. Ten pairs of nests were randomly chosen from an aggregation of 74 nests. While Nestmates never showed aggression towards each other, the behaviour towards non-Nestmates was either aggressive or non-aggressive, demonstrating the ability to recognize Nestmates. Also, the nests in this aggregation were evenly spaced, further supporting the notion of territoriality in this species. To evaluate the relative importance of environment and genetics on the observed variation in Nestmate Recognition, we measured the spatial and genetic distances between nests. Workers of 13 nests were genotyped with the AFLP technique. Multiple regression analysis revealed no significant impact of spatial and genetic distance on aggressive behaviour. Thus, further studies are necessary to reveal the actual mechanisms underlying Nestmate Recognition in this species. Two distinct groups of nests with genetically homogeneous and heterogeneous workers were found, which may indicate gamergate replacement or colony fission.
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differences in Nestmate Recognition for drones and workers in the honeybee apis mellifera l
Animal Behaviour, 2004Co-Authors: Robin F A Moritz, Peter J NeumannAbstract:Abstract Nestmate Recognition is the basic mechanism for rejecting foreign individuals and is essential for maintaining colony integrity in insect societies. However, in honeybees, Apis mellifera, both workers and males occasionally gain access to foreign colonies in spite of nest guards (=drifting). Instead of conducting direct behavioural observations, we inferred Nestmate Recognition for males and workers from the genotypes of naturally drifting individuals in honeybee colonies. We evaluated the degree of polyandry of the resident queens, because Nestmate Recognition theory predicts that the genotypic composition of insect colonies may affect the Recognition precision of guards. Workers (N=1346) and drones (N=407) from 38 colonies were genotyped using four DNA microsatellite loci. Foreign bees were identified by maternity testing. The proportion of foreign individuals in a host colony was defined as immigration. Putative mother queens were identified if a queen's genotype corresponded with the genotype of a drifted individual. The proportion of a colony's individuals in the total number of drifted individuals was defined as emigration. Drones immigrated significantly more frequently than workers. The impact of polyandry was significantly different between drones and workers. Whereas drones immigrated more readily into less polyandrous colonies, worker immigration was not correlated with the degree of polyandry of the host colony. Furthermore, colonies with high levels of emigrated drones did not show high levels of emigration for workers, and colonies that adopted many workers did not adopt many foreign drones. Our data indicate that genetically derived odour cues are important for honeybee Nestmate Recognition in drones and show that different Nestmate Recognition mechanisms are used to identify drones and workers.
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intranest relatedness and Nestmate Recognition in the meadow ant formica pratensis r
Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology, 2001Co-Authors: Christian Walter Werner Pirk, Peter J Neumann, Robin F A Moritz, Pekka PamiloAbstract:The impact of intranest relatedness on Nestmate Recognition was tested in a population of polydomous and monodomous nests of the mound-building ant Formica pratensis. Nestmate Recognition was evaluated by testing aggression levels between 37 pairs of nests (n=206 tests). Workers from donor colonies were placed on the mounds of recipient nests to score aggressive interactions among workers. A total of 555 workers from 27 nests were genotyped using four DNA microsatellites. The genetic and spatial distances of nests were positively correlated, indicating budding and/or fissioning as spread mechanisms. Monodomous and polydomous nests did not show different aggression levels. Aggression behavior between nests was positively correlated with both spatial distance and intranest relatedness of recipient colonies, but not with genetic distance or intranest relatedness of donor colonies. Multiple regression analysis revealed a stronger effect of spatial distance than of genetics on aggression behavior in this study, indicating that the relative importance of environment and genetics can be variable in F. pratensis. Nevertheless, the positive regression between intranest relatedness of recipient colonies and aggression in the multiple analysis supports earlier results that Nestmate Recognition is genetically influenced in F. pratensis and further indicates that foreign label rejection most likely explains our data.
Abraham Hefetz - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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alteration of cuticular hydrocarbon composition affects heterospecific Nestmate Recognition in the carpenter ant camponotus fellah
Chemoecology, 2010Co-Authors: I Lalzar, Tovit Simon, R Vander K Meer, Abraham HefetzAbstract:Nestmate Recognition is a ubiquitous phenomenon in social insects as a means to prevent entry of undesired individuals aiming at exploiting the rich nest resources. The Recognition cues in ants were shown in a few cases to be cuticular hydrocarbons, although there are a quite number of correlated associations. In the present study we modified the cuticular profiles of workers Camponotus fellah hydrocarbons with cuticular washes from a closely related, yet undescribed species, Camponotus sp. Although these sympatric species are morphologically indistinguishable, cuticular washes of C. sp. contain 9,13-dimethylpentacosane and 11,15-dimethylheptacosane that are either absent or occur as traces in C. fellah. In addition, C. sp. contains significantly greater amounts of 3-methylpentacosane than C. fellah workers. The cuticle modification was done solventless in a manner that minimized disruption to the cuticular structure of the ant being modified. Judging from the 3 focal compounds, such treatment added between 20 and 30% of the original amounts present in C. sp. to the treated C. fellah workers. This addition changed consistently the cuticular hydrocarbon profile of the treated ant. Dyadic assays between C. fellah and their Nestmates treated with C. sp. cuticular rinses revealed a significantly higher level of aggression compared to non-treated Nestmates. There was no aggression between Nestmates of C. sp. These results demonstrate that in heterospecific interactions between the two Camponotus species there is a correlation between cuticular hydrocarbons and a Nestmate Recognition response, albeit not as high as the response of C. fellah to of C. sp. workers. This is consistent with the hypothesis that cuticular hydrocarbons may play a role in Nestmate Recognition.
