Title: | Epidermal glands in the abdomen of a basal ant Dinoponera lucida (Formicidae: Ponerinae) |
Author(s): | Serrao JE; Castro RC; Zanuncio JC; Mariano CS; Delabie JH; |
Address: | "Departamento de Biologia Geral, Universidade Federal de Vicosa, 36570-000 Vicosa, Minas Gerais, Brazil. jeserrao@ufv.br" |
ISSN/ISBN: | 1097-0029 (Electronic) 1059-910X (Linking) |
Abstract: | "The basal ant Dinoponera (Hymenoptera: Ponerinae) has lost the morphologic queen caste so that all females may be potential reproductive individuals, and the nestmate recognition results from cuticular hydrocarbons cues. However, data about the origin of that substance in Ponerinae ants are scarce. This study reports the occurrence of epidermal glands in the abdomen of the ant Dinoponera lucida. In this ant, the epidermis of the abdominal sternites has tall cells with well-developed nucleus contrasting with flattened and collapsed epidermis in the tergites, suggesting a glandular function in the epidermis of the sternites. The possible role of the glandular epidermis in the synthesis of cuticular hydrocarbons for the nestmate recognition is discussed" |
Keywords: | "Abdomen Animals Ants/metabolism/*ultrastructure Epidermis/metabolism/*ultrastructure Exocrine Glands/metabolism/*ultrastructure Female Hydrocarbons/metabolism Microscopy, Electron, Scanning Sex Attractants/metabolism;" |
Notes: | "MedlineSerrao, Jose Eduardo Castro, Rafael Cunha A Zanuncio, Jose Cola Mariano, Clea Santos Ferreira Delabie, Jacques Hubert Charles eng Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't 2008/09/26 Microsc Res Tech. 2009 Jan; 72(1):28-31. doi: 10.1002/jemt.20641" |