title: Cuticular Hydrocarbon Compounds in Worker Castes and Their Role in Nestmate Recognition in Apis cerana indica.
abstract: Differences in cuticular hydrocarbons (CHCs) among worker castes and colonies were examined in Apis cerana indica. The roles of tetracosanoic acid, hexadecanoic acid, pentacosane, and (Z)-9-tricosene in nestmate recognition were studied. The CHC profiles of different castes, i.e., newly emerged bees, nurse bees, and forager bees, were found to differ among colonies. The CHC profiles of nurse bees were similar across different colonies, but forager bees in all colonies had significantly greater amounts of alkanes. In nestmate recognition experiments, guard bees reacted significantly more aggressively to foragers treated with tetracosanoic acid, hexadecanoic acid, and (Z)-9-tricosene. Pentacosane provoked no such effect.
authors.affiliation: North-Eastern Hill University, Shillong-22, India. seydurr@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Seydur
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rahman
authors.affiliation: North-Eastern Hill University, Shillong-22, India.
authors.forename: Sudhanya Ray
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Hajong
authors.affiliation: IRBI UMR CNRS 7261 Université François Rabelais, Faculté des Sciences, Parc de Grandmont, 37200, Tours, France.
authors.forename: Jérémy
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Gévar
authors.affiliation: IRBI UMR CNRS 7261 Université François Rabelais, Faculté des Sciences, Parc de Grandmont, 37200, Tours, France.
authors.forename: Alain
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lenoir
authors.affiliation: IRBI UMR CNRS 7261 Université François Rabelais, Faculté des Sciences, Parc de Grandmont, 37200, Tours, France.
authors.forename: Eric
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Darrouzet
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001516:Bees / Q000187:drug effects; D006838:Hydrocarbons / Q000032:analysis / Q000494:pharmacology; D009425:Nesting Behavior / Q000187:drug effects; D010675:Pheromones / Q000032:analysis / Q000494:pharmacology; D012919:Social Behavior
chemical_list: D006838:Hydrocarbons; D010675:Pheromones
keywords: Alkanes; Apis cerana indica; Cuticular hydrocarbons; Fatty acids; Tasks