Intraspecific Variation of the Composition of Linear Alkanes in Social Wasp Mischocyttarus consimilis

Authors

  • Ana Cristina Ferreira Universidade Federal do Triangulo Mineiro
  • Erika Fernandes Neves Instituto Federal de Mato Grosso do Sul
  • Thiago dos Santos Montagna Universidade Estadual de Mato Grosso do Sul
  • Angélica Mendonça Universidade Federal da Grande Dourados Faculdade de Ciências Biológicas e Ambientais
  • Claudia Andrea Lima Cardoso Universidade Estadual de Mato Grosso do Sul
  • William Fernando Antonialli Junior Universidade Estadual de Mato Grosso do Sul

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.13102/sociobiology.v64i4.1857

Keywords:

Chemical signature, castes, cuticular hydrocarbons, gas chromatography, population variation

Abstract

An important attribute of the evolution and maintenance of sociality in insects is their ability to distinguish members of their own colonies by means of chemical signals during their interactions. Of this type of signals, the cuticular hydrocarbons, responsible among other functions, for intraspecific recognition stand out. Linear alkanes are indicated as the class of compounds that would be most involved in water retention in the body of insects, however, some studies have investigated their role as mediators of interactions. Thus it is possible that there is significant intraspecific variation of its composition, so the objective of this study was to test the hypothesis that linear alkanes vary significantly among populations, castes and sexes, as well as between newly emerged females of different ages of the Mischocyttarus consimilis Zikán 1949 wasp. The samples were analyzed by gas chromatography with flame ionization detector and gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry. The results show that there is a significant variation between the chemical cuticular profiles of samples from different populations, as well as between castes, sex and newly emergent workers of different ages. Therefore, it is possible to infer that this class of compounds may vary according to genetic differences between populations, but also by different environmental conditions. The differences between castes, sex and ages suggest that these compounds may also be involved in mediating interactions between nestmates.

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Published

2017-12-27

How to Cite

Ferreira, A. C., Neves, E. F., Montagna, T. dos S., Mendonça, A., Cardoso, C. A. L., & Antonialli Junior, W. F. (2017). Intraspecific Variation of the Composition of Linear Alkanes in Social Wasp Mischocyttarus consimilis. Sociobiology, 64(4), 466–476. https://doi.org/10.13102/sociobiology.v64i4.1857

Issue

Vol. 64 No. 4 (2017)

Section

Research Article - Wasps

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