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On the nestmate-recognition system and territorial marking behaviour in the antCamponotus rufipes

Sur le système de reconnaissance des membres de la même société et le comportement de marquage du territoire chez la FourmiCamponotus rufipes

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Summary

Camponotus rufipes (Fab.) workers recognize conspecifics from other colonies and ants from different species as aliens. Colony specific recognition is based on odours produced by the mandibular gland which also serve as alarm pheromone.

This ant marks its territory with chemicals secreted by an unidentified abdominal gland, which is thus advertised to conspecifics. Marked territories near to the nest induce recruitment or at least prolonged exploration if marked by a foreign conspecific colony. The same territory outside the nest area induces a prolonged permanence of workers from the colony giving the mark.

The possible relationship between nestmate recognition systems and territorial behaviour is discussed in an evolutionary context by stating the hypothesis that alarm pheromones are used for nestmate recognition by those ants possessing territorial marking behaviour.

Resume

Les ouvrières deCamponotus rufipes (Fab.) reconnaissent comme étrangers les individus de même espèce appartenant à d'autres sociétés et les Fourmis d'autres espèces. La reconnaissance des membres de leur propre société repose sur les odeurs produites par la glande mandibulaire des ouvrières, qui sert également de phéromone d'alarme.

Cette espèce marque son territoire par des substances chimiques provenant d'une glande abdominale non identifiée, qui avertissent les membres de la même espèce. Tout territoire marqué aux alentours du nid induit un recrutement ou au moins, dans le cas où il est marqué par les ouvrières d'une société étrangère, une exploration prolongée. Le même territoire, situé en dehors de la zone de nidification, entraîne la présence prolongée des ouvrières de la société qui l'a marqué.

L'éventuelle relation entre la reconnaissance du nid et le comportement territorial est discutée dans un contexte évolutif, en posant l'hypothèse suivante: les phéromones d'alarme sont utilisées pour la reconnaissance des membres de leur société par ces Fourmis qui possèdent en même temps un comportement de marquage du territoire.

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Jaffe, K., Sanchez, C. On the nestmate-recognition system and territorial marking behaviour in the antCamponotus rufipes . Ins. Soc 31, 302–315 (1984). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02223614

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