Myrmecol. News 36: 59-72

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.25849/myrmecol.news_036:059
  • Open Access: CC BY 4.0
  • Author: Chiu, Y.-C., Wang, C.-C., Nai, Y.-S., Peng, M.-H., Hsu, J. & Neoh, K.-B.
  • Year: 2026
  • Title: Genetics, cuticular hydrocarbon profiles, and bacterial endosymbionts are associated with the nestmate necognition in the invasive African big-headed ant, Pheidole megacephala, in Taiwan
  • Journal: Myrmecological News
  • Volume: 36
  • Pages: 59-72
  • Type of contribution: Original Article
  • Supplementary material: Yes
  • Abstract: Genetic and environmental cues have been suggested to affect cuticular hydrocarbon profiles, in which the profile signature mediates aggressive behaviors in ants. Paradoxically, conflicting evidence exists, and none of these hypotheses has received decisive support. Those cues have been studied independently without much attention to their potential mutual relationship. This study investigated the mutual relationships of cuticular hydrocarbons (CHCs), genetics, and bacterial endosymbionts in mediating aggressive behavior in 14 colonies of invasive Pheidole megacephala in urban and forest areas of Taichung, Taiwan. Behavioral assays revealed that workers displayed aggression toward those from other colonies, indicating the absence of a supercolony in Taichung. However, urban ants did not necessarily exhibit aggression toward forest ants, indicating that environmental cues between these habitats play a minor role in mediating agonistic interactions. The aggression level corresponded to differences in dimethyl alkane. The dimethyl alkane distances were significantly associated with genetic distances. Co-inertia analysis demonstrated a strong relationship between dimethyl alkanes and the bacterial endosymbionts of ants. In particular, colonies infected with Wolbachia exhibited a higher abundance of peaks corresponding to long-chain dimethyl alkanes ranging from carbon numbers C33 to C39. Based on these findings, we suggest that ant CHCs, shaped by heritable bacterial endosymbionts such as Wolbachia, lead to colony-level differences in dimethyl alkane profiles and, thus, the observed agonistic interactions in P. megacephala regardless of habitat type.
  • Key words: Hymenoptera, Formicidae, biological invasion, genetic differentiation, aggressive behavior, supercolony, microbiota.
  • Publisher: The Austrian Society of Entomofaunistics
  • ISSN: 1997-3500
  • Check out the accompanying blog contribution: https://blog.myrmecologicalnews.org/2026/02/18/microbes-molecules-and-mates-unraveling-nestmate-recognition-in-pheidole-megacephala/

Myrmecol. News 36: 59-72, Supplement

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  • Open Access: CC BY 4.0
  • Year: 2026
  • Journal: Myrmecological News
  • Volume: 36
  • Pages: 59-72
  • Type of contribution: Supplement
  • Supplementary material: Yes
  • Key words: Hymenoptera, Formicidae, biological invasion, genetic differentiation, aggressive behavior, supercolony, microbiota.
  • Publisher: The Austrian Society of Entomofaunistics
  • ISSN: 1997-3500