Showing papers by "Edward O. Wilson published in 1971"
Book•
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01 Jan 1971
TL;DR: In this article, a definitive study of the social structure and symbiotic relationships of termites, social wasps, bees, and ants was conducted. But the authors focused on the relationship between ants and termites.
Abstract: Conducts a definitive study of the social structure and symbiotic relationships of termites, social wasps, bees, and ants.
4,679 citations
TL;DR: Artificial trails made from whole-body extracts and extracts of Dufour's glands and hindguts can be used to guide columns of workers to selected target colonies and to initiate raids in slave-maker ants of the Formica sanguinea group.
Abstract: Slave-maker ants of the Formica sanguinea group direct their raids by means of odor trails. Artificial trails made from whole-body extracts and extracts of Dufour's glands and hindguts can be used to guide columns of workers to selected target colonies and to initiate raids. In workers of F. pergandei and F. subintegra, members of the F. sanguinea group, the Dufour's glands are hypertrophied and contain large quantities of three acetates (decyl, dodecyl, and tetradecyl), which are discharged at defending workers during the slave raids. The acetates produce very efficient, long-lasting alarm signals that attract the slave-makers but disperse the defenders; in effect, therefore, they are "propaganda substances."
123 citations
TL;DR: It is suggested that two major adaptive alterations in the basic alarm-defense system have occurred within the higher Formicinae and are causally linked to the development of a strongly aggressive form of alarm communication.
Abstract: 1. The higher formicine ants base their chemical alarm-defense systems primarily on a limited array of acyclic terpenes discharged from the mandibular glands, and alkanes and ketones discharged from Dufour's gland. All of these substances appear to be utilized in defense, and most, especially those at the lower end of the range of molecular weight (C9-C13), also function as alarm pheromones. The active space of the pheromones reaches over a distance of centimeters and is relatively short-lived. The alarm response of the various species can be classified roughly as either "panic" or "aggressive" in nature. 2. Two major adaptive alterations in the basic alarm-defense system have occurred within the higher Formicinae. In the genus Acanthomyops, the mandibular gland has been enlarged and made the site of storage of unusually large quantities of citronellal and two isomers of citral. We suggest that the changes are causally linked to the development of a strongly aggressive form of alarm communication. The res...
120 citations
Journal Article•
11 citations