Nestmate recognition and incompatibility between colonies of the acacia-ant Pseudomyrmex ferruginea

Abstract

1. Compatibility between workers of 21 different colonies of the acacia-ant Pseudomyrmex ferruginea was examined. The colonies were reared from foundress queens in the greenhouse, on a clone of Acacia hindsii. Widespread incompatibility between colonies was encountered in these tests. Since diet and nesting environment are uniform, these results strongly suggest that the ants are producing recognition pheromones. 2. Worker brood from a stock colony was separated into groups of larvae and pupae, and each group was reared by a different foster reproductive female. The absence of antagonistic reactions between workers reared in the different groups indicates that the reproductive females are not the direct source of colony recognition pheromones.