A Basis for Spatial and Social Patterns in Ant Species: Dynamics and Mechanisms of Aggregation

Aggregation is usually studied in functional terms, forgetting mechanisms. In this paper, experimental results on the ant Lasius niger, complemented by a model, allow us to understand the mechanisms responsible for aggregation and to study the influence of the population density on this phenomenon. The results show (1) a high level of aggregation and the emergence of a large cluster; (2) that aggregation results from an amplification mechanism—the greater the number of ants inside a cluster, the greater the time spent by one ant in this cluster; and (3) that population density has only a weak influence on the aggregation process. This method of analysis and these results can certainly be extended not only in social insects but also in other species, like subsocial arthropods.     

Isolation of polymorphic microsatellite loci in the ponerine ant Ectatomma tuberculatum

We report the development of 11 microsatellite markers by an enrichment protocol in the ponerine ant Ectatomma tuberculatum. Polymorphism was explored in two colonies collected from Mexico and two colonies from Brazil. From the 11 loci which amplified, seven loci showed intracolonial polymorphism in Mexican colonies and only six loci were variable in populations from Brazil. Observed heterozygosity ranged from 0.18 to 0.84. The other five loci exhibited different alleles between Mexico and Brazil but geographical variability was not investigated further. Cross‐amplification was tested in another species of the same Tribe (Gnamptogenys striatula) and one locus was revealed to be polymorphic.     

Are offspring begging levels exaggerated beyond the parental optimum? Evidence from a bidirectional selection experiment

Parental care involves elaborate behavioural interactions between parents and their offspring, with offspring stimulating their parents via begging to provision resources. Thus, begging has direct fitness benefits as it enhances offspring growth and survival. It is nevertheless subject to a complex evolutionary trajectory, because begging may serve as a means for the offspring to manipulate parents in the context of evolutionary conflicts of interest. Furthermore, it has been hypothesized that begging is coadapted and potentially genetically correlated with parental care traits as a result of social selection. Further experiments on the causal processes that shape the evolution of begging are therefore essential. We applied bidirectional artificial selection on begging behaviour, using canaries (Serinus canaria) as a model species. We measured the response to selection, the consequences for offspring development, changes in parental care traits, here the rate of parental provisioning, as well as the effects on reproductive success. After three generations of selection, offspring differed in begging behaviour according to our artificial selection regime: nestlings of the high begging line begged significantly more than nestlings of the low begging line. Intriguingly, begging less benefitted the nestlings, as reflected by on average significantly higher growth rates, and increased reproductive success in terms of a higher number of fledglings in the low selected line. Begging could thus represent an exaggerated trait, possibly because parent–offspring conflict enhanced the selection on begging. We did not find evidence that we co‐selected on parental provisioning, which may be due to the lack of power, but may also suggest that the evolution of begging is probably not constrained by a genetic correlation between parental provisioning and offspring begging.     

Sur la biologie deMicrophthalma europaea Egg., tachninaire parasite des larves deScarabaeidae

Zusammenfassung Die Laborzucht aufeinanderfolgender Generationen vonMicrophthalma europaea egg. hat es uns m?glich gemacht, die Entwicklung dieser Tachinide bei 25°C festzustellen. Die Dauer der Stadien ist 3–4 Tage für das erste, 4–7 Tage für das zweite und 8–12 Tage für das dritte Larvenstadium, 14 Tage für die Nymphe, 14–18 Tage für die Reifungsperiode der Weibchen. Die mittlere Lebensdauer für die weiblichen Fliegen ist 25 Tage und 20 Tage für die m?nnlichen. Auch über den Einfluss der Umwelt hat man Erfahrungen gesammelt und zwar über den Einfluss der Temperatur und der Feuchtigkeit auf die Fruchtbarkeit dieser Zweiflügler, die selten h?her ist als 300–400 Planidia pro Weibchen und über die M?glichkeiten im Boden zu überleben, ehe sie in die Wirtslarve eindringen. Unter den Umst?nden dieses Versuches ist die Entwicklung nur in den Larven vonCetoniinae und vonDynastinae m?glich; die Larven vonMelolonthinae werden nicht, oder sher wenig parasitiert. Unter den empfindlichen Arten variiert die Menge der angegriffenen Individuen mit der Art ebenso wie die Anzahl und das Gewicht der pro Wirtslarve geformten Puppen. Die Larven vonPotosia cuprea F. und vonPhyllognathus silenus F. sind güstiger für die Entwicklung als z.B. die Larven vonOryctes nasicornis L. oder vonOxythyrea funesta Poda. Die Vervollkommnung der Zuchttechnik erlaubt es, die für einen biologischen Bek?mpfungsversuch gegen Scarabeiden-Larven n?tige Anzahl Parasiten zu produzieren.

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Cette étude préliminaire a été effectuée en liaison avec.E. Biliotti, Directeur de la Station de Lutte biologique et de Zoologie agricole d'Antibes, spécialiste en la matière. Nous l'en remercions vivement.     

Stridulations reveal cryptic speciation in neotropical sympatric ants

The taxonomic challenge posed by cryptic species underlines the importance of using multiple criteria in species delimitation. In the current paper we tested the use of acoustic analysis as a tool to assess the real diversity in a cryptic species complex of Neotropical ants. In order to understand the potential of acoustics and to improve consistency in the conclusions by comparing different approaches, phylogenetic relationships of all the morphs considered were assessed by the analysis of a fragment of the mitochondrial DNA cytochrome b. We observed that each of the cryptic morph studied presents a morphologically distinct stridulatory organ and that all sympatric morphs produce distinctive stridulations. This is the first evidence of such a degree of specialization in the acoustic organ and signals in ants, which suggests that stridulations may be among the cues used by these ants during inter-specific interactions. Mitochondrial DNA variation corroborated the acoustic differences observed, confirming acoustics as a helpful tool to determine cryptic species in this group of ants, and possibly in stridulating ants in general. Congruent morphological, acoustic and genetic results constitute sufficient evidence to propose each morph studied here as a valid new species, suggesting that P. apicalis is a complex of at least 6 to 9 species, even if they present different levels of divergence. Finally, our results highlight that ant stridulations may be much more informative than hitherto thought, as much for ant communication as for integrative taxonomists.     

