1
|
Bagni T, Siaussat D, Chertemps T, Montagné N, Maria A, Fuentes A, Couzi P, Massot M. The effect of developmental temperature on olfaction in a moth revealed by its interaction with body mass. Commun Biol 2024; 7:1133. [PMID: 39271812 PMCID: PMC11399265 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-024-06854-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2024] [Accepted: 09/05/2024] [Indexed: 09/15/2024] Open
Abstract
There is a growing interest in the effects of climate warming on olfaction, as temperature may affect this essential sense. In insects, the response of the olfactory system to developmental temperature might be mediated by body size or mass because body size and mass are negatively affected by developmental temperature in most ectotherms. We tested this hypothesis of a mass-mediated effect of developmental temperature on olfaction in the moth Spodoptera littoralis. We measured the olfactory sensitivity of male to female sex pheromone and five plant odors using electroantennography. We compared males reared at an optimal temperature (25 °C with a daily fluctuation of ±5 °C) and at a high temperature (33 ± 5 °C) close to the upper limit of S. littoralis. On average, the olfactory sensitivity of males did not differ between the two developmental temperatures. However, our analyses revealed an interaction between the effects of developmental temperature and body mass on the detection of the six chemicals tested. This interaction is explained by a positive relationship between antennal sensitivity and body mass observed only with the high developmental temperature. Our results show that the effect of developmental temperature may not be detected when organism size is ignored.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Thibaut Bagni
- Sorbonne Université, CNRS, INRAe, Institut d'Ecologie et des Sciences de l'Environnement de Paris, iEES-Paris, F-75005, Paris, France.
| | - David Siaussat
- Sorbonne Université, CNRS, INRAe, Institut d'Ecologie et des Sciences de l'Environnement de Paris, iEES-Paris, F-75005, Paris, France
| | - Thomas Chertemps
- Sorbonne Université, CNRS, INRAe, Institut d'Ecologie et des Sciences de l'Environnement de Paris, iEES-Paris, F-75005, Paris, France
| | - Nicolas Montagné
- Sorbonne Université, CNRS, INRAe, Institut d'Ecologie et des Sciences de l'Environnement de Paris, iEES-Paris, F-75005, Paris, France
| | - Annick Maria
- Sorbonne Université, CNRS, INRAe, Institut d'Ecologie et des Sciences de l'Environnement de Paris, iEES-Paris, F-75005, Paris, France
| | - Annabelle Fuentes
- Sorbonne Université, CNRS, INRAe, Institut d'Ecologie et des Sciences de l'Environnement de Paris, iEES-Paris, F-75005, Paris, France
| | - Philippe Couzi
- Sorbonne Université, CNRS, INRAe, Institut d'Ecologie et des Sciences de l'Environnement de Paris, iEES-Paris, F-75005, Paris, France
| | - Manuel Massot
- Sorbonne Université, CNRS, INRAe, Institut d'Ecologie et des Sciences de l'Environnement de Paris, iEES-Paris, F-75005, Paris, France
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Grüter C, Balbuena MS, Valadares L. Mechanisms and adaptations that shape division of labour in stingless bees. CURRENT OPINION IN INSECT SCIENCE 2023; 58:101057. [PMID: 37230412 DOI: 10.1016/j.cois.2023.101057] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2022] [Revised: 04/12/2023] [Accepted: 05/02/2023] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
Stingless bees are a diverse and ecologically important group of pollinators in the tropics. Division of labour allows bee colonies to meet the various demands of their social life, but has been studied in only ∼3% of all described stingless bee species. The available data suggest that division of labour shows both parallels and striking differences compared with other social bees. Worker age is a reliable predictor of worker behaviour in many species, while morphological variation in body size or differences in brain structure are important for specific worker tasks in some species. Stingless bees provide opportunities to confirm general patterns of division of labour, but they also offer prospects to discover and study novel mechanisms underlying the different lifestyles found in eusocial bees.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Christoph Grüter
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, 24 Tyndall Avenue, BS8 1TQ, UK.
