Cuticular body hairs mediate clumping of small Camponotus floridanus larvae

Wang, Y; Zuber, R; Laudahn, A; Berger, J; Moussian, B

doi:10.1016/j.asd.2016.12.003

Item

ITEM ACTIONSEXPORT

Add to Basket

Local TagsRelease HistoryDetailsSummary

Released

Journal Article

Cuticular body hairs mediate clumping of small Camponotus floridanus larvae

MPS-Authors

/persons/resource/persons271178

Berger, J
Electron Microscopy, Max Planck Institute for Developmental Biology, Max Planck Society;

External Resource

No external resources are shared

Fulltext (restricted access)

There are currently no full texts shared for your IP range.

Fulltext (public)

There are no public fulltexts stored in PuRe

Supplementary Material (public)

There is no public supplementary material available

Citation

Wang, Y., Zuber, R., Laudahn, A., Berger, J., & Moussian, B. (2017). Cuticular body hairs mediate clumping of small Camponotus floridanus larvae. Arthropod structure & development, 46(1), 108-115. doi:10.1016/j.asd.2016.12.003.

Cite as: https://hdl.handle.net/21.11116/0000-0002-14B8-8

Abstract

The body surface of insects usually carries cuticular hairs. Commonly, important functions of these structures are to prevent drowning and to defend against predators. Here, we report on our studies on hairs at the surface of larvae of the ant species Camponotus floridanus and Camponotus sericeiventris. First, we present data supporting the hypothesis that anti-drowning properties of the surface might rely on cuticular hairs. Second, we show that especially in young larvae body hairs serve as attachment and interlocking devices mediating clumping of larvae facilitating transport by workers. Based on our observations, we speculate that clumping also enhances larval perceptibility. Taken together, larval cuticular hairs seem to have at least two important functions augmenting chances of larval survival. Obviously, despite their immobility, young Camponotus larvae support childcare in the ant colony providing an arsenal of cuticular hairs on their body surface. (C) 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.