Hydrocarbon distribution and colony odour homogenisation in <Emphasis Type="Italic">Pachycondyla apicalis</Emphasis>

Summary Within and between individuals hydrocarbon (HC)-circulation was studied in Pachycondyla apicalis workers, using radioactive labeling. Newly synthesized HCs occurred both in the PPG and on the epicuticle in appreciable amounts, lesser quantities were found in the crop. The front basitarsal brush contained a greater amount of radiolabeled HCs than could be predicted from its surface area, suggesting preferential secretion to these organs. We propose that the newly synthesized HCs are secreted primarily to the front basitarsal brushes and are thereafter either distributed throughout the body surface, or cleared via the PPG and the alimentary canal.Using labeled HCs as a model, we tracked the time-dependent dispersion of cuticular lipids among 11 workers, one of which was prelabeled for 24 hours. Distribution among the recipients became progressively uniform, reaching near homogenization between 5–10 days. The mean HCs transfer of P. apicalis to the PPG was substantially lower compared to that of Camponotus fellah or Aphaenogaster senilis. In contrast, transfer to the cuticle in this species was superior. We attribute the low transfer to the PPG to the inefficacy of passive body contact characteristic of P. apicalis, as opposed to trophallaxis and/or allogrooming that typify the other two species. The higher occurrence of radiolabeled HCs in P. apicalis cuticle can be attributed to their accumulation in the basitarsal brushes. The impact of cuticular lipid transfer and formation of uniform colony odour, as opposed to the maintenance of an idiosyncratic caste-specific composition, are discussed.Received 5 September 2002; revised 17 January 2003; accepted 10 February 2003.     

Hydrocarbon circulation and colonial signature in Pachycondyla villosa

In ants, both cuticular and postpharyngeal gland (PPG) hydrocarbons (HCs) have been involved in nestmate recognition. However, no detailed comparison is available. A comparative study including also high density lipophorin (HDLp), an internal HC carrier, was therefore undertaken on Pachycondyla villosa. Purified HDLp is an 820 kDa lipoprotein with a density of 1.114 g/ml and two 245 and 80 kDa apo-proteins. Its hydrocarbon profile is very similar with the cuticular one, in agreement with its hydrocarbon carrier function. Conversely, n-alkanes and externally branched monomethylalkanes are markedly decreased in the PPG. According to their physical properties, this suggests that they are involved in waterproofing on the cuticle. The PPG actually contains only internally branched mono-, dimethylalkanes or monomethylalkenes; their greater fluidity is more adequate for chemical communication. The percentages of some of them are statistically not different between the cuticle and PPG. Their mixtures vary with colonies and they may thus be involved in colonial signature. A scheme for hydrocarbon circulation is discussed, involving lipophorin, cuticle, PPG and self-grooming in one individual, a pathway complementary or alternative to the selective delivery by lipophorin in some other insects. HCs are then distributed between nestmates' cuticles through allo-grooming and physical contacts.     

Dynamics of aggregation in <Emphasis Type="Italic">Lasius niger</Emphasis> (Formicidae): influence of polyethism

Summary Polyethism is a well-known phenomenon in social insects. How this phenomenon influences interactions among individuals, the spatial distribution in the nest is, on the other hand, very rarely documented. Therefore, we conducted experiments on the ant Lasius niger to observe the influence of polyethism on aggregation, by distinguishing two groups of ants: the brood-tenders and the foragers. We show a great difference in their self aggregation level. Brood-tenders are characterized by a rapid and dense gathering in one main stable cluster while foragers gather in several small unstable clusters. We show experimentally and verify with a model that this difference in behaviour is based on a smaller probability of leaving a cluster for the brood-tenders. Aggregation in the mixed case (groups composed of brood-tenders and foragers) is very close to that of the pure forager case, showing a decrease in the level of aggregation of the brood-tenders respecting to the pure group of brood-tenders. Nevertheless, experimental results supported by the results of the model, show that ants do not change their own behaviour when the two groups are together. Therefore, the decrease of the aggregation of brood-tenders in the mixed case can be explained by a difference in the dynamics between brood-tenders and foragers.Received 9 May 2003; revised 26 August 2003; accepted 1 September 2003.     

The nitrogen source-dependent 126-kDa protein from Synechococcus PCC 7942 plasmalemma: a trimer of the NrtA nitrate-binding protein

Expression of a 126-kDa protein in the plasmalemma (cytoplasmic membrane) from Synechococcus PCC 7942 is dependent on the nitrogen source. Polyclonal antibody raised against the NrtA protein reacted with the 126-kDa protein. Two peptide sequences from the 126-kDa protein were retrieved in NrtA. FPLC purification of plasmalemma solubilised in Triton X-100 gave a fraction consisting mainly of a 126-kDa component (72.6%), as shown by sedimentation velocity. Equilibrium sedimentation of the same fraction gave evidence of the existence of an oligomeric structure (Ka = 2 x 10(3) and 2.9 subunits). Thus, the 126-kDa protein is considered as a trimeric arrangement of the 45-kDa protein in the plasmalemma.