| | - María Sol Balbuena
- Laboratorio de Insectos Sociales, Departamento de Biodiversidad y Biología Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, CABA, Argentina; Instituto de Fisiología, Biología Molecular y Neurociencias (IFIBYNE), CONICET, Universidad de Ciencias Naturales y Exactas, Universidad de Buenos Aires, CABA, Argentina
| | - Lohan Valadares
- Evolution, Genomes, Behavior, and Ecology (EGCE), Université Paris-Saclay, CNRS, IRD, Gif-sur-Yvette, France
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Wang Q, Liu G, Yan L, Xu W, Hilton DJ, Liu X, Pei W, Li X, Wu J, Zhao H, Zhang D, Elgar MA. Short-term particulate matter contamination severely compromises insect antennal olfactory perception. Nat Commun 2023; 14:4112. [PMID: 37433781 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-39469-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2022] [Accepted: 06/14/2023] [Indexed: 07/13/2023] Open
Abstract
The consequences of sub-lethal levels of ambient air pollution are underestimated for insects, for example, the accumulation of particulate matter on sensory receptors located on their antennae may have detrimental effects to their function. Here we show that the density of particulate matter on the antennae of houseflies (Musca domestica) collected from an urban environment increases with the severity of air pollution. A combination of behavioural assays, electroantennograms and transcriptomic analysis provide consistent evidence that a brief exposure to particulate matter pollution compromises olfactory perception of reproductive and food odours in both male and female houseflies. Since particulate matter can be transported thousands of kilometres from its origin, these effects may represent an additional factor responsible for global declines in insect numbers, even in pristine and remote areas.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Qike Wang
- School of Ecology and Nature Conservation, Beijing Forestry University, 100083, Beijing, China
- School of BioSciences, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, 3010, Australia
| | - Genting Liu
- School of Ecology and Nature Conservation, Beijing Forestry University, 100083, Beijing, China
- School of BioSciences, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, 3010, Australia
| | - Liping Yan
- School of Ecology and Nature Conservation, Beijing Forestry University, 100083, Beijing, China
| | - Wentian Xu
- School of Ecology and Nature Conservation, Beijing Forestry University, 100083, Beijing, China
| | - Douglas J Hilton
- School of BioSciences, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, 3010, Australia
| | - Xianhui Liu
- Department of Entomology and Nematology, University of California Davis, Davis, CA, 95616, USA
| | - Wenya Pei
- School of Ecology and Nature Conservation, Beijing Forestry University, 100083, Beijing, China
| | - Xinyu Li
- School of Ecology and Nature Conservation, Beijing Forestry University, 100083, Beijing, China
| | - Jinbiao Wu
- School of Ecology and Nature Conservation, Beijing Forestry University, 100083, Beijing, China
| | - Haifeng Zhao
- Faculty of Architecture, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, 3010, Australia
| | - Dong Zhang
- School of Ecology and Nature Conservation, Beijing Forestry University, 100083, Beijing, China.
| | - Mark A Elgar
- School of BioSciences, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, 3010, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Wikantyoso B, Imai T, Himmi SK, Yusuf S, Hata T, Yoshimura T. Ultrastructure and distribution of sensory receptors on the nonolfactory organs of the soldier caste in subterranean termite (Coptotermes spp.). ARTHROPOD STRUCTURE & DEVELOPMENT 2022; 70:101201. [PMID: 35994811 DOI: 10.1016/j.asd.2022.101201] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2022] [Revised: 07/11/2022] [Accepted: 07/16/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
The soldier caste of termites uses sensilla to sense pheromonal, tactile, and vibrational cues to communicate inside and outside their nest. Although sensilla with many modalities on the antennae of subterranean termites have been well explored, there remains a lack of information regarding sensillum characteristics and distribution of the nonolfactory organs of the soldier caste in the Coptotermes genus. In this study, the ultrastructure of sensilla from the soldier caste of three Coptotermes spp. (Coptotermes formosanus, Coptotermes curvignathus, and Coptotermes gestroi) was observed by scanning and transmission electron microscopy, and the putative function of each type was deduced. Six total sensillum types were observed, with two mechanoreceptive sensillum types (hair and plate). The long flexible-peg mechanoreceptive sensilla may work as contact-chemoreceptive sensilla due to their elongated dendritic outer segments and uniporous characteristics. There was a significant depletion of mechano-chemoreceptive sensillum numbers in C. gestroi, which was compensated by a high density of short-peg mechanoreceptive sensilla on the pronotum. Finally, cuticular and innervation characteristics of thermo-/hygrosensitive sensilla were observed for the first time on the labrum of the soldier caste of Coptotermes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Bramantyo Wikantyoso
- Research Institute for Sustainable Humanosphere (RISH), Kyoto University, Gokasho, Uji, Kyoto, 611-0011, Japan; Research Center for Applied Zoology, National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN), Jl. Raya Bogor Km 46, Cibinong, Bogor, 16911, Indonesia.
