Foliar Substrate Affects Cuticular Hydrocarbon Profiles and Intraspecific Aggression in the Leafcutter Ant Atta sexdens
Cuticular hydrocarbons (CHCs) are traditionally considered to be one of the most important chemical cues used in the nestmate recognition process of social hymenopterans. However, it has been suggested that in the leafcutter ant genus Atta, it is not the CHCs, but the alarm pheromone that is involve...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2015-02-01
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| Series: | Insects |
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| Online Access: | http://www.mdpi.com/2075-4450/6/1/141 |
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| author | Lohan Valadares Daniela Nascimento Fabio S. Nascimento |
| author_facet | Lohan Valadares Daniela Nascimento Fabio S. Nascimento |
| author_sort | Lohan Valadares |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Cuticular hydrocarbons (CHCs) are traditionally considered to be one of the most important chemical cues used in the nestmate recognition process of social hymenopterans. However, it has been suggested that in the leafcutter ant genus Atta, it is not the CHCs, but the alarm pheromone that is involved in the nestmate recognition process. In this study we used a laboratory population of Atta sexdens to explore the association between their CHC profile variation and intraspecific aggression. In the first part of the experiment, four colonies were divided into two groups with distinct diets to stimulate differentiation of their CHC profiles. In the second part of the experiment, all colonies received the same diet to examine resemblance of chemical profiles. At the end of each part of the experiment we extracted the CHCs from workers. The results demonstrated that colonies that shared the same food resource had similar cuticular hydrocarbon profiles. Furthermore, colonies were significantly more aggressive towards conspecifics that used a different foliar substrate and consequently had greater differences in their cuticular chemical composition. This study suggests that the CHC profiles of A. sexdens can be affected by the foliar substrates used, and that the CHCs are used in the nestmate recognition process of this species. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-12T02:03:32Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-62469399def74a64a1a685a4c54a9433 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2075-4450 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-12T02:03:32Z |
| publishDate | 2015-02-01 |
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| record_format | Article |
| series | Insects |
| spelling | doaj.art-62469399def74a64a1a685a4c54a94332022-12-22T03:52:36ZengMDPI AGInsects2075-44502015-02-016114115110.3390/insects6010141insects6010141Foliar Substrate Affects Cuticular Hydrocarbon Profiles and Intraspecific Aggression in the Leafcutter Ant Atta sexdensLohan Valadares0Daniela Nascimento1Fabio S. Nascimento2Departamento de Biologia, Universidade de São Paulo, Avenida Bandeirantes, 3900 Ribeirão Preto, BrazilDepartamento de Biologia, Universidade de São Paulo, Avenida Bandeirantes, 3900 Ribeirão Preto, BrazilDepartamento de Biologia, Universidade de São Paulo, Avenida Bandeirantes, 3900 Ribeirão Preto, BrazilCuticular hydrocarbons (CHCs) are traditionally considered to be one of the most important chemical cues used in the nestmate recognition process of social hymenopterans. However, it has been suggested that in the leafcutter ant genus Atta, it is not the CHCs, but the alarm pheromone that is involved in the nestmate recognition process. In this study we used a laboratory population of Atta sexdens to explore the association between their CHC profile variation and intraspecific aggression. In the first part of the experiment, four colonies were divided into two groups with distinct diets to stimulate differentiation of their CHC profiles. In the second part of the experiment, all colonies received the same diet to examine resemblance of chemical profiles. At the end of each part of the experiment we extracted the CHCs from workers. The results demonstrated that colonies that shared the same food resource had similar cuticular hydrocarbon profiles. Furthermore, colonies were significantly more aggressive towards conspecifics that used a different foliar substrate and consequently had greater differences in their cuticular chemical composition. This study suggests that the CHC profiles of A. sexdens can be affected by the foliar substrates used, and that the CHCs are used in the nestmate recognition process of this species.http://www.mdpi.com/2075-4450/6/1/141Atta sexdensintraspecific recognitioncuticular hydrocarbonsfoliar substrate |
| spellingShingle | Lohan Valadares Daniela Nascimento Fabio S. Nascimento Foliar Substrate Affects Cuticular Hydrocarbon Profiles and Intraspecific Aggression in the Leafcutter Ant Atta sexdens Insects Atta sexdens intraspecific recognition cuticular hydrocarbons foliar substrate |
| title | Foliar Substrate Affects Cuticular Hydrocarbon Profiles and Intraspecific Aggression in the Leafcutter Ant Atta sexdens |
| title_full | Foliar Substrate Affects Cuticular Hydrocarbon Profiles and Intraspecific Aggression in the Leafcutter Ant Atta sexdens |
| title_fullStr | Foliar Substrate Affects Cuticular Hydrocarbon Profiles and Intraspecific Aggression in the Leafcutter Ant Atta sexdens |
| title_full_unstemmed | Foliar Substrate Affects Cuticular Hydrocarbon Profiles and Intraspecific Aggression in the Leafcutter Ant Atta sexdens |
| title_short | Foliar Substrate Affects Cuticular Hydrocarbon Profiles and Intraspecific Aggression in the Leafcutter Ant Atta sexdens |
| title_sort | foliar substrate affects cuticular hydrocarbon profiles and intraspecific aggression in the leafcutter ant atta sexdens |
| topic | Atta sexdens intraspecific recognition cuticular hydrocarbons foliar substrate |
| url | http://www.mdpi.com/2075-4450/6/1/141 |
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