title: Cuticular lipid profiles of fertile and non-fertile Cardiocondyla ant queens.
abstract: Both mating and reproduction strongly affect the physiology of insect females. In the ant Cardiocondyla obscurior, a comparison among virgin queens, mated queens, and queens mated with sterilized males ("sham-mated") allows to separate the different effects of mating and egg laying. Here, we investigate whether and how different mating status is reflected in the cuticular lipid profiles of queens, i.e., the blend of chemicals that is thought to signal a queen's fertility. Surprisingly, discriminant analyses failed to reliably distinguish among virgin, mated, and sham-mated queens. A generalized linear model on individual substances showed only very subtle differences. While mating appeared to be positively associated with the proportions of 3-MeC(25,) 11-/13-MeC(27), 5-MeC(27), 3-MeC(27), and 12-/14-MeC(28) and negatively with C(27:1), fecundity was negatively associated with C(29:1), C(31:1), and a sterol derivative. We discuss these results in the light of the special life history of C. obscurior, with completely sterile workers and low egg laying rates in queens.
authors: Universität Regensburg, Biologie I, D-93040 Regensburg, Germany.
authors: Stefanie
authors: S
authors: Will
authors: Jacques H C
authors: JH
authors: Delabie
authors: Jürgen
authors: J
authors: Heinze
authors: Joachim
authors: J
authors: Ruther
authors: Jan
authors: J
authors: Oettler
mesh_terms: D000819:Animal Communication; D000818:Animals; D001000:Ants / Q000737:chemistry*; D003307:Copulation; D016002:Discriminant Analysis; D005260:Female; D005298:Fertility; D016014:Linear Models; D008055:Lipids / Q000737:chemistry*; D008297:Male; D052287:Oviparity
chemical_list: D008055:Lipids