Use of dufour's gland secretion in nest defence and brood nutrition by Hover Wasps (Hymenoptera, Stenogastrinae)

Moneti, G. and Jones, G.R. and Sledge, M.F. and Fortunato, A. and Turillazzi, S. and Francescato, E. and Hashim, Rosli (2000) Use of dufour's gland secretion in nest defence and brood nutrition by Hover Wasps (Hymenoptera, Stenogastrinae). Journal of Insect Physiology, 46 (5). pp. 753-761. ISSN 0022-1910, DOI https://doi.org/10.1016/s0022-1910(99)00164-x.

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Official URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S...

Abstract

Social wasps of the subfamily Stenogastrinae produce an abdominal secretion that is used in two distinct biological contexts. First, the secretion plays an important role in larval nutrition where it serves as a substrate in which food is placed by the adults for eventual consumption by the larvae. Second, in several species, females apply the same secretion to the substrate on which their nests are constructed, where it constitutes a sticky barrier that defends the immature brood from predation by ants. This paper describes for the first time ant guard construction behaviour of three species of stenogastrine wasps belonging to the genera Eustenogaster and Liostenogaster. The identification of compounds making up these secretions was also performed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Ant guards and brood secretions were similar, with saturated and unsaturated long chain hydrocarbons and alcohols as major components. We further confirm that the glandular source of abdominal secretion is the Dufour's gland. This gland contains the same hydrocarbons, and in the same proportions as ant guards and brood secretion. We discuss the fundamental importance of Dufour's gland secretion in the social life of these wasps by comparing species with and without ant guards within the subfamily. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.

Item Type: Article
Funders: UNSPECIFIED
Additional Information: Institute of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science Building, University of Malaya, 50603 Kuala Lumpur, MALAYSIA
Uncontrolled Keywords: Stenogastrinae, Dufour's gland, Hydrocarbons, Chemical communication, Social wasps, Defence, Parischnogaster hymenoptera, Vespidae, Hydrocarbons
Subjects: Q Science > QH Natural history > QH301 Biology
Divisions: Faculty of Science > Institute of Biological Sciences
Depositing User: Miss Malisa Diana
Date Deposited: 28 Aug 2013 04:06
Last Modified: 24 Jan 2019 09:08
URI: http://eprints.um.edu.my/id/eprint/8270

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