Variations in the Cuticular Chemical Profile of the Ant Ectatomma brunneum Smith, F. 1858 (Formicidae: Ectatomminae) Across Different Biomes in Brazil

The insect cuticle is composed of chemical compounds that evolved to prevent desiccation and provide defense against pathogens. These compounds were subsequently co-opted for chemical communication and, in social insects, are crucial for nestmate recognition and caste discrimination. Several factor...

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Main Authors: William Fernando Antonialli-Junior, Michele Castro de Paula-Silva, Erika Fernandes Neves, Sidnei Eduardo Lima-Junior, Luis Humberto da Cunha Andrade, Sandro Márcio Lima
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Universidade Estadual de Feira de Santana 2025-07-01
Series:Sociobiology
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Online Access:https://periodicos.uefs.br/index.php/sociobiology/article/view/10712
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author William Fernando Antonialli-Junior
Michele Castro de Paula-Silva
Erika Fernandes Neves
Sidnei Eduardo Lima-Junior
Luis Humberto da Cunha Andrade
Sandro Márcio Lima
author_facet William Fernando Antonialli-Junior
Michele Castro de Paula-Silva
Erika Fernandes Neves
Sidnei Eduardo Lima-Junior
Luis Humberto da Cunha Andrade
Sandro Márcio Lima
author_sort William Fernando Antonialli-Junior
collection DOAJ
description The insect cuticle is composed of chemical compounds that evolved to prevent desiccation and provide defense against pathogens. These compounds were subsequently co-opted for chemical communication and, in social insects, are crucial for nestmate recognition and caste discrimination. Several factors can influence the cuticular chemical composition, making it a good biogeographical study tool, since it varies among populations, according to genetic and environmental factors. The use of cuticular compounds in studies of the social Hymenoptera is important for understanding the influence of the environment on the distribution and occurrence of species. This study aimed to determine whether environmental factors might be decisive in determining the cuticular chemical profiles of colonies of the ant Ectatomma brunneum (Smith). Samples were collected in different biomes of Brazil, for analysis using Fourier transform infrared-photoacoustic spectroscopy (FTIR-PAS). Similarly to other phenotypic characteristics, the cuticular chemical profile varied significantly among populations, confirming its potential as a tool to assess biogeographical differences. Furthermore, environmental factors were important determinants of the cuticular composition of this species of ant.
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language English
publishDate 2025-07-01
publisher Universidade Estadual de Feira de Santana
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spelling doaj-art-e4b0d4e482d0429d8100f7eaf86819162025-08-20T03:58:36ZengUniversidade Estadual de Feira de SantanaSociobiology0361-65252447-80672025-07-0172310.13102/sociobiology.v72i3.10712Variations in the Cuticular Chemical Profile of the Ant Ectatomma brunneum Smith, F. 1858 (Formicidae: Ectatomminae) Across Different Biomes in BrazilWilliam Fernando Antonialli-Junior0Michele Castro de Paula-Silva1Erika Fernandes Neves2Sidnei Eduardo Lima-Junior3Luis Humberto da Cunha Andrade4Sandro Márcio Lima5Centro de Estudos em Recursos Naturais (CERNA), Universidade Estadual de Mato Grosso do Sul, Dourados-MS, BrazilCentro de Estudos em Recursos Naturais (CERNA), Universidade Estadual de Mato Grosso do Sul, Dourados-MS, BrazilInstituto Federal de Educação, Ciência e Tecnologia de Mato Grosso do Sul, Dourados-MS, BrazilCentro de Estudos em Recursos Naturais (CERNA), Universidade Estadual de Mato Grosso do Sul, Dourados-MS, BrazilCentro de Estudos em Recursos Naturais (CERNA), Universidade Estadual de Mato Grosso do Sul, Dourados-MS, BrazilCentro de Estudos em Recursos Naturais (CERNA), Universidade Estadual de Mato Grosso do Sul, Dourados-MS, Brazil The insect cuticle is composed of chemical compounds that evolved to prevent desiccation and provide defense against pathogens. These compounds were subsequently co-opted for chemical communication and, in social insects, are crucial for nestmate recognition and caste discrimination. Several factors can influence the cuticular chemical composition, making it a good biogeographical study tool, since it varies among populations, according to genetic and environmental factors. The use of cuticular compounds in studies of the social Hymenoptera is important for understanding the influence of the environment on the distribution and occurrence of species. This study aimed to determine whether environmental factors might be decisive in determining the cuticular chemical profiles of colonies of the ant Ectatomma brunneum (Smith). Samples were collected in different biomes of Brazil, for analysis using Fourier transform infrared-photoacoustic spectroscopy (FTIR-PAS). Similarly to other phenotypic characteristics, the cuticular chemical profile varied significantly among populations, confirming its potential as a tool to assess biogeographical differences. Furthermore, environmental factors were important determinants of the cuticular composition of this species of ant. https://periodicos.uefs.br/index.php/sociobiology/article/view/10712Chemical profilebiomes of Brazilenvironmental factorsphotoacoustic spectroscopy
spellingShingle William Fernando Antonialli-Junior
Michele Castro de Paula-Silva
Erika Fernandes Neves
Sidnei Eduardo Lima-Junior
Luis Humberto da Cunha Andrade
Sandro Márcio Lima
Variations in the Cuticular Chemical Profile of the Ant Ectatomma brunneum Smith, F. 1858 (Formicidae: Ectatomminae) Across Different Biomes in Brazil
Sociobiology
Chemical profile
biomes of Brazil
environmental factors
photoacoustic spectroscopy
title Variations in the Cuticular Chemical Profile of the Ant Ectatomma brunneum Smith, F. 1858 (Formicidae: Ectatomminae) Across Different Biomes in Brazil
title_full Variations in the Cuticular Chemical Profile of the Ant Ectatomma brunneum Smith, F. 1858 (Formicidae: Ectatomminae) Across Different Biomes in Brazil
title_fullStr Variations in the Cuticular Chemical Profile of the Ant Ectatomma brunneum Smith, F. 1858 (Formicidae: Ectatomminae) Across Different Biomes in Brazil
title_full_unstemmed Variations in the Cuticular Chemical Profile of the Ant Ectatomma brunneum Smith, F. 1858 (Formicidae: Ectatomminae) Across Different Biomes in Brazil
title_short Variations in the Cuticular Chemical Profile of the Ant Ectatomma brunneum Smith, F. 1858 (Formicidae: Ectatomminae) Across Different Biomes in Brazil
title_sort variations in the cuticular chemical profile of the ant ectatomma brunneum smith f 1858 formicidae ectatomminae across different biomes in brazil
topic Chemical profile
biomes of Brazil
environmental factors
photoacoustic spectroscopy
url https://periodicos.uefs.br/index.php/sociobiology/article/view/10712
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