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Proc Biol Sci

Title:		Blending in with the crowd: social parasites integrate into their host colonies using a flexible chemical signature
Author(s):		d'Ettorre P; Mondy N; Lenoir A; Errard C;
Address:		"Institut de Recherche sur la Biologie de l'Insecte UMR CNRS 6035, Faculte des Sciences et Techniques, Parc de Grandmont, F-37200 Tours, France. patrizia.dettorre@biologie.uni-regensburg.de"
Journal Title:		Proc Biol Sci
Year:		2002
Volume:		269
Issue:		1503
Page Number:		1911 - 1918
DOI:		10.1098/rspb.2002.2110
ISSN/ISBN:		0962-8452 (Print) 1471-2954 (Electronic) 0962-8452 (Linking)
Abstract:		"Social parasites are able to exploit their host's communication code and achieve social integration. For colony foundation, a newly mated slave-making ant queen must usurp a host colony. The parasite's brood is cared for by the hosts and newly eclosed slave-making workers integrate to form a mixed ant colony. To elucidate the social integration strategy of the slave-making workers, Polyergus rufescens, behavioural and chemical analyses were carried out. Cocoons of P. rufescens were introduced into subcolonies of four potential host species: Formica subgenus Serviformica (Formica cunicularia and F. rufibarbis, usual host species; F. gagates, rare host; F. selysi, non-natural host). Slave-making broods were cared for and newly emerged workers showed several social interactions with adult Formica. We recorded the occurrence of abdominal trophallaxis, in which P. rufescens, the parasite, was the donor. Social integration of P. rufescens workers into host colonies appears to rely on the ability of the parasite to modify its cuticular hydrocarbon profile to match that of the rearing species. To study the specific P. rufescens chemical profile, newly emerged callows were reared in isolation from the mother colony (without any contact with adult ants). The isolated P. rufescens workers exhibited a chemical profile closely matching that of the primary host species, indicating the occurrence of local host adaptation in the slave-maker population. However, the high flexibility in the ontogeny of the parasite's chemical signature could allow for host switching"
Keywords:		"Animals Ants/chemistry/classification/*drug effects/*parasitology Behavior, Animal/drug effects Biological Evolution Host-Parasite Interactions/drug effects Hydrocarbons/analysis Pheromones/*pharmacology Social Behavior Species Specificity;"
Notes:		"MedlineD'Ettorre, P Mondy, N Lenoir, A Errard, C eng Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't England 2002/09/28 Proc Biol Sci. 2002 Sep 22; 269(1503):1911-8. doi: 10.1098/rspb.2002.2110"