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. 1985 Dec;82(24):8545–8547. doi: 10.1073/pnas.82.24.8545

Preimaginal learning as a basis of colony-brood recognition in the ant Cataglyphis cursor

Michel Isingrini *,†, Alain Lenoir *, Pierre Jaisson †
PMCID: PMC390953  PMID: 16593637

Abstract

In most circumstances, social insects recognize their nestmates. They can discriminate against alien adults and also against alien larvae. Results presented here indicate that the mechanism of colony-brood recognition is acquired in large part during larval life and persists through the metamorphosis into the adult stage. During the first days after emergence of the adult, a weaker form of learning can also occur. These phenomena are discussed in relation to kinship theory. It appears that kin recognition is determined not so much by genetic relatedness as by spatial proximity of the individuals during the early stages of life.

Keywords: insect sociobiology, kin recognition

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Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

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