Glandular Epithelium as a Possible Source of a Fertility Signal in Ectatomma tuberculatum

The wax layer covering the insect's cuticle plays an important protective role, as for example, uncontrolled water loss. In social insects, wax production is well-known in some bees that use it for nest building. Curiously, mated-fertile queens of the ant Ectatomma tuberculatum produce an uncom...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:PloS one 2010-04, Vol.5 (4), p.e10219
Main Authors: Hora, Riviane Rodigues da, Delabie, Jacques Hubert Charles, Santos, Carolina Gonçalves dos, Serrão, José Eduardo
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Analysis
Ants
Bees
Epithelium
Online Access:Get full text
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Summary:The wax layer covering the insect's cuticle plays an important protective role, as for example, uncontrolled water loss. In social insects, wax production is well-known in some bees that use it for nest building. Curiously, mated-fertile queens of the ant Ectatomma tuberculatum produce an uncommon extra-wax coat and, consequently queens (mated-fertile females) are matte due to such extra cuticular hydrocarbon (CHC) coat that covers the cuticle and masks the brightness of the queens' cuticle while gynes (virgin-infertile queens) are shiny. In this study, histological analysis showed differences in the epidermis between fertile (i.e., queens or gynes with highly ovarian activity) and infertile females (gynes or workers with non developed ovaries). In fertile females the epidermis is a single layer of cubic cells found in all body segments whereas in infertile females it is a thin layer of flattened cells. Ultrastructural features showed active secretory tissue from fertile females similar to the glandular epithelium of wax-producing bees (type I gland). Different hypotheses related to the functions of the glandular epithelium exclusive to the E. tuberculatum fertile queens are discussed.
ISSN:1932-6203
1932-6203
DOI:10.1371/journal.pone.0010219