Reformation process of the neuronal template for nestmate-recognition cues in the carpenter ant <Emphasis Type="Italic">Camponotus floridanus</Emphasis> |
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Authors: | Sara Diana Leonhardt Andreas Simon Brandstaetter Christoph Johannes Kleineidam |
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Institution: | (1) Department of Sociobiology and Behavioral Physiology, Biozentrum, University of Würzburg, Am Hubland, 97074 Würzburg, Germany |
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Abstract: | Ants use cuticular hydrocarbons (CHC-profiles) as multicomponent recognition cues to identify colony members (nestmates).
Recognition cues (label) are thought to be perceived during ant–ant encounters and compared to a neuronal template that represents
the colony label. Over time, the CHC-profile may change, and the template is adjusted accordingly. A phenotype mismatch between
label and template, as happens with CHC-profiles of foreign workers (non-nestmates), frequently leads to aggressive behavior.
We investigated the template reformation in workers of the carpenter ant Camponotus floridanus by masking their antennae with postpharyngeal gland (PPG) extracts from nestmates or non-nestmates. The behavioral response
of manipulated workers encountering unmanipulated workers was measured independently after 2 and after 15 h. After 2 h of
incubation, workers treated with either of the two PPG-extracts showed low aggression towards nestmates and high aggression
towards non-nestmates. In contrast, after 15 h of incubation, workers treated with non-nestmate PPG-extract showed low aggression
towards both nestmates and non-nestmates. The slow (>2 h) adjustment of the template indicates a reformation localized in
the central nervous system rather than in chemosensory neurons. In addition, our data show that template adjustment to a new
CHC-profile does not impair the assessment of the old CHC-profile as nestmate label. |
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Keywords: | Postpharyngeal gland Cuticular hydrocarbons Chemical communication Hymenoptera Aggressive behavior |
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