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Morphology of mandibular and intramandibular glands in workers and virgin queens of Melipona scutellaris

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Abstract

The interactions of insect societies are associated with chemical signals released by the exocrine glands that control some insect behaviors. Exocrine glands can be classified into different classes: class I release substances that cross the body cuticle and class III glands that have a conducting canal. This study compares the morphology of intramandibular and mandibular glands in virgin queens of different ages, as well as in nurses and forager workers of Melipona scutellaris. We have found the occurrence of two types of glands inside the mandible; glands of class I, corresponding to a well-developed epithelium, secretory only in virgin queens, and glands of class III. On the other hand, mandibular glands have been found to be well-developed in workers and queens and they also have high amounts of mitochondria and smooth endoplasmic reticulum. Together, these data show that the mandibular and intramandibular glands of M. scutellaris virgin queens have morphological features that indicate the synthesis of compounds that are lipid in nature. Furthermore, both glands have a similar developmental degree in newly emerged and 7-day-old ones.

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Acknowledgments

This research was supported by Brazilian Research Agencies National Council of Research (CNPq) and Minas Gerais State Research Agency (FAPEMIG). Authors are grateful to Nucleus of Microscopy and Microanalysis (UFV) for technical assistance.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Departamento de Biologia Geral, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, Viçosa, 36570-900, Brazil

    Douglas Elias Santos & José Eduardo Serrão

  2. Departamento de Biologia, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, campus Rio Paranaíba, Rio Paranaíba, MG, Brazil

    Edmilson Amaral de Souza

  3. Instituto de Genética e Bioquímica, Universidade Federal de Uberlândia, 38400-902, Uberlândia, Brazil

    Carlos Ueira Vieira

  4. Departamento de Biologia Animal, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, Viçosa, 36570-900, Brazil

    José Cola Zanuncio

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  1. Douglas Elias Santos
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  2. Edmilson Amaral de Souza
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  3. Carlos Ueira Vieira
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  5. José Eduardo Serrão
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Correspondence to José Eduardo Serrão.

Additional information

Morphologie des glandes mandibulaires et intramandibulaires chez les ouvrières et les reines vierges de Melipona scutellaris

Glandes céphaliques / stingless bee / communication / comportement

Morphologie der Mandibeldrüsen und der Intramandibeldrüsen bei Arbeiterinnen und jungfräulichen Königinnen von Melipona scutellaris

Kopfdrüsen / Kommunikation / Verhalten / jungfräuliche Königin

Manuscript editor: James Nieh

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Santos, D.E., de Souza, E.A., Vieira, C.U. et al. Morphology of mandibular and intramandibular glands in workers and virgin queens of Melipona scutellaris . Apidologie 46, 23–34 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13592-014-0301-6

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