Colony-specific territorial pheromone in the African weaver ant Oecophylla longinoda (Latreille).
Major workers of Oecophylla longinoda mark their territories with persistent pheromones that are distinguishable to the ants at the colony level. Workers detecting the deposits of an alien colony respond with increased amounts of aversive and aggressive behavior, and they later recruit nestmates to the area at a higher rate. Colonies entering a field impregnated with their own scent also gain an initial advantage in warfare with other colonies. The pheromones are located at least in part in drops of rectal sac fluid deposited by workers over the territorial surface.
D000818:Animals; D001000:Ants / Q000502:physiology*; D010675:Pheromones / Q000502:physiology*; D013731:Territoriality
D010675:Pheromones
Science. 1977 Mar 4;195(4281):900-2
841318
Am Sci. 1975 Nov-Dec;63(6):628-37
1200478
Sci Am. 1968 May;218(5):116-26
5651207