Comparative morpho-physiology of the metapleural glands of two Atta leaf-cutting ant queens nesting in clayish and organic soils

AbstractQueens of the inquiline social parasite Acromyrmex insinuator are known to infiltrate mature colonies of Acromyrmex echinatior and to exploit the host’s perennial workforce by producing predominantly reproductive individuals while suppressing host reproduction. Here we report three cases of an A. insinuator queen having joined an incipient colony of A. echinatior that contained only the founding host-queen and her small symbiotic fungus garden. We conjectured that 1:1 host-inquiline co-founding—a phenomenon that has only rarely been reported in ants—may imply that the presence of an A. insinuator queen may incur benefits to the host by increasing survival of its incipient colonies. We observed that the parasite queens neither foraged nor defended the nest against intruders. However, the parasite queens interacted with the host and fungus in a way that could be consistent with grooming and/or with contributing eggs. These observations may help explain why A. insinuator queens have maintained metapleural glands, even though they are smaller than those of host queens, and why A. insinuator has lost the large foraging worker caste but not the small worker caste.

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Variable sensitivity of fungi and bacteria to compounds produced by the metapleural glands of leaf-cutting ants

Insectes Sociaux ◽

10.1007/pl00012660 ◽

2002 ◽

Vol 49 (4) ◽

pp. 363-370 ◽

Cited By ~ 79

Author(s):

A. N. M. Bot ◽

D. Ortius-Lechner ◽

K. Finster ◽

R. Maile ◽

J. J. Boomsma

Keyword(s):

Metapleural Glands ◽

Variable Sensitivity ◽

Leaf Cutting

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Regulation and specificity of antifungal metapleural gland secretion in leaf-cutting ants

Proceedings of The Royal Society B Biological Sciences ◽

10.1098/rspb.2012.1458 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 279 (1745) ◽

pp. 4215-4222 ◽

Cited By ~ 16

Author(s):

Sze Huei Yek ◽

David R. Nash ◽

Annette B. Jensen ◽

Jacobus J. Boomsma

Keyword(s):

Immune System ◽

Fungal Species ◽

Gland Secretion ◽

Exocrine Glands ◽

Controlled Experiments ◽

Metapleural Gland ◽

Defence System ◽

Metapleural Glands ◽

Leaf Cutting

Ants have paired metapleural glands (MGs) to produce secretions for prophylactic hygiene. These exocrine glands are particularly well developed in leaf-cutting ants, but whether the ants can actively regulate MG secretion is unknown. In a set of controlled experiments using conidia of five fungi, we show that the ants adjust the amount of MG secretion to the virulence of the fungus with which they are infected. We further applied fixed volumes of MG secretion of ants challenged with constant conidia doses to agar mats of the same fungal species. This showed that inhibition halos were significantly larger for ants challenged with virulent and mild pathogens/weeds than for controls and Escovopsis -challenged ants. We conclude that the MG defence system of leaf-cutting ants has characteristics reminiscent of an additional cuticular immune system, with specific and non-specific components, of which some are constitutive and others induced.

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The metapleural glands of fungus-growing and non-fungus-growing ants: Ultrastructural study

Animal Biology ◽

10.1163/15707563-00002446 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 64 (3) ◽

pp. 277-294

Author(s):

Alexsandro Santana Vieira ◽

Odair Correa Bueno ◽

Maria Izabel Camargo-Mathias

Keyword(s):

Antimicrobial Properties ◽

Secretory Cells ◽

Metapleural Gland ◽

Transmission Electron ◽

Metapleural Glands ◽

Feeding Type ◽

Leaf Cutting ◽

Fungus Growing Ants ◽

Secretory Capacity

The metapleural glands are considered an autapomorphic structure to ants and probable have an antibiotic or antifungal function. The present study was aimed at investigating the ultrastructural morphology of the metapleural glands in ants which have different feeding types: from fungus-growing ants, the higher and lower attine, and non-fungus-growing ants from the tribes Blepharidattini and Ectatommini analyzed by transmission electron microscopy. Plasma membrane invaginations in secretory cells of both fungus-growing and non-fungus-growing ants facilitate absorption of extracellular material from hemolymph. Higher and lower attines differed slightly from non-fungus-growing ants, by the presence of oval secretory cells and well-developed RER in the metapleural glands, which indicates a higher production of secretion in attines. Also, well-developed Golgi regions in the leaf-cutting ants and Ectatommini probably modify the secretions, produced by the secretory cell or coming of the hemolymph, into pheromone or antimicrobial compounds, the latter mainly in leaf-cutting ants. Still, the secretory cells of the metapleural gland of leaf-cutting ants exhibited several mitochondria near microvilli of the intracytoplasmic portion of the canaliculus, indicating an important role of the metapleural gland in the production and transport of secretion in metapleural gland of leaf-cutting ants. Thus, our work corroborates other findings, however our results add that the slight ultrastructural difference in the metapleural glands of leaf-cutting ants can be due to the feeding type (fungus-growing ants), resulting in greater secretory capacity and antimicrobial properties to combat pathogens (for example, micro-fungi parasites Escovopsis).

