Cuticular chemistry of males and females in the ant Formica fusca

Anton Chernenko; Luke Holman; Heikki Helanterä; Liselotte Sundström

doi:10.1007/s10886-012-0217-4

Cuticular chemistry of males and females in the ant Formica fusca

Anton Chernenko, Luke Holman, Heikki Helanterä, Liselotte Sundström

Ecology and Evolution

11 Citationer (Scopus)

Abstract

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.

Originalsprog	Engelsk
Tidsskrift	Journal of Chemical Ecology
Vol/bind	38
Udgave nummer	12
Sider (fra-til)	1474-1482
Antal sider	9
ISSN	0098-0331
DOI	https://doi.org/10.1007/s10886-012-0217-4
Status	Udgivet - dec. 2012

Adgang til dokumentet

10.1007/s10886-012-0217-4

http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10886-012-0217-4

Citationsformater

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title = "Cuticular chemistry of males and females in the ant Formica fusca",

abstract = "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.",

keywords = "Social, Mating, Cuticular hydrocarbons, Ant, Relatedness, Chemical diversity, Hymenoptera, Formicinae",

author = "Anton Chernenko and Luke Holman and Heikki Helanter{\"a} and Liselotte Sundstr{\"o}m",

year = "2012",

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doi = "10.1007/s10886-012-0217-4",

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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 - Social

KW - Mating

KW - Cuticular hydrocarbons

KW - Ant

KW - Relatedness

KW - Chemical diversity

KW - Hymenoptera

KW - Formicinae

U2 - 10.1007/s10886-012-0217-4

DO - 10.1007/s10886-012-0217-4

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 23179098

SN - 0098-0331

VL - 38

SP - 1474

EP - 1482

JO - Journal of Chemical Ecology

JF - Journal of Chemical Ecology

IS - 12

ER -