Author:

Keywords:

aenictus, postpygidial gland, ultrastructure, army ants, formicidae, Science & Technology, Life Sciences & Biomedicine, Anatomy & Morphology, Zoology, Aenictus, FORMICIDAE, 0606 Physiology, 0608 Zoology, Evolutionary Biology, 3109 Zoology

Abstract:

Army ants of the genus Aenictus are characterized by the presence of a conspicuous postpygidial gland, which is the source of the trail pheromone. The paired gland at each side consists of a reservoir sac into which the secretory cells open through their accompanying duct cells. The secretory cells are characterized by a well developed Golgi apparatus, numerous mitochondria and strands of smooth endoplasmic reticulum. The reservoir opens near the abdomen tip, which facilitates deposition of the secretory products onto the substrate. The large reservoir of the postpygidial gland may enable the incessant trail laying of at least one of the investigated species.