Ant Queen Egg-Marking Signals: Matching Deceptive Laboratory Simplicity with Natural Complexity
Author Information
Author(s): van Zweden Jelle S., Heinze Jürgen, Boomsma Jacobus J., d'Ettorre Patrizia
Primary Institution: Centre for Social Evolution, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen
Hypothesis
Does the hydrocarbon 3,11-dimethylheptacosane function as a queen egg-marking pheromone in ants?
Conclusion
The study found that the egg-marking signals of ant queens are significantly affected by laboratory conditions, which may reduce queen fertility.
Supporting Evidence
- In lab colonies, treated worker-laid eggs were accepted at rates similar to queen-laid eggs.
- In field colonies, treated worker-laid eggs were not accepted at the same rate as queen-laid eggs.
- Chemical profiles of eggs differed significantly between lab and field conditions.
Takeaway
Ants can tell the difference between eggs laid by queens and those laid by workers, but this ability changes when they are in a lab instead of the wild.
Methodology
The study compared egg acceptance rates in lab and field colonies by treating worker-laid eggs with a synthetic compound and observing their acceptance.
Potential Biases
Laboratory conditions may have led to uniformity in chemical profiles, affecting the results.
Limitations
The results may not be representative of natural conditions due to the artificial environment of the laboratory.
Participant Demographics
Colonies of the ant species Pachycondyla inversa were used, collected from a cocoa plantation in Brazil.
Statistical Information
P-Value
p<0.0001
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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