title: Ant pupae employ acoustics to communicate social status in their colony's hierarchy.
abstract: The possession of an efficient communication system and an ability to distinguish between young stages are essential attributes that enable eusocial insects to live in complex integrated societies. Although ants communicate primarily via chemicals, it is increasingly clear that acoustical signals also convey important information, including status, between adults in many species. However, all immature stages were believed to be mute. We confirm that larvae and recently formed pupae of Myrmica ants are mute, yet once they are sclerotized, the pupae possess a fully functioning stridulatory organ. The sounds generated by worker pupae were similar to those of workers but were emitted as single pulses rather than in the long sequences characteristic of adults; both induced the same range and intensity of benevolent behaviors when played back to unstressed workers. Both white and sclerotized pupae have a higher social status than larvae within Myrmica colonies, but the latter's status fell significantly after they were made mute. Our results suggest that acoustical signals supplant semiochemicals as a means of identification in sclerotized pupae, perhaps because their hardened integuments block the secretion of brood pheromones or because their developing adult secretions initially differ from overall colony odors.
authors: Department of Life Sciences and Systems Biology, University of Turin, Via Accademia Albertina, 10123 Turin, Italy.
authors: Luca P
authors: LP
authors: Casacci
authors: Jeremy A
authors: JA
authors: Thomas
authors: Marco
authors: M
authors: Sala
authors: David
authors: D
authors: Treanor
authors: Simona
authors: S
authors: Bonelli
authors: Emilio
authors: E
authors: Balletto
authors: Karsten
authors: K
authors: Schönrogge
mesh_terms: D000819:Animal Communication; D000818:Animals; D001000:Ants / Q000254:growth & development / Q000502:physiology*; D007814:Larva / Q000502:physiology; D010675:Pheromones / Q000502:physiology; D011679:Pupa / Q000502:physiology*; D012919:Social Behavior; D013016:Sound
chemical_list: D010675:Pheromones