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Ultrastructure of the soil fungus, Geomyces pannorus

Proceedings, annual meeting, Electron Microscopy Society of America ◽

10.1017/s0424820100113573 ◽

1984 ◽

Vol 42 ◽

pp. 738-739

Author(s):

J. A. Traquair ◽

E. G. Kokko

Keyword(s):

Electron Microscopy ◽

Scanning Electron Microscopy ◽

Fine Structure ◽

Low Temperatures ◽

Soil Fungus ◽

Organic Soils ◽

Anatomical Studies ◽

Transmission Electron ◽

Electron Microscopical ◽

Scanning Electron

With the advent of improved dehydration techniques, scanning electron microscopy has become routine in anatomical studies of fungi. Fine structure of hyphae and spore surfaces has been illustrated for many hyphomycetes, and yet, the ultrastructure of the ubiquitous soil fungus, Geomyces pannorus (Link) Sigler & Carmichael has been neglected. This presentation shows that scanning and transmission electron microscopical data must be correlated in resolving septal structure and conidial release in G. pannorus.Although it is reported to be cellulolytic but not keratinolytic, G. pannorus is found on human skin, animals, birds, mushrooms, dung, roots, and frozen meat in addition to various organic soils. In fact, it readily adapts to growth at low temperatures.

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Antibiotic-producing bacteria associated with the nests of the leaf-cutting ant Atta sexdens rubropilosa

Planta Medica ◽

10.1055/s-0035-1556204 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 81 (11) ◽

Author(s):

EA Silva-Junior ◽

CR Paludo ◽

FS Nascimento ◽

CR Currie ◽

J Clardy ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Atta Sexdens ◽

Atta Sexdens Rubropilosa ◽

Leaf Cutting

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Immune system and antimicrobial secretion use by the leaf cutting ants,Attaspp. (Formicidae: Attini), during a fungal infection

10.1603/ice.2016.115032 ◽

2016 ◽

Author(s):

Ernesto Francisco Bonadies

Keyword(s):

Immune System ◽

Fungal Infection ◽

Leaf Cutting

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The yield of perennial grass stands on drained organic soils of Steppe

Interdepartmental thematic scientific collection "Agriculture" ◽

10.31073/zem.90.92-97 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 1 (90) ◽

pp. 92-97

Author(s):

I.T. Slusar ◽

V.A. Serbenyuk ◽

A.N. Gera ◽

A.P. Solyanik ◽

A.A. Tarasenko

Keyword(s):

Zinc Sulphate ◽

Foliar Application ◽

Perennial Grass ◽

Mineral Fertilizer ◽

Dry Weight ◽

Research Area ◽

Organic Soils ◽

Growth Promoters ◽

Cobalt Sulfate ◽

The Impact

Research on the impact of the introduction of micro fertilizers and growth promoters on a background of mineral fertilizer and without N90R45К120 spent on old peat in shallow carbonate floodplain r.Supiy, Yahotyn Kyiv region. Power peat horizon about 60-70 cm, 7,4-7,6 pH of the aqueous extract, stupas schedule 56-60%, density 0,49-0,52 assembly soil, total nitrogen content (%) - 1.9; gross forms of phosphorus - 0,4, potassium 0.2, 20% lime. In experiments studying biological rehoplant, radustym, Biolan, emistim, Jets, humisol, plantafol, radyfarm and micronutrients: copper, boric acid, manganese sulphate, zinc sulphate, potassium humates. Treatment drugs conducted in the spring by spraying mixtures. Space research area of 60 m2, three-time repetition. It is established that the use of growth stimulants and micronutrients in the background N90R45К120 provided the highest yield mixtures of years, against making BIOLan - 9.9 t / ha Radyfarmu - 9.6 t / ha Radostymu 9.3 t / ha dry weight. In areas for making other preparations were intermediate yield growth rates - 0.5 - 2.0 t / ha dry weight. Also good gains herbage yields obtained by making all kinds of micronutrients and growth stimulants in the background without making makrodobryv which was within 5.3 - 6.9 t / ha to control without fertilization - 4.5 t / ha dry weight. In deep peat copper fertilizer (25 kg / ha of copper sulphate or 5 kg / ha pirytnoho cinders) in all zones should be making every 3-4 years, and zinc, cobalt and molybdenum advisable to make time for the growing season, spring, by foliar application in such numbers: ammonium molibdenovokyslyy - 0.3 kg / ha; cobalt sulfate - 3 kg / ha zinc sulphate 0.5 kg / ha or placers these salts should be mixed with major fertilizer.

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