modiglianii colonies living using a red Ca. rufifemur and individuals residing with black Ca. rufifemur possessed qualitatively different hydrocarbon profiles. the former ones possessed the two most important cuticular compounds of the red Ca. rufifemur, which are ab sent within the latter ones, Therefore, it looks plausible the black Ca. rufifemur can recognize the presence of these two compounds in non nestmate Cr. modiglianii, whereas the red Ca. rufifemur can’t sense their absence, and hence fails to discriminate nestmate from non nestmate Cr. modiglianii. Crematoenones cut down interspecific aggression Though not as recognition cues, crematoenones perform a significant function in interspecific interactions by reducing Ca. rufifemur aggressiveness. Though black Ca. rufifemur showed minimal aggression in direction of allocolonial Cr. modiglianii or its surface extracts, their hydrocarbons alone elicited fierce attacks.
Whenever we re extra selelck kinase inhibitor the previously eliminated crematoenones for the allocolonial hydrocarbon fractions, the resulting aggression of Ca. rufifemur was decreased to an intracolonial degree. A similar, albeit weaker impact was identified with extracts of two other Crematogaster species. Even though Ca. rufifemur commonly attacked dummies with these extracts, their aggression amounts had been lower right after crematoenone addition. Therefore, the crematoenones appear to perform as appease ment substances. It truly is difficult to establish no matter if crematoenones cut down aggression at a neuronal level or no matter whether they mask the recognition cues, i. e. hamper recognition itself with the receptor degree. The former hypothesis implies that they act as behaviour modifiers, in analogy to e. g. honeybee queen pheromones in intra precise signalling, Nevertheless, a definite distinction in between these two prospects will only be achievable based mostly on experiments that involve other behavioural responses than aggression, e.
g. by testing regardless of whether crematoenone addition to intra and allocolonial brood influences brood care, or by trying to issue ants on cer tain crematoenones, The two Camponotus rufifemur and Crematogaster modiglianii possess cuticular hydrocarbons selleck chemical KU-0060648 of signifi cantly larger chain length than observed in non parabiotic species. This shift in chain length is peculiar to closely associated ant species and would seem to promote interspecific tolerance. Apparently, the recognition of quantitative distinctions is hampered in lengthy chain hydrocarbon profiles, at least for Camponotus, The crematoenones seem to decrease aggression by impairing recognition of qualitative variations likewise, thereby complementing the chemical tolerance mechanisms between the parabiotic partners. Interestingly, the red Ca. rufifemur selection didn’t present any aggression even towards allocolonial Crematogaster workers. Consequently, appeasement allomones would not be ne cessary here.