Deception and chemical warfare in Cardiocondyla ant males

• Applicant: Professor Dr. Jürgen Heinze
• Subject Area: Systematics and Morphology (Zoology)
• Term: from 2008 to 2011
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 61969933

Wingless males of the ant species Cardiocondyla obscurior engage in lethal fighting with their wingless rivals to obtain exclusive access to the colony's female sexuals, but they do not attack their winged competitors. This surprising tolerance appears to result from winged males mimicking the odour of female sexuals.Aim of this project is to clarify the basis of chemical female mimicry, in particular the nature, dynamics and stability of the pattern of cuticular hydrocarbons, the potential costs of mimicry for female-mimics and the fooled wingless males, and the evolutionary maintenance of this particular case of cheating. In addition we intend to determine if those secretions, which wingless males smear onto the body of opponents during fights and which apparently elicit worker aggression against the besmeared individual, simply consist of faeces, and whether wingless males thus exploit a general hostile, hygienic response to contamination with faeces for male-male competition. Our study will combine gas chromatography, mass spectrometry, genetic analyses and behavioural observations and shall help to better understand the evolution of male fighting in Cardiocondyla and, more general, of dishonest chemical communication in animals.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants