Dose- and time-dependent effects of oral octopamine treatments on the sucrose responsiveness in stingless bees (Melipona scutellaris)

Mc Cabe, Sofia I.; Ferro, Marco W. Benetoli; Farina, Walter M.; Hrncir, Michael

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(Reference retrieved automatically from Web of Science through information on FAPESP grant and its corresponding number as mentioned in the publication by the authors.)

Dose- and time-dependent effects of oral octopamine treatments on the sucrose responsiveness in stingless bees (Melipona scutellaris)

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Author(s):	Mc Cabe, Sofia I. ; Ferro, Marco W. Benetoli ; Farina, Walter M. ; Hrncir, Michael Total Authors: 4
Document type:	Journal article
Source:	Apidologie; v. 48, n. 1, p. 1-7, FEB 2017.
Web of Science Citations:	0
Abstract
Biogenic amines modulate physiological responses and, consequently, the behaviour of animals. Here, we present the first pharmacological approach to evaluate the influence of octopamine (OA) in stingless bees (Apidae, Meliponini), a group of highly eusocial bees distributed in the tropical and southern subtropical areas of the globe. In sucrose response threshold assays, foragers of Melipona scutellaris showed an increased responsiveness to sucrose after oral OA treatments. The effect of OA on the bees' responsiveness to sucrose was OA dose-dependent and lasted for up to 1 h. Our results indicate that experimental approaches similar to the ones used for honey bees, Apis mellifera, are feasible for stingless bees. This opens opportunities to study the variability of aminergic regulation of collective behaviour in social bees. (AU)

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