Correlation between mandibular gland secretion and cuticular hydrocarbons in the stingless bee Melipona quadrifasciata

We investigated whether Melipona quadrifasciata worker mandibular gland secretions contribute directly to their cuticular hydrocarbon profile. The mandibular gland secretion composition and cuticular surface compounds of newly emerged worker bees, nurse bees, and foragers were determined by gas chromatography and mass spectrometry and compared. Both the mandibular gland secretions and the cuticular surface compounds of all worker stages were found to be composed almost exclusively of hydrocarbons. Although the relative proportion of hydrocarbons from the cuticular surface and gland secretion was statistically different, there was a high similarity in the qualitative composition between these structures in all groups of bees.FAPESPFAPES

Class III glands in the abdomen of Meliponini

Class III tegumentar glands were studied in workers, as well as in queens and males when available, of 56 Meliponini species. The presence and development of these glands varies widely among and within species. However, the queen typically has more glands than do workers, and males rarely have any. Gland development in workers was evaluated by counting and determining the size of cells in histological sections. Laying queens were found to have more active gland cells than did virgins. Cell numbers and cell ultrastructure differed among glands similarly located in workers, queens and males. Cell size and ultrastructure also varied from tergite to tergite. In conclusion, since it is likely that most of them produce pheromones, the wide variability in these glands suggests that they are important to social interaction

The chemical composition of the mandibular gland secretion of Melipona bicolor lepeletier, 1836 (Hymenoptera, Apidae, Meliponini): A comparative study among castes and sexes

The mandibular gland secretions of newly emerged, nurse and forager workers, virgin and physogastric queens and males of Melipona bicolor were analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. The secretion is composed of a blend of hydrocarbons, alcohols, esters, and acids. The secretion is caste-sex specific and also differs with the tasks performed by the workers and the physiological reproductive condition of the queens

Morphology of the mandibular gland of the ant Paraponera clavata

The ant Paraponera clavata (Fabricius, 1775) is the only extant species of Paraponerinae and is widely distributed in Brazilian forests. Aspects of its biology are documented extensively in the literature; however, knowledge of P. clavata internal morphology, specifically of exocrine glands, is restricted to the venom apparatus. The objective of this study was to describe the mandibular gland morphology of P. clavata workers. The mandibular gland is composed of a reservoir connected to a cluster of Type III secretory cells with cytoplasm rich in mitochondria and lipid droplets, similar to that of other ants. Notably, the glandular secretion is rich in protein and has a solid aspect. This is the first morphological description of the mandibular gland of P. clavata