Nestmate Recognition

Nestmate recognition plays an important role in various aspects of the biology of many ant species. For example defining where one colony ends and another begins, determining how genetic benefits accrue for workers and queens, and a dominant species deciding when and where to defend a foraging territory are all influenced by how individuals differentiate friends and foes.

Frizzi et al. (2015, a study of Crematogaster scutellaris) - Nest-mate recognition is based on a number of mechanisms, from visual identification to chemical communication, depending on the species involved. Ants usually rely on chemical cues. The chemical compounds produced by individuals are transferred among nest mates by trophallaxis, allogrooming or simple contact, and the resulting chemical mix contributes to the creation of a colony-specific odor template. Cuticular hydrocarbons (CHCs) are particularly important compounds among the substances used by ants in nest-mate recognition. Genetics and environmental factors linked or somehow responsible for changes in CHCs profiles can also play a role in interindividual recognition. In Temnothorax longispinosus, for example, genetic relatedness between colonies may be one of the main factors determining aggressive behavior. On the other hand, nest-mate recognition in Linepithema humile appears to be highly dependent on environmental cues including diet. Workers can also learn the chemical profile of neighbor colonies, and this may influence aggressive responses during subsequent encounters. The relative importance of chemical, genetic and environmental parameters in conspecific recognition is nevertheless still a matter of debate.

References

• Frizzi, F., C. Ciofi, L. Dapporto, C. Natali, G. Chelazzi, S. Turillazzi, and G. Santini. 2015. The Rules of Aggression: How Genetic, Chemical and Spatial Factors Affect Intercolony Fights in a Dominant Species, the Mediterranean Acrobat Ant Crematogaster scutellaris. Plos One. 10. 15 pp. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0137919