| | - Tomoya Imai
- Research Institute for Sustainable Humanosphere (RISH), Kyoto University, Gokasho, Uji, Kyoto, 611-0011, Japan
| | - S Khoirul Himmi
- Research Center for Applied Zoology, National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN), Jl. Raya Bogor Km 46, Cibinong, Bogor, 16911, Indonesia
| | - Sulaeman Yusuf
- Research Center for Applied Zoology, National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN), Jl. Raya Bogor Km 46, Cibinong, Bogor, 16911, Indonesia
| | - Toshimitsu Hata
- Research Institute for Sustainable Humanosphere (RISH), Kyoto University, Gokasho, Uji, Kyoto, 611-0011, Japan
| | - Tsuyoshi Yoshimura
- Research Institute for Sustainable Humanosphere (RISH), Kyoto University, Gokasho, Uji, Kyoto, 611-0011, Japan
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Boulton RA, Field J. Sensory plasticity in a socially plastic bee. J Evol Biol 2022; 35:1218-1228. [PMID: 35849730 PMCID: PMC9543577 DOI: 10.1111/jeb.14065] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2022] [Accepted: 06/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
The social Hymenoptera have contributed much to our understanding of the evolution of sensory systems. Attention has focussed chiefly on how sociality and sensory systems have evolved together. In the Hymenoptera, the antennal sensilla are important for optimizing the perception of olfactory social information. Social species have denser antennal sensilla than solitary species, which is thought to enhance social cohesion through nestmate recognition. In the current study, we test whether sensilla numbers vary between populations of the socially plastic sweat bee Halictus rubicundus from regions that vary in climate and the degree to which sociality is expressed. We found population differences in both olfactory and hygro/thermoreceptive sensilla numbers. We also found evidence that olfactory sensilla density is developmentally plastic: when we transplanted bees from Scotland to the south-east of England, their offspring (which developed in the south) had more olfactory hairs than the transplanted individuals themselves (which developed in Scotland). The transplanted bees displayed a mix of social (a queen plus workers) and solitary nesting, but neither individual nor nest phenotype was related to sensilla density. We suggest that this general, rather than caste-specific sensory plasticity provides a flexible means to optimize sensory perception according to the most pressing demands of the environment. Sensory plasticity may support social plasticity in H. rubicundus but does not appear to be causally related to it.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca A Boulton
- Laboratory of Genetics, Plant Sciences Group, University of Stirling, Wageningen, The Netherlands.,Biological and Environmental Sciences, Wageningen University & Research, Stirling, UK
| | - Jeremy Field
- College of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Exeter, Exeter, UK
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Pham HT, Elgar MA, van Lieshout E, McNamara KB. Experimental immune challenges reduce the quality of male antennae and female pheromone output. Sci Rep 2022; 12:3578. [PMID: 35246550 PMCID: PMC8897396 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-07100-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2021] [Accepted: 02/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Sexual signalling is a key feature of reproductive investment, yet the effects of immune system activation on investment into chemical signalling, and especially signal receiver traits such as antennae, are poorly understood. We explore how upregulation of juvenile immunity affects male antennal functional morphology and female pheromone attractiveness in the gumleaf skeletonizer moth, Uraba lugens. We injected final-instar larvae with a high or low dose of an immune elicitor or a control solution and measured male antennal morphological traits, gonad investment and female pheromone attractiveness. Immune activation affected male and female signalling investment: immune challenged males had a lower density of antennal sensilla, and the pheromone of immune-challenged females was less attractive to males than their unchallenged counterparts. Immune challenge affected female investment into ovary development but not in a linear, dose-dependent manner. While there was no effect of immune challenge on testes size, there was a trade-off between male pre- and post-copulatory investment: male antennal length was negatively correlated with testes size. Our study highlights the costs of elaborate antennae and pheromone production and demonstrates the capacity for honest signalling in species where the costs of pheromone production were presumed to be trivial.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Hieu T Pham
- School of BioSciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, 3010, Australia.,Department of Entomology, Faculty of Agronomy, Vietnam National University of Agriculture, Hanoi, Vietnam
| | - Mark A Elgar
- School of BioSciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, 3010, Australia
| | - Emile van Lieshout
- School of BioSciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, 3010, Australia
| | - Kathryn B McNamara
- School of BioSciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, 3010, Australia.
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Freelance CB, Magrath MJL, Elgar MA, Wong BBM. Long‐term captivity is associated with changes to sensory organ morphology in a critically endangered insect. J Appl Ecol 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2664.14069] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Michael J. L. Magrath
- School of BioSciences The University of Melbourne Parkville Vic. Australia
- Department of Wildlife Conservation and Science Zoos Victoria Parkville Vic. Australia
| | - Mark A. Elgar
- School of BioSciences The University of Melbourne Parkville Vic. Australia
| | - Bob B. M. Wong
- School of Biological Sciences Monash University Clayton Vic. Australia
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Godfrey RK, Oberski JT, Allmark T, Givens C, Hernandez-Rivera J, Gronenberg W. Olfactory System Morphology Suggests Colony Size Drives Trait Evolution in Odorous Ants (Formicidae: Dolichoderinae). Front Ecol Evol 2021. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2021.733023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
In social insects colony fitness is determined in part by individual worker phenotypes. Across ant species, colony size varies greatly and is thought to affect worker trait variation in both proximate and ultimate ways. Little is known about the relationship between colony size and worker trait evolution, but hypotheses addressing the role of social structure in brain evolution suggest workers of small-colony species may have larger brains or larger brain regions necessary for complex behaviors. In previous work on odorous ants (Formicidae: Dolichoderinae) we found no correlation between colony size and these brain properties, but found that relative antennal lobe size scaled negatively with colony size. Therefore, we now test whether sensory systems scale with colony size, with particular attention to olfactory components thought to be involved in nestmate recognition. Across three species of odorous ants, Forelius mccooki, Dorymyrmex insanus, and D. bicolor, which overlap in habitat and foraging ecology but vary in colony size, we compare olfactory sensory structures, comparing those thought to be involved in nestmate recognition. We use the visual system, a sensory modality not as important in social communication in ants, as a control comparison. We find that body size scaling largely explains differences in eye size, antennal length, antennal sensilla density, and total number of olfactory glomeruli across these species. However, sensilla basiconica and olfactory glomeruli in the T6 cluster of the antennal lobe, structures known to be involved in nestmate recognition, do not follow body size scaling observed for other structures. Instead, we find evidence from the closely related Dorymyrmex species that the larger colony species, D. bicolor, invests more in structures implicated in nestmate recognition. To test for functional consequences, we compare nestmate and non-nestmate interactions between these two species and find D. bicolor pairs of either type engage in more interactions than D. insaus pairs. Thus, we do not find evidence supporting a universal pattern of sensory system scaling associated with changes in colony size, but hypothesize that observed differences in the olfactory components in two closely related Dorymyrmex species are evidence of a link between colony size and sensory trait evolution.
