| Title: | Chemical Characterization of Young Virgin Queens and Mated Egg-Laying Queens in the Ant Cataglyphis cursor: Random Forest Classification Analysis for Multivariate Datasets |
| Author(s): | Monnin T; Helft F; Leroy C; d'Ettorre P; Doums C; |
| Address: | "Institute of Ecology and Environmental Sciences of Paris UMR 7618, CNRS, Sorbonne Universite, 75005, Paris, France. Thibaud.monnin@upmc.fr. Institute of Ecology and Environmental Sciences of Paris UMR 7618, CNRS, Sorbonne Universite, 75005, Paris, France. Laboratory of Experimental and Comparative Ethology, University of Paris 13, Sorbonne Paris Cite, Villetaneuse, France. Institut de Systematique, Evolution, Biodiversite (ISYEB), UMR 7205, MNHN, CNRS, EPHE, Sorbonne Universite, 75005, Paris, France. EPHE, PSL Research University, 75005, Paris, France" |
| DOI: | 10.1007/s10886-018-0923-7 |
| ISSN/ISBN: | 1573-1561 (Electronic) 0098-0331 (Linking) |
| Abstract: | "Social insects are well known for their extremely rich chemical communication, yet their sex pheromones remain poorly studied. In the thermophilic and thelytokous ant, Cataglyphis cursor, we analyzed the cuticular hydrocarbon profiles and Dufour's gland contents of queens of different age and reproductive status (sexually immature gynes, sexually mature gynes, mated and egg-laying queens) and of workers. Random forest classification analyses showed that the four groups of individuals were well separated for both chemical sources, except mature gynes that clustered with queens for cuticular hydrocarbons and with immature gynes for Dufour's gland secretions. Analyses carried out with two groups of females only allowed identification of candidate chemicals for queen signal and for sexual attractant. In particular, gynes produced more undecane in the Dufour's gland. This chemical is both the sex pheromone and the alarm pheromone of the ant Formica lugubris. It may therefore act as sex pheromone in C. cursor, and/or be involved in the restoration of monogyny that occurs rapidly following colony fission. Indeed, new colonies often start with several gynes and all but one are rapidly culled by workers, and this process likely involves chemical signals between gynes and workers. These findings open novel opportunities for experimental studies of inclusive mate choice and queen choice in C. cursor" |
| Keywords: | "Animals Ants/*chemistry/physiology Female Hydrocarbons/*analysis/metabolism Male Multivariate Analysis Reproduction Sex Attractants/*analysis/metabolism Sexual Behavior, Animal Sexual Maturation Cuticular hydrocarbons Dufour's gland Queen pheromone Random;" |
| Notes: | "MedlineMonnin, Thibaud Helft, Florence Leroy, Chloe d'Ettorre, Patrizia Doums, Claudie eng 2018/01/20 J Chem Ecol. 2018 Feb; 44(2):127-136. doi: 10.1007/s10886-018-0923-7. Epub 2018 Jan 19" |
