Chemical identity of recently emerged workers, males, and queens in the stingless bee Melipona marginata

Autor(es)

Ferreira-Caliman, Maria J. ^[1] ; Falcon, Tiago ^[2] ; Mateus, Sidnei ^[1] ; Zucchi, Ronaldo ^[1] ; Nascimento, Fabio S. ^[1]

Afiliação do(s) autor(es)

^[1] Univ Sao Paulo, Dept Biol, Fac Filosofia Ciencias & Letras Ribeirao Preto, Sao Paulo - Brazil

^[2] Univ Sao Paulo, Dept Genet, Fac Med Ribeirao Preto, Sao Paulo - Brazil

• Tipo de documento: Artigo Científico
• Fonte: Apidologie; v. 44, n. 6, p. 657-665, NOV 2013.
• Citações Web of Science: 7

Resumo

Epicuticular hydrocarbons are involved in several behavioral processes in social insects including recognition of nestmates, castes, and sex. The aim of the present study was to characterize and to verify differences in the chemical profiles of 1-day recently emerged workers, males, and queens in colonies of the stingless bee Melipona marginata. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry and multivariate analyses of bee samples from three colonies clearly separated cuticular hydrocarbon profiles of males, queens, and workers. The results showed that cuticular hydrocarbon profiles were comprised of alkanes, alkenes, and methyl alkanes that varied quantitatively and qualitatively according to the castes and sex. Different from previous studies, our investigation also demonstrated that males and queens presented higher similarity in their epicuticular hydrocarbons than to workers. (AU)

• Processo FAPESP: 10/10027-5 - Mediação comportamental, sinalização química e aspectos fisiológicos reguladores da organização social em himenópteros
• Beneficiário: Fábio Santos do Nascimento
• Modalidade de apoio: Auxílio à Pesquisa - Jovens Pesquisadores