Event: Drexel Department of Biodiversity, Earth, and Environmental Science Research Day 2016
Date: March 10th, 2016
Type: Poster
Title: Brain investment in slave making ant workers
Abstract:
Among the thousands of social insect species worldwide, some ant species establish complex symbiotic relationships with one other. These relationships require specific brain investments, which are constrained by the costly production of neural tissue. With regards to social parasitism, specifically slave-making, we predicted that parasites that depend on hosts for cognition and survival would display reduced brain investments in certain regions. We investigated the differences in brain investments among slave-making Polyergus mexicanus ant workers and Formica fusca slave workers. P. mexicanus colonies rely completely on enslaved F. fusca hosts to forage, maintain the nests, and care for brood. By comparing brain volumes of these species, we found relatively lower investments in mushroom body calyx regions in P. mexicanus workers compared to F. fusca hosts. Free and enslaved F. fusca workers did not differ in brain investments, suggesting the enslavement does not alter their brain architecture.
Date: March 10th, 2016
Type: Poster
Title: Brain investment in slave making ant workers
Abstract:
Among the thousands of social insect species worldwide, some ant species establish complex symbiotic relationships with one other. These relationships require specific brain investments, which are constrained by the costly production of neural tissue. With regards to social parasitism, specifically slave-making, we predicted that parasites that depend on hosts for cognition and survival would display reduced brain investments in certain regions. We investigated the differences in brain investments among slave-making Polyergus mexicanus ant workers and Formica fusca slave workers. P. mexicanus colonies rely completely on enslaved F. fusca hosts to forage, maintain the nests, and care for brood. By comparing brain volumes of these species, we found relatively lower investments in mushroom body calyx regions in P. mexicanus workers compared to F. fusca hosts. Free and enslaved F. fusca workers did not differ in brain investments, suggesting the enslavement does not alter their brain architecture.