Collapse
|
9
|
Freelance CB, Tierney SM, Rodriguez J, Stuart-Fox DM, Wong BBM, Elgar MA. The eyes have it: dim-light activity is associated with the morphology of eyes but not antennae across insect orders. Biol J Linn Soc Lond 2021. [DOI: 10.1093/biolinnean/blab088] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
The perception of cues and signals in visual, olfactory and auditory modalities underpins all animal interactions and provides crucial fitness-related information. Sensory organ morphology is under strong selection to optimize detection of salient cues and signals in a given signalling environment, the most well-studied example being selection on eye design in different photic environments. Many dim-light active species have larger compound eyes relative to body size, but little is known about differences in non-visual sensory organ morphology between diurnal and dim-light active insects. Here, we compare the micromorphology of the compound eyes (visual receptors) and antennae (olfactory and mechanical receptors) in representative pairs of day active and dim-light active species spanning multiple taxonomic orders of insects. We find that dim-light activity is associated with larger compound eye ommatidia and larger overall eye surface area across taxonomic orders but find no evidence that morphological adaptations that enhance the sensitivity of the eye in dim-light active insects are accompanied by morphological traits of the antennae that may increase sensitivity to olfactory, chemical or physical stimuli. This suggests that the ecology and natural history of species is a stronger driver of sensory organ morphology than is selection for complementary investment between sensory modalities.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Simon M Tierney
- School of BioSciences, The University of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Locked Bag 1797, Penrith, NSW, Australia
| | - Juanita Rodriguez
- Australian National Insect Collection, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia
| | - Devi M Stuart-Fox
- School of BioSciences, The University of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Bob B M Wong
- School of Biological Sciences, Monash University, Victoria, Australia
| | - Mark A Elgar
- School of BioSciences, The University of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Kennedy A, Peng T, Glaser SM, Linn M, Foitzik S, Grüter C. Use of waggle dance information in honey bees is linked to gene expression in the antennae, but not in the brain. Mol Ecol 2021; 30:2676-2688. [PMID: 33742503 DOI: 10.1111/mec.15893] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2020] [Revised: 03/12/2021] [Accepted: 03/15/2021] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
Communication is essential for social animals, but deciding how to utilize information provided by conspecifics is a complex process that depends on environmental and intrinsic factors. Honey bees use a unique form of communication, the waggle dance, to inform nestmates about the location of food sources. However, as in many other animals, experienced individuals often ignore this social information and prefer to rely on prior experiences, i.e., private information. The neurosensory factors that drive the decision to use social information are not yet understood. Here we test whether the decision to use social dance information or private information is linked to gene expression differences in different parts of the nervous system. We trained bees to collect food from sugar water feeders and observed whether they utilize social or private information when exposed to dances for a new food source. We performed transcriptome analysis of four brain parts (11-16 bees per tissue type) critical for cognition: the subesophageal ganglion, the central brain, the mushroom bodies, and the antennal lobes but, unexpectedly, detected no differences between social or private information users. In contrast, we found 413 differentially expressed genes in the antennae, suggesting that variation in sensory perception mediates the decision to use social information. Social information users were characterized by the upregulation of biogenic amine genes, while private information users upregulated several genes coding for odour perception. These results highlight that decision-making in honey bees might also depend on peripheral processes of perception rather than higher-order brain centres of information integration.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Anissa Kennedy
- Institute of Organismic and Molecular Evolution, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Mainz, Germany
| | - Tianfei Peng
- Institute of Organismic and Molecular Evolution, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Mainz, Germany.,College of Plant Science, Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Simone M Glaser
- Institute of Organismic and Molecular Evolution, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Mainz, Germany
| | - Melissa Linn
- Institute of Organismic and Molecular Evolution, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Mainz, Germany
| | - Susanne Foitzik
- Institute of Organismic and Molecular Evolution, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Mainz, Germany
| | - Christoph Grüter
