Individual versus social pathway to honeybee worker reproduction (Apis mellifera): pollen or jelly as protein source for oogenesis?

Details

Serval ID
serval:BIB_D1EBDA89B70C
Type
Article: article from journal or magazin.
Collection
Publications
Title
Individual versus social pathway to honeybee worker reproduction (Apis mellifera): pollen or jelly as protein source for oogenesis?
Journal
Journal of comparative physiology. A, Neuroethology, sensory, neural, and behavioral physiology
Author(s)
Schäfer M.O., Dietemann V., Pirk C.W., Neumann P., Crewe R.M., Hepburn H.R., Tautz J., Crailsheim K.
ISSN
0340-7594 (Print)
ISSN-L
0340-7594
Publication state
Published
Issued date
07/2006
Peer-reviewed
Oui
Volume
192
Number
7
Pages
761-768
Language
english
Notes
Publication types: Comparative Study ; Journal Article ; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Publication Status: ppublish
Abstract
Honeybee workers, Apis mellifera, can reproduce in queenless colonies. The production of queen-like pheromones may be associated with their reproductive activity and induce nestmates to respond by feeding them. Such frequent trophallaxis could supply their protein needs for oogenesis, constituting a social pathway to worker reproduction. However, some individuals can develop ovaries without producing queen pheromones. The consumption of protein-rich pollen could be an alternative solitary pathway for them to satisfy this dietary requirement. In order to investigate the way in which workers obtain proteins for oogenesis, we created orphaned worker groups and determined ovarian and pheromonal development in relation to pollen consumption of selected workers. Individuals that did not consume pollen had significantly more developed ovaries and produced significantly more queen mandibular pheromone than workers that fed directly on pollen. Our results suggest that workers producing queen-like secretions are fed trophallactically. However, reproductive workers that lacked queen pheromones had consumed little or no pollen, suggesting that they also obtained trophallaxis. Although pollen consumption might contribute to sustaining oogenesis, it does not appear to be sufficient. Trophallaxis as a means of obtaining proteins seems to be necessary to attain reproductive status in queenless honeybee colonies.
Keywords
Analysis of Variance, Animals, Bees/physiology, Behavior, Animal, Chi-Square Distribution, Feeding Behavior/physiology, Female, Gels, Nesting Behavior, Oogenesis/physiology, Ovary/growth & development, Pheromones, Pollen, Sexual Behavior, Animal/physiology, Social Behavior
Pubmed
Web of science
Create date
03/01/2017 9:41
Last modification date
24/07/2023 16:41
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