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Nat Commun

Title:		Ants regulate colony spatial organization using multiple chemical road-signs
Author(s):		Heyman Y; Shental N; Brandis A; Hefetz A; Feinerman O;
Address:		"Department of Physics of Complex Systems, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 7610001, Israel. Department of Computer Science, The Open University of Israel, Raanana 4353701, Israel. Faculty of Biochemistry, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 7610001, Israel. Department of Zoology, Tel Aviv University, Tel-Aviv 69978, Israel"
Journal Title:		Nat Commun
Year:		2017
Volume:		20170601
Issue:
Page Number:		15414 -
DOI:		10.1038/ncomms15414
ISSN/ISBN:		2041-1723 (Electronic) 2041-1723 (Linking)
Abstract:		"Communication provides the basis for social life. In ant colonies, the prevalence of local, often chemically mediated, interactions introduces strong links between communication networks and the spatial distribution of ants. It is, however, unknown how ants identify and maintain nest chambers with distinct functions. Here, we combine individual tracking, chemical analysis and machine learning to decipher the chemical signatures present on multiple nest surfaces. We present evidence for several distinct chemical 'road-signs' that guide the ants' movements within the dark nest. These chemical signatures can be used to classify nest chambers with different functional roles. Using behavioural manipulations, we demonstrate that at least three of these chemical signatures are functionally meaningful and allow ants from different task groups to identify their specific nest destinations, thus facilitating colony coordination and stabilization. The use of multiple chemicals that assist spatiotemporal guidance, segregation and pattern formation is abundant in multi-cellular organisms. Here, we provide a rare example for the use of these principles in the ant colony"
Keywords:		"Animals Ants/*physiology Behavior, Animal/*physiology Nesting Behavior Pheromones/*metabolism *Social Behavior Space Perception/*physiology;"
Notes:		"MedlineHeyman, Yael Shental, Noam Brandis, Alexander Hefetz, Abraham Feinerman, Ofer eng Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't England 2017/06/02 Nat Commun. 2017 Jun 1; 8:15414. doi: 10.1038/ncomms15414"