- Institute of Organismic and Molecular Evolution, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Mainz, Germany.,School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Lan L, Wang S, Hu K, Ma T, Wen X. Ultrastructure of Antennal Morphology and Sensilla of Teak Skeletonizer, Eutectona machaeralis Walker (Lepidoptera: Crambidae). MICROSCOPY AND MICROANALYSIS : THE OFFICIAL JOURNAL OF MICROSCOPY SOCIETY OF AMERICA, MICROBEAM ANALYSIS SOCIETY, MICROSCOPICAL SOCIETY OF CANADA 2020; 26:1274-1282. [PMID: 33050977 DOI: 10.1017/s1431927620024599] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
The leaf skeletonizer, Eutectona machaeralis (Walker) (Lepidoptera: Crambidae), is a severe insect pest of teak trees (Tectona grandis L.f.) in China. To provide some basic evidence for future semiochemical-based management strategies of E. machaeralis, the morphology, ultrastructure, and distribution of antennal sensilla of adults were observed under scanning and transmission electron microscopy. The shape and structure of antenna were similar between males and females, both being filiform. However, the antennal length of males was significantly longer than that of females. Eight morphological sensilla types were observed in both sexes: Böhm's bristles, sensilla trichodea, sensilla basiconica, sensilla chaetica, sensilla styloconica, sensilla coeloconica, sensilla auricillica, and sensilla squamiformia. Significant sexual dimorphism of the sensilla dimensions was found, especially in sensillar length. The putative and potential functions of the different sensilla types are discussed based on the fine structures of the cuticular walls and dendrites of the different sensilla types. We expect these results to help lay a solid foundation for future functional research and develop further investigations of E. machaeralis.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Laijiao Lan
- Guangdong Key Laboratory for Innovative Development and Utilization of Forest Plant Germplasm, College of Forestry and Landscape Architecture, South China Agricultural University, 483 Wushan Road, Tianhe District, Guangzhou510642, China
| | - Shengkun Wang
- Research Institute of Tropical Forestry of CAF, Guangzhou510520, China
| | - Keyan Hu
- Guangdong Key Laboratory for Innovative Development and Utilization of Forest Plant Germplasm, College of Forestry and Landscape Architecture, South China Agricultural University, 483 Wushan Road, Tianhe District, Guangzhou510642, China
| | - Tao Ma
- Guangdong Key Laboratory for Innovative Development and Utilization of Forest Plant Germplasm, College of Forestry and Landscape Architecture, South China Agricultural University, 483 Wushan Road, Tianhe District, Guangzhou510642, China
| | - Xiujun Wen
- Guangdong Key Laboratory for Innovative Development and Utilization of Forest Plant Germplasm, College of Forestry and Landscape Architecture, South China Agricultural University, 483 Wushan Road, Tianhe District, Guangzhou510642, China
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Polidori C, Jorge A, Ornosa C. Antennal morphology and sensillar equipment vary with pollen diet specialization in Andrena bees. ARTHROPOD STRUCTURE & DEVELOPMENT 2020; 57:100950. [PMID: 32413703 DOI: 10.1016/j.asd.2020.100950] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2020] [Revised: 04/19/2020] [Accepted: 04/22/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Several studies recently reported that specialized (oligolectic) bees, which collect pollen from few host plants, use, besides visual cues, specific volatiles to find their hosts. Generalist (polylectic) bees, on the other hand, likely have to recognize a wider range of volatiles because they forage on many plant species. Bee antennal sensory equipment may thus be under selection to optimize plant host recognition. This selection may have led to variation in sensory equipment morphology with diet specialization (lecty). We tested if lecty correlates with antennal morphology and abundance of the main olfactory/gustatory sensilla (sensilla trichoidea (ST), placoidea (SP), sensilla basiconica (SB)) in the genus Andrena (Hymenoptera: Andrenidae). Across 24 species, and after having controlled for body size, we found polylectic species to have a longer and narrower flagellomer F9 (the one with highest abundance of sensilla), and to have a greater ST density on F9, compared with oligolectic species. Neither SP density nor SB number varied with lecty. A cluster analysis furthermore depicted groups of species that reasonably reflect diet specialization. Our results are in line with the previously observed lower number of glomeruli in the brain of oligolectic, compared with polylectic, bees. A formal correction for phylogeny is necessary to confirm our preliminary conclusion that pollen diet specialization has driven the morphology of the peripheral sensory system in this bee genus.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Carlo Polidori
- Instituto de Ciencias Ambientales (ICAM), Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha, Avenida Carlos III, s/n, E-45071, Toledo, Spain.
| | - Alberto Jorge
- Laboratorio de Sistemática Molecular, Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales (CSIC), C/ José Gutiérrez Abascal 2, E-28006, Madrid, Spain.
| | - Concepción Ornosa
- Departamento de Biodiversidad, Ecología y Evolución, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, C/ José Antonio Nováis, 12, E-28040, Madrid, Spain.
