TY - JOUR
T1 - Cuticular Chemistry of Males and Females in the Ant Formica fusca
AU - Chernenko, Anton
AU - Holman, Luke
AU - Helanterä, Heikki
AU - Sundström, Liselotte
PY - 2012/12
Y1 - 2012/12
N2 - Communication between organisms involves visual, auditory, and olfactory pathways. In solitary insects, chemical recognition cues are influenced mainly by selection regimes related to species recognition and sexual selection. In social insects, chemical recognition cues have an additional role in mediating recognition of society members and, thereby, allowing kin selection to operate. Here, we examined whether cuticular hydrocarbon profiles are sex-specific and whether males and young queens of the ant Formica fusca have colony-specific profiles. We also investigated whether there is a relationship between genetic relatedness and chemical diversity within colonies. We demonstrated that female and male sexuals do not have unique sex-specific compounds, but that there are quantitative chemical differences between the sexes. Out of the 51 cuticular hydrocarbon compounds identified, 10 showed a significant quantitative difference between males and females. We also showed that both males and females have a significant colony-specific component in their profiles. Finally, we found a negative correlation between within-colony relatedness and within-colony chemical diversity of branched, but not linear compounds. This suggests that colonies with multiple matri- or patrilines also have a significantly greater chemical diversity.
AB - Communication between organisms involves visual, auditory, and olfactory pathways. In solitary insects, chemical recognition cues are influenced mainly by selection regimes related to species recognition and sexual selection. In social insects, chemical recognition cues have an additional role in mediating recognition of society members and, thereby, allowing kin selection to operate. Here, we examined whether cuticular hydrocarbon profiles are sex-specific and whether males and young queens of the ant Formica fusca have colony-specific profiles. We also investigated whether there is a relationship between genetic relatedness and chemical diversity within colonies. We demonstrated that female and male sexuals do not have unique sex-specific compounds, but that there are quantitative chemical differences between the sexes. Out of the 51 cuticular hydrocarbon compounds identified, 10 showed a significant quantitative difference between males and females. We also showed that both males and females have a significant colony-specific component in their profiles. Finally, we found a negative correlation between within-colony relatedness and within-colony chemical diversity of branched, but not linear compounds. This suggests that colonies with multiple matri- or patrilines also have a significantly greater chemical diversity.
KW - Ant
KW - Chemical diversity
KW - Cuticular hydrocarbons
KW - Formicinae
KW - Hymenoptera
KW - Mating
KW - Relatedness
KW - Social
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84871716226&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1007/s10886-012-0217-4
DO - 10.1007/s10886-012-0217-4
M3 - Article
SN - 0098-0331
VL - 38
SP - 1474
EP - 1482
JO - Journal of Chemical Ecology
JF - Journal of Chemical Ecology
IS - 12
ER -