Physiology and molecular mechanisms undelying social behavior and its evolution in social insects

2014 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 23570019
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Ecology/Environment
• Research Institution: The University of Tokyo
• Principal Investigator: HARUNOBU Shibao 東京大学, 総合文化研究科, 特任研究員 (90401207)
• Project Period (FY): 2011-04-28 – 2015-03-31
• Keywords: 社会性アブラムシ / ハクウンボクハナフシアブラムシ / 兵隊階級 / 齢分業 / 化学コミュニケーション

Outline of Final Research Achievements

We investigated ecological, physiological and molecular mechanisms of division of labor among soldiers in a social aphid, Tuberaphis styraci. When the soldiers were young, they preferentially perform relatively safe inside tasks such as gall cleaning. As the soldiers aged, their tasks involved more dangerous outside activities such as colony defense. The soldiers often exhibited flexibilities in switching tasks based on their social experience. Although potentially able to perform all kinds of tasks, the soldiers showed different behavioral thresholds based on their age and social experience when they respond to chemical signals that induce gall-cleaning and attacking behaviors. This threshold changes occurred through changes in their sensory perception with aging. Application of octopamine and activation of PKG pathway induced aggressive response of young soldiers, suggesting that the transition from non-aggressive to aggressive also occurred at the level of central nervous system.

Free Research Field

生態・環境