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Dong Z, Yang Y, Dou F, Zhang Y, Huang H, Zheng X, Wang X, Lu W. Observations on the Ultrastructure of Antennal Sensilla of Adult Glenea cantor (Cerambycidae: Lamiinae). JOURNAL OF INSECT SCIENCE (ONLINE) 2020; 20:5810270. [PMID: 32191795 PMCID: PMC7082121 DOI: 10.1093/jisesa/ieaa013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
The external morphology and distribution of antennal sensilla of Glenea cantor Fabricius were studied with scanning electron microscopy. The antennae of G. cantor were observed to be filiform, consisting of scape, pedicel, and flagellum (nine flagellomeres). Four distinct types of sensory receptors were observed, including sensilla chaetica, sensilla trichodea, sensilla basiconica, and Böhm bristles. Three morphological subtypes of sensilla chaetica were found on the antennae, and sensilla trichodea were also categorized into three morphological subtypes. Sensilla basiconica was grouped into two morphological subtypes that were found on subsegments F2-F9 of the flagellum, and Böhm bristles were only found at the intersegmental joints between the scape and the head and between the scape and the pedicel. The antennae of male and female adults were similar in shape, length, and diameter. However, the length, diameter, distribution, and number of each of the four distinct types of sensilla on the males were significantly different from those on females. The types, lengths, diameters, numbers, and distributions of these sensilla were described, and their possible functions were also discussed. The results indicated that the base and end of an antennal segment have a similar sensillum density, but the middle section sensor density is significantly greater, especially for olfactory and gustatory sensilla, possibly because the joints are more involved in mechanical sensing. The density of sensors is closely related to its sensing function; so, future studies on the biology of olfaction and sexual communication in G. cantor will be facilitated by these observations.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Zishu Dong
- Guangxi Key Laboratory of Agric-Environment and Agric-Products Safety, College of Agriculture, Guangxi University, Nanning, Peoples R China
| | - Yubin Yang
- Texas A&M AgriLife Research Center, Beaumont, TX
| | - Fugen Dou
- Texas A&M AgriLife Research Center, Beaumont, TX
| | - Yujing Zhang
- Guangxi Key Laboratory of Agric-Environment and Agric-Products Safety, College of Agriculture, Guangxi University, Nanning, Peoples R China
| | - Huixin Huang
- Guangxi Key Laboratory of Agric-Environment and Agric-Products Safety, College of Agriculture, Guangxi University, Nanning, Peoples R China
| | - Xialin Zheng
- Guangxi Key Laboratory of Agric-Environment and Agric-Products Safety, College of Agriculture, Guangxi University, Nanning, Peoples R China
| | - Xiaoyun Wang
- Guangxi Key Laboratory of Agric-Environment and Agric-Products Safety, College of Agriculture, Guangxi University, Nanning, Peoples R China
| | - Wen Lu
- Guangxi Key Laboratory of Agric-Environment and Agric-Products Safety, College of Agriculture, Guangxi University, Nanning, Peoples R China
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
|
15
|
Leitner N, Dornhaus A. Dynamic task allocation: how and why do social insect workers take on new tasks? Anim Behav 2019. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2019.09.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
|
16
|
Yan X, Wang Z, Xie J, Deng C, Sun X, Hao C. Glomerular Organization of the Antennal Lobes of the Diamondback Moth, Plutella xylostella L. Front Neuroanat 2019; 13:4. [PMID: 30804761 PMCID: PMC6371844 DOI: 10.3389/fnana.2019.00004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2018] [Accepted: 01/14/2019] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The antennal lobe of the moth brain is the primary olfactory center processing information concerning pheromones and plant odors. Plutella xylostella is a major worldwide pest of cruciferous vegetables and its behavior is highly dependent on their olfactory system. However, detailed knowledge of the anatomy and function of the P. xylostella olfactory system remains limited. In the present study, we present the 3-Dimentional (3-D) map of the antennal lobe of P. xylostella, based on confocal microscopic analysis of glomerular segmentation and Neurobiotin backfills of Olfactory Receptor Neurons (ORNs). We identified 74–76 ordinary glomeruli and a macroglomerular complex (MGC) situated at the entrance of the antennal nerve in males. The MGC contained three glomeruli. The volumes of glomeruli in males ranged from 305.83 ± 129.53 to 25440.00 ± 1377.67 μm3. In females, 74–77 glomeruli were found, with the largest glomerulus ELG being situated at the entrance of the antennal nerve. The volumes of glomeruli in females ranged from 802.17 ± 95.68 to 8142.17 ± 509.46 μm3. Sexual dimorphism was observed in anomalous supernumerary, anomalous missing, shape, size, and array of several of the identified glomeruli in both sexes. All glomeruli, except one in the antennal lobe (AL), received projections of antennal ORNs. The glomeruli PV1 in both sexes received input from the labial palp nerve and was assumed as the labial pit organ glomerulus (LPOG). These results provide a foundation for better understanding of coding mechanisms of odors in this important pest insect.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Xizhong Yan
- Department of Entomology, Agricultural College, Shanxi Agricultural University, Taigu, China
| | - Zhiyu Wang
- Department of Entomology, Agricultural College, Shanxi Agricultural University, Taigu, China
| | - Jiaoxin Xie
- Department of Entomology, Agricultural College, Shanxi Agricultural University, Taigu, China
| | - Caiping Deng
- Department of Entomology, Forestry College, Shanxi Agricultural University, Taigu, China
| | - Xuejun Sun
- Department of Entomology, Agricultural College, Shanxi Agricultural University, Taigu, China.,Department of Experimental Oncology, Cross Cancer Institute, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - Chi Hao
- Department of Entomology, Agricultural College, Shanxi Agricultural University, Taigu, China
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
Leitner N, Charbonneau D, Gronenberg W, Dornhaus A. Peripheral sensory organs vary among ant workers but variation does not predict division of labor. Behav Processes 2018; 158:137-143. [PMID: 30447249 DOI: 10.1016/j.beproc.2018.10.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2018] [Revised: 06/06/2018] [Accepted: 10/23/2018] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
The neural mechanisms underlying behavioral variation among individuals are not well understood. Differences among individuals in sensory sensitivity could limit the environmental stimuli to which an individual is capable of responding and have, indeed, been shown to relate to behavioral differences in different species. Here, we show that ant workers in Temnothorax rugatulus differ considerably in the number of antennal sensory structures, or sensilla (by 45% in density and over 100% in estimated total number). A larger quantity of sensilla may reflect a larger quantity of underlying sensory neurons. This would increase the probability that a given set of neurons in the antenna detects an environmental stimulus and becomes excited, thereby eliciting the expression of a behavior downstream at lower stimulus levels than an individual with comparatively fewer sensilla. Individual differences in antennal sensilla density, however, did not predict worker activity level or performance of any task, suggesting either that variation in sensilla density does not, in fact, reflect variation in sensory sensitivity or that individual sensory response thresholds to task-associated stimuli do not determine task allocation as is commonly assumed, at least in this social insect. More broadly, our finding that even closely related individuals can differ strongly in peripheral sensory organ elaboration suggests that such variation in sensory organs could underlie other cases of intraspecific behavioral variation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Nicole Leitner
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721, USA.
