2013 Fiscal Year Final Research Report
Neural mechanisms underlying nestmate recognition of the ant Camponotus japonicus
| Project/Area Number |
24870029
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| Research Category |
Grant-in-Aid for Research Activity Start-up
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| Allocation Type | Single-year Grants |
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| Research Field |
Animal physiology/Animal behavior
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| Research Institution | Fukuoka University |
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Principal Investigator |
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| Project Period (FY) |
2012-08-31 – 2014-03-31
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| Keywords | 社会性昆虫 / クロオオアリ / 巣仲間識別 / 錐状感覚子 / 触角葉 / 糸球体 / キノコ体 / 嗅覚 |
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| Research Abstract |
Ants have highly elaborate pheromonal communication systems to maintain a complex society. Cuticular hydrocarbons (CHCs) found on the cuticle surface, play critical roles for nestmate recognition. It have been suggested that the ant, Camponotus japonicus, detects the colony-specific CHC profile by directly contacting another ant with their antennal basiconic sensilla. Here, we found that the ant can recognize nestmate by volatilized extracts derived from the cuticle surface. This result suggests that the ants recognize nestmate using olfactory cues. Therefore, we performed extracellular recordings from sensory neurons in a basiconic sensillum, and found that each sensillum responded varied olfactory molecules. In the ants, sensory information received by basiconic sensilla is processed in specific brain regions. Finally, to reveal the brain evolution of social insects, we developed immunostainings and compared brain structures among many hymenopteran insects.
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