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queen regulates biogenic amine level and Nestmate Recognition in workers of the fire ant solenopsis invicta
Naturwissenschaften, 2008Co-Authors: Robert Vander K Meer, Catherine A Preston, Abraham HefetzAbstract:Nestmate Recognition is a critical element in social insect organization, providing a means to maintain territoriality and close the colony to parasites and predators. Ants detect the colony chemical label via their antennae and respond to the label mismatch of an intruder with aggressive behavior. In the fire ant, Solenopsis invicta, worker ability to recognize conspecific nonNestmates decreases if the colony queen is removed, such that they do not recognize conspecific nonNestmates as different. Here, we tested the hypothesis that the presence of the colony queen influences the concentration of octopamine, a neuromodulator, in worker ants, which in turn has an effect on Nestmate Recognition acuity in workers. We demonstrate that queenless workers exhibit reduced brain octopamine levels and reduced discriminatory acuteness; however, feeding queenless workers octopamine restored both. Dopamine levels are influenced by honeybee queen pheromones; however, levels of this biogenic amine were unchanged in our experiments. This is the first demonstration of a link between the presence of the colony queen, a worker biogenic amine, and conspecific Nestmate Recognition, a powerful expression of colony cohesion and territoriality.
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nest volatiles as modulators of Nestmate Recognition in the ant camponotus fellah
Journal of Insect Physiology, 2008Co-Authors: Tamar Katzavgozansky, Raphael Boulay, Armin Ionescuhirsh, Abraham HefetzAbstract:Abstract When ants from alien colonies encounter each other the stereotypic reaction is usually one of aggressive behavior. It has been shown that factors such as queen-derived cues or nest-odors modulate this reaction. Here we examined whether nest volatiles affect Nestmate Recognition by observing the reaction of Nestmates towards individual workers under one of four regimes: completely isolated; isolated but receiving a constant airflow from the mother colony; as previous but with the passage of nest volatiles towards the isolated ants blocked by adsorption on a SuperQ column; or reversed airflow direction-from the isolated ants to the nest interior. Ants that had been completely isolated for three weeks were subjected to aggressive behavior, but not those that had continued to receive airflow from the mother colony. Adsorbing the nest volatiles from the airflow by SuperQ abolished this difference, with these ants now also being subjected to aggression, indicating that nest volatiles can modulate Nestmate Recognition. Reverse airflow also reduced the level of aggression but to a lesser extent than airflow directed from the mother colony. In queenless colonies the overall aggression was reduced under all regimes, and there was no effect of flow, suggesting that the volatiles involved are queen-borne. The SuperQ adsorbed volatiles originated from Dufour's gland secretions of both workers and queen, implicating them in the process. Cuticular hydrocarbon profiles were not affected by exposure to nest volatiles, suggesting that the latter either constitute part of the Recognition cues or affect worker behavior via a different, as yet elusive mechanism.
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in nest environment modulates Nestmate Recognition in the ant camponotus fellah
Naturwissenschaften, 2004Co-Authors: Tamar Katzavgozansky, Robert Vander K Meer, Raphael Boulay, Abraham HefetzAbstract:Multiple behavioral and chemical studies indicate that ant Nestmate Recognition cues are low-volatile substances, in particular hydrocarbons (HCs) located on the cuticular surface. We tested the hypothesis that in the ant Camponotus fellah, nest environment, in particular nest volatile odors, can modulate Nestmate-Recognition-mediated aggression. Workers were individually confined within their own nest in small cages having either a single mesh (SM = limited physical contact permitted) or a double mesh (DM = exposed to nest volatiles only) screen. Individual workers completely isolated outside their nest (CI) served as control. When reintroduced into a group of 50 Nestmates, the CI workers were attacked as alien ants after only 2 weeks of separation, whereas the SM workers were treated as Nestmates even after 2 months of separation. Aggression towards DM ants depended on the period of isolation. Only DM workers isolated for over 2 months were aggressed by their Nestmates, which did not significantly differ from the CI Nestmates. Cuticular HC analyses revealed that the profile of the non-isolated ants (NI) was clearly distinct from that of CI, SM and DM ants. Profile differences matched the aggressive response in the case of CI ants but were uncorrelated in the case of SM or DM ants. This suggests that keeping the ants within the nest environment affected Nestmate Recognition in additional ways than merely altering their HC profile. Nest environment thus appears to affect label–template mismatch by modulating aggressive behavior, as well as the direction at which cuticular HCs diverged during the separation period.