| | - Daniel Charbonneau
- Graduate Interdisciplinary Program in Entomology and Insect Science, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721, USA; Department of Biology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Wulfila Gronenberg
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721, USA
| | - Anna Dornhaus
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721, USA
| |
Collapse
|
18
|
Grüter C, Segers FHID, Santos LLG, Hammel B, Zimmermann U, Nascimento FS. Enemy recognition is linked to soldier size in a polymorphic stingless bee. Biol Lett 2018; 13:rsbl.2017.0511. [PMID: 28978757 DOI: 10.1098/rsbl.2017.0511] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2017] [Accepted: 09/11/2017] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Many ant and termite colonies are defended by soldiers with powerful mandibles or chemical weaponry. Recently, it was reported that several stingless bee species also have soldiers for colony defence. These soldiers are larger than foragers, but otherwise lack obvious morphological adaptations for defence. Thus, how these soldiers improve colony fitness is not well understood. Robbing is common in stingless bees and we hypothesized that increased body size improves the ability to recognize intruders based on chemosensory cues. We studied the Neotropical species Tetragonisca angustula and found that large soldiers were better than small soldiers at recognizing potential intruders. Larger soldiers also had more olfactory pore plates on their antennae, which is likely to increase their chemosensory sensitivity. Our results suggest that improved enemy recognition might select for increased guard size in stingless bees.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Christoph Grüter
- Departamento de Biologia da Faculdade de Filosofia, Ciências e Letras de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Av. Bandeirantes, Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo 3900, Brazil
| | - Francisca H I D Segers
- Departamento de Biologia da Faculdade de Filosofia, Ciências e Letras de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Av. Bandeirantes, Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo 3900, Brazil
| | - Luana L G Santos
- Departamento de Biologia da Faculdade de Filosofia, Ciências e Letras de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Av. Bandeirantes, Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo 3900, Brazil
| | - Benedikt Hammel
- Departamento de Biologia da Faculdade de Filosofia, Ciências e Letras de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Av. Bandeirantes, Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo 3900, Brazil
| | - Uwe Zimmermann
- Departamento de Biologia da Faculdade de Filosofia, Ciências e Letras de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Av. Bandeirantes, Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo 3900, Brazil
| | - Fabio S Nascimento
- Departamento de Biologia da Faculdade de Filosofia, Ciências e Letras de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Av. Bandeirantes, Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo 3900, Brazil
| |
Collapse
|
19
|
Grüter C, Jongepier E, Foitzik S. Insect societies fight back: the evolution of defensive traits against social parasites. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2018; 373:20170200. [PMID: 29866913 PMCID: PMC6000133 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2017.0200] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 12/31/2017] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Insect societies face many social parasites that exploit their altruistic behaviours or their resources. Due to the fitness costs these social parasites incur, hosts have evolved various behavioural, chemical, architectural and morphological defence traits. Similar to bacteria infecting multicellular hosts, social parasites have to successfully go through several steps to exploit their hosts. Here, we review how social insects try to interrupt this sequence of events. They can avoid parasite contact by choosing to nest in parasite-free locales or evade attacks by adapting their colony structure. Once social parasites attack, hosts attempt to detect them, which can be facilitated by adjustments in colony odour. If social parasites enter the nest, hosts can either aggressively defend their colony or take their young and flee. Nest structures are often shaped to prevent social parasite invasion or to safeguard host resources. Finally, if social parasites successfully establish themselves in host nests, hosts can rebel by killing the parasite brood or by reproducing in the parasites' presence. Hosts of social parasites can therefore develop multiple traits, leading to the evolution of complex defence portfolios of co-dependent traits. Social parasites can respond to these multi-level defences with counter-adaptations, potentially leading to geographical mosaics of coevolution.This article is part of the Theo Murphy meeting issue 'Evolution of pathogen and parasite avoidance behaviours'.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Christoph Grüter
- Institute of Organismic and Molecular Evolution, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Johannes von Müller Weg 6, Mainz 55099, Germany
| | - Evelien Jongepier
- Institute for Evolution and Biodiversity, Westfälische Wilhelms University, Hüfferstrasse 1, 48149 Münster, Germany
| | - Susanne Foitzik
- Institute of Organismic and Molecular Evolution, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Johannes von Müller Weg 6, Mainz 55099, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
20
|
Wittwer B, Elgar MA. Cryptic castes, social context and colony defence in a social bee, Tetragonula carbonaria. Ethology 2018. [DOI: 10.1111/eth.12765] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Mark A. Elgar
- School of BioSciences; University of Melbourne; Parkville VIC Australia
| |
Collapse
|
21
|
Yan XZ, Deng CP, Xie JX, Wu LJ, Sun XJ, Hao C. Distribution patterns and morphology of sensilla on the antennae of Plutella xylostella (L.)—A scanning and transmission electron microscopic study. Micron 2017; 103:1-11. [DOI: 10.1016/j.micron.2017.08.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2017] [Revised: 08/09/2017] [Accepted: 08/09/2017] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
