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Lima LD, Michelutti KB, Cardoso CAL, Lima-Junior SE, Graciolli G, Antonialli-Junior WF. Low Intraspecific Aggression Level, Cuticular Hydrocarbons, and Polydomy in the Bullet Ant. J Chem Ecol 2024:10.1007/s10886-024-01497-8. [PMID: 38713323 DOI: 10.1007/s10886-024-01497-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2023] [Revised: 12/09/2023] [Accepted: 04/15/2024] [Indexed: 05/08/2024]
Abstract
Ants use chemical cues known as cuticular hydrocarbons (CHCs) for both intraspecific and interspecific recognition. These compounds serve ants in distinguishing between nestmates and non-nestmates, enabling them to coexist in polydomous colonies characterized by socially connected yet spatially separated nests. Hence, the aim of this study was to investigate the intraspecific aggression level between nestmates and non-nestmates of the bullet ant Paraponera clavata (Fabricius, 1775), analyze and compare their CHCs, and evaluate the occurrence of polydomy in this species. We conducted aggression tests between foragers, both in laboratory and field settings. To identify the chemical profiles, we utilized gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (GC-MS). We marked the foragers found at nest entrances and subsequently recaptured these marked ants to validate workers exchange among nests. Across all nests, a low intraspecific aggression level was observed within the same area. However, a significant difference in aggression correlated to distance between nests. Analysis of the cuticular chemical profile of P. clavata unveiled colony-specific CHCs, both qualitatively and quantitatively. Notably, we observed instances of ants from certain nests entering or exiting different nests. This behavior, in conjunction with the observed low intraspecific aggression despite differences in CHCs suggests polydomy for this species. Polydomy can offer several benefits, including risk spreading, efficient exploitation of resources, potential for colony size increasing and reduced costs associated with foraging and competition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luan Dias Lima
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biologia Animal, Instituto de Biociências, Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso do Sul - UFMS, Campo Grande, MS, 79090-900, Brazil.
- Centro de Estudos em Recursos Naturais, Programa de Pós-graduação em Recursos Naturais, Universidade Estadual de Mato Grosso do Sul. Rodovia Dourados/Itahum, Km 12, Caixa Postal 351, Dourados, MS, 79804-970, Brazil.
- Faculdade de Filosofia, Ciências e Letras de Ribeirão Preto, Departamento de Biologia, Universidade de São Paulo - USP, Ribeirão Preto, SP, 14040-901, Brazil.
| | - Kamylla Balbuena Michelutti
- Centro de Estudos em Recursos Naturais, Programa de Pós-graduação em Recursos Naturais, Universidade Estadual de Mato Grosso do Sul. Rodovia Dourados/Itahum, Km 12, Caixa Postal 351, Dourados, MS, 79804-970, Brazil
| | - Claudia Andrea Lima Cardoso
- Centro de Estudos em Recursos Naturais, Programa de Pós-graduação em Recursos Naturais, Universidade Estadual de Mato Grosso do Sul. Rodovia Dourados/Itahum, Km 12, Caixa Postal 351, Dourados, MS, 79804-970, Brazil
| | - Sidnei Eduardo Lima-Junior
- Centro de Estudos em Recursos Naturais, Programa de Pós-graduação em Recursos Naturais, Universidade Estadual de Mato Grosso do Sul. Rodovia Dourados/Itahum, Km 12, Caixa Postal 351, Dourados, MS, 79804-970, Brazil
| | - Gustavo Graciolli
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biologia Animal, Instituto de Biociências, Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso do Sul - UFMS, Campo Grande, MS, 79090-900, Brazil
| | - William Fernando Antonialli-Junior
- Centro de Estudos em Recursos Naturais, Programa de Pós-graduação em Recursos Naturais, Universidade Estadual de Mato Grosso do Sul. Rodovia Dourados/Itahum, Km 12, Caixa Postal 351, Dourados, MS, 79804-970, Brazil
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Lecocq de Pletincx N, Dellicour S, Aron S. The evolution of ant worker polymorphism correlates with multiple social traits. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2021. [DOI: 10.1007/s00265-021-03049-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
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Eyer P, Shults PT, Chura MR, Moran MN, Thompson MN, Helms AM, Saran RK, Vargo EL. Divide and conquer: Multicolonial structure, nestmate recognition, and antagonistic behaviors in dense populations of the invasive ant Brachymyrmex patagonicus. Ecol Evol 2021; 11:4874-4886. [PMID: 33976855 PMCID: PMC8093738 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.7396] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2020] [Revised: 02/05/2021] [Accepted: 02/18/2021] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
The ecological success of ants has made them abundant in most environments, yet inter- and intraspecific competition usually limit nest density for a given population. Most invasive ant populations circumvent this limitation through a supercolonial structure, eliminating intraspecific competition through a loss of nestmate recognition and lack of aggression toward non-nestmates. Native to South America, Brachymyrmex patagonicus has recently invaded many locations worldwide, with invasive populations described as extremely large and dense. Yet, in contrast with most invasive ants, this species exhibits a multicolonial structure, whereby each colony occupies a single nest. Here, we investigated the interplay between genetic diversity, chemical recognition, and aggressive behaviors in an invasive population of B. patagonicus. We found that, in its invasive range, this species reaches a high nest density with individual colonies located every 2.5 m and that colony boundaries are maintained through aggression toward non-nestmates. This recognition and antagonism toward non-nestmates is mediated by chemical differentiation between colonies, as different colonies exhibit distinct chemical profiles. We highlighted that the level of aggression between colonies is correlated with their degree of genetic difference, but not their overall chemical differentiation. This may suggest that only a few chemical compounds influence nestmate recognition in this species or that weak chemical differences are sufficient to elicit aggression. Overall, this study demonstrates that invasive ant populations can reach high densities despite a multicolonial structure with strong aggression between colonies, raising questions about the factors underlying their ecological success and mitigating negative consequences of competitive interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Megan N. Moran
- Department of EntomologyTexas A&M UniversityCollege StationTXUSA
| | | | - Anjel M. Helms
- Department of EntomologyTexas A&M UniversityCollege StationTXUSA
| | - Raj K. Saran
- Bayer Environmental SciencesCollege StationTXUSA
| | - Edward L. Vargo
- Department of EntomologyTexas A&M UniversityCollege StationTXUSA
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The Interplay between Incipient Species and Social Polymorphism in the Desert Ant Cataglyphis. Sci Rep 2019; 9:9495. [PMID: 31263177 PMCID: PMC6603034 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-45950-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2019] [Accepted: 06/19/2019] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
In social insects, due to considerable polyphenism as well as high level of hybridization, the delimitation of species can be challenging. The genus Cataglyphis presents a high level of diversification, making it an excellent model with which to study evolutionary paths. Israel appears to be a “hot spot” for recent speciation in this genus. Although previous studies have described multiple species of Cataglyphis in Israel, a recent genetic study has questioned the existence of some of these historically described species. The present study focuses on an apparent species complex, the C. niger species complex which includes C. niger, C. savigyi, and C. drusus that are distinguishable by their mitochondrial DNA (and therefore named mitotypes) but not by their nuclear DNA. Using a multi-method approach (genetics, chemistry and behavior), we show that these mitotypes also differ in their social structures and are readily distinguishable by their cuticular hydrocarbons profiles. While most populations of the different mitotypes are allopatric, at our study site they are sympatric, but nonetheless maintain the observed differences between them. This raises the evolutionary question: Are these incipient species that have diverged with gene flow, or is this a case of social and chemical polymorphism that is maintained within a single species? Unveiling the interplay between social polyphenism and species segregation is at the core of evolutionary biology.
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