title: Morphology and histochemistry of the intramandibular glands in Attini and Ponerini (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) species.
abstract: An understanding of the internal morphology of the ant mandible is important in explaining the relationship between the exocrine system and the behavioral and phylogenetic characteristics of different subfamilies of Formicidae. In this study, we investigated the occurrence of intramandibular glands in ants from the Ponerini (Ponerinae) and Attini (Myrmicinae). These ants possess glands from classes I and III, and secretory epithelial cells with a reservoir. The intramandibular glands show a distinct histology in the studied species, varying in their location, degree of development, and chemical content. Using this information, it is possible to hypothesize that the glands from different tribes produce different substances, which may indicate a variety of functions, depending on the chemical nature of the cellular constituents. A cladistic analysis using the characters of the intramandibular glands separated both tribes, suggesting that structural differences in the intramandibular glands may contribute to future phylogenetic studies of the Formicidae.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Biologia Animal, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, Viçosa-36570-000, Minas Gerais, Brasil.
authors.forename: Luiza Carla Barbosa
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Martins
authors.forename: José Eduardo
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Serrão
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001000:Ants / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000737:chemistry / Q000145:classification / Q000378:metabolism; D005088:Exocrine Glands / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D006651:Histocytochemistry; D019476:Insect Proteins / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D050356:Lipid Metabolism; D008055:Lipids / Q000032:analysis; D010802:Phylogeny
chemical_list: D019476:Insect Proteins; D008055:Lipids