|
22
|
Wittwer B, Hefetz A, Simon T, Murphy LEK, Elgar MA, Pierce NE, Kocher SD. Solitary bees reduce investment in communication compared with their social relatives. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2017; 114:6569-6574. [PMID: 28533385 PMCID: PMC5488929 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1620780114] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Social animals must communicate to define group membership and coordinate social organization. For social insects, communication is predominantly mediated through chemical signals, and as social complexity increases, so does the requirement for a greater diversity of signals. This relationship is particularly true for advanced eusocial insects, including ants, bees, and wasps, whose chemical communication systems have been well-characterized. However, we know surprisingly little about how these communication systems evolve during the transition between solitary and group living. Here, we demonstrate that the sensory systems associated with signal perception are evolutionarily labile. In particular, we show that differences in signal production and perception are tightly associated with changes in social behavior in halictid bees. Our results suggest that social species require a greater investment in communication than their solitary counterparts and that species that have reverted from eusociality to solitary living have repeatedly reduced investment in these potentially costly sensory perception systems.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Bernadette Wittwer
- School of BioSciences, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Melbourne, VIC 3010, Australia
| | - Abraham Hefetz
- Department of Zoology, George S. Wise Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Ramat Aviv, Tel Aviv 6997801, Israel
| | - Tovit Simon
- Department of Zoology, George S. Wise Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Ramat Aviv, Tel Aviv 6997801, Israel
| | - Li E K Murphy
- Museum of Comparative Zoology, Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138
| | - Mark A Elgar
- School of BioSciences, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Melbourne, VIC 3010, Australia
| | - Naomi E Pierce
- Museum of Comparative Zoology, Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138
| | - Sarah D Kocher
- Museum of Comparative Zoology, Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138;
- Lewis-Sigler Institute for Integrative Genomics, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08540
| |
Collapse
|
23
|
Johnson TL, Symonds MRE, Elgar MA. Sexual selection on receptor organ traits: younger females attract males with longer antennae. Naturwissenschaften 2017; 104:44. [DOI: 10.1007/s00114-017-1466-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2017] [Accepted: 04/22/2017] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
|
24
|
Elgar MA. Integrating insights across diverse taxa: challenges for understanding social evolution. Front Ecol Evol 2015. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2015.00124] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
|
25
|
Esponda F, Gordon DM. Distributed nestmate recognition in ants. Proc Biol Sci 2015; 282:20142838. [PMID: 25833853 PMCID: PMC4426612 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2014.2838] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2014] [Accepted: 03/05/2015] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
We propose a distributed model of nestmate recognition, analogous to the one used by the vertebrate immune system, in which colony response results from the diverse reactions of many ants. The model describes how individual behaviour produces colony response to non-nestmates. No single ant knows the odour identity of the colony. Instead, colony identity is defined collectively by all the ants in the colony. Each ant responds to the odour of other ants by reference to its own unique decision boundary, which is a result of its experience of encounters with other ants. Each ant thus recognizes a particular set of chemical profiles as being those of non-nestmates. This model predicts, as experimental results have shown, that the outcome of behavioural assays is likely to be variable, that it depends on the number of ants tested, that response to non-nestmates changes over time and that it changes in response to the experience of individual ants. A distributed system allows a colony to identify non-nestmates without requiring that all individuals have the same complete information and helps to facilitate the tracking of changes in cuticular hydrocarbon profiles, because only a subset of ants must respond to provide an adequate response.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Fernando Esponda
- Department of Computer Science, Instituto Tecnológico Autónomo de México, México D.F. 01080, Mexico
| | | |
Collapse
|
26
|
Larsen J, Fouks B, Bos N, d'Ettorre P, Nehring V. Variation in nestmate recognition ability among polymorphic leaf-cutting ant workers. JOURNAL OF INSECT PHYSIOLOGY 2014; 70:59-66. [PMID: 25205477 DOI: 10.1016/j.jinsphys.2014.09.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2014] [Revised: 08/20/2014] [Accepted: 09/01/2014] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
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.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Janni Larsen
- Centre for Social Evolution, University of Copenhagen, Universitetsparken 15, 2100 Copenhagen E, Denmark.
| | - Bertrand Fouks
- Centre for Social Evolution, University of Copenhagen, Universitetsparken 15, 2100 Copenhagen E, Denmark.
| | - Nick Bos
- Centre for Social Evolution, University of Copenhagen, Universitetsparken 15, 2100 Copenhagen E, Denmark.
| | - Patrizia d'Ettorre
- Centre for Social Evolution, University of Copenhagen, Universitetsparken 15, 2100 Copenhagen E, Denmark.
| | - Volker Nehring
- Centre for Social Evolution, University of Copenhagen, Universitetsparken 15, 2100 Copenhagen E, Denmark.
| |
Collapse
|