Abstract
In social insects, the types and proportions of epicuticular lipids may exhibit significant diversity as a result of factors such as age, sex, caste, rank, nest, and relatedness. It is known that these variations can be used by social insects to acquire information regarding conspecific individuals. Recent findings have shown that different populations of Polistes dominulus (Christ.) have distinctly different chemical cuticular profiles, and that wasps are able to recognize individuals of their own population. In this study, we showed that cuticular hydrocarbon patterns of Polistes dominulus are consistent with similarities among northern Tyrrhenian islands, as reported in previous biogeographic studies. Indeed, our findings indicate that cuticular hydrocarbon mixtures of P. dominulus from Capraia and Corsica are grouped together by cluster analysis, while those from Elba and Giglio cluster with cuticular profiles of the mainland wasps (Venturina).
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
