Size differences in the Dufour gland of Apis mellifera Linnaeus (Hymenoptera, Apidae) between and within the female castes

Abdalla, Fábio Camargo; Cruz-Landim, Carminda da

doi:10.1590/S0101-81752001000500009

Abstract

The Dufour gland is found closely associated with the sting apparatus of all hymenopteran females, playing multiple roles among bees. In Apis mellifera Linnaeus, 1758 the gland is connected to the dorsal vaginal wall and, in queens, it produces egg-marking pheromones. In workers the function of this gland is unknown, except by its capacity to mimic the queen secretion in egg-laying workers. In an attempt to understand the development and to substantiate the present knowledge about the Dufour gland in A. mellifera, a morphometric study of the gland between and within the female castes was made. Glands of workers and queens with different ages and life stages were dissected and measured with an ocular micrometer adapted to a stereoscope. The results showed that the Dufour gland is larger in queens than in workers, and that among workers, the gland is larger in egg-laying and foragers than it is in newly emerged and nurse workers. The larger size of the gland in egg-laying queens and workers is in accordance with its role in reproduction. In forager workers the larger size of the gland suggest that, as happens in some species of bees, the gland may participate in pheromone production for nest-mate or nest-entrance recognition.

Apis mellifera; Dufour gland; exocrine glands

Size differences in the Dufour gland of Apis mellifera Linnaeus (Hymenoptera, Apidae) between and within the female castes

Fábio Camargo Abdalla; Carminda da Cruz-Landim

Departamento de Biologia, Instituto de Biociências de Rio Claro, Universidade Estadual Paulista. Avenida 24A, 1515, 13506-900 Rio Claro, São Paulo, Brasil. E-mail: fabdalla@rc.unesp.br

ABSTRACT

The Dufour gland is found closely associated with the sting apparatus of all hymenopteran females, playing multiple roles among bees. In Apis mellifera Linnaeus, 1758 the gland is connected to the dorsal vaginal wall and, in queens, it produces egg-marking pheromones. In workers the function of this gland is unknown, except by its capacity to mimic the queen secretion in egg-laying workers. In an attempt to understand the development and to substantiate the present knowledge about the Dufour gland in A. mellifera, a morphometric study of the gland between and within the female castes was made. Glands of workers and queens with different ages and life stages were dissected and measured with an ocular micrometer adapted to a stereoscope. The results showed that the Dufour gland is larger in queens than in workers, and that among workers, the gland is larger in egg-laying and foragers than it is in newly emerged and nurse workers. The larger size of the gland in egg-laying queens and workers is in accordance with its role in reproduction. In forager workers the larger size of the gland suggest that, as happens in some species of bees, the gland may participate in pheromone production for nest-mate or nest-entrance recognition.

Key words:Apis mellifera. Dufour gland, exocrine glands

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. to FAPESP (Fundação de Amparo a Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo, proc. nº 97/12243-8) by the financial and scientific support. We are also grateful for the reliable suggestions given by Dr. Edy de Lello Montenegro (UNESP, Botucatu, Brazil), Dr. José Chaud Netto (UNESP, Rio Claro) and Dr. Hayo H.W. Velthuis (Utrecht University, The Netherlands).

Recebido em 30.III.2000; aceito em 20.VI.2001.

Abdalla, F.C. & C. Cruz-Landim. 1996. Secretory cycle of the Dufour gland in the female castes of Apis mellifera L. (Hymenoptera: Apidae). Brazil. Jour. Morphol. Sci. 13(1):119.
______. 1997. Characterization of Dufour gland secretion and its possible origin in workers of Apis mellifera L. (Hymenoptera: Apidae) with different functions. Acta Microscopica 6(b):588-589.
______. 2001. Behavioral responses evoked in honey bee workers by Dufour gland extracts (Hymenoptera, Apidae). Sociobiology 37(3B):673-678.
Abdalla, F.C; H.H.W. Velthuis; C. Cruz-Landim & M.J. Duchateau. 1999a. Changes in the morphology and ultrastructure of the Dufour's gland during the life cycle of the bumble bee queen, Bombus tetrestris L. (Hymenoptera: Bombini). Neth. Jour. Zool. 49(4):251-261.
Abdalla, F.C.; H.H.W. Velthuis; M.J. Duchateau & C. Cruz-Landim. 1999b. Secretory cycle of the Dufour's gland in workers of the bumble bee Bombus terrestris L. (Hymenoptera:Bombini). Neth. Jour. Zool. 49(3):139-156.
Billen, J.P.J. 1986. Comparative morphology and ultrastructure of the Dufour's gland in ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Entomol. Gener. 11(3/4):165-181.
Hefetz, A. 1987. The role of Dufour's gland secretions in bees. Physiol. Entomol. 12:243-253.
Hefetz, A.; J. Tengö; G. Lübke & W. Francke. 1993. Inter-colonial and intra-colonial variation in Dufour's gland secretion in the bumble bee species Bombus hypnorum (Hymenoptera: Apidae), p. 469-480. In: K. Wiese; F.G. Gribakin & G. Renninger (Eds). Advances in life sciences. Sensory system of Arthropods. Basel, Birkhause Verlag, Vol. 11, 682p.
Katzav-Gozansky, T.; V. Soroker; A. Hefetz; M. Cojocaru; D.H. Erdmann & W. Francke. 1997. Plasticity of caste-specific Dufour's gland secretion in the honey bee (Apis mellifera L.). Naturwissenschaften 84: 38-241.
Kerr, E.W. & E. Lello. 1962. Sting glands in stingless bees. A vestigial character (Hymenoptera: Apidae). Jour. N. Y. Entomol. Soc. 70:190-214.
Lello, E. 1971a. Adnexal gland of the sting apparatus of bees: anatomy and histology, I (Hymenoptera: Colletidae and Andrenidae). Jour. Kansas Entomol. Soc. 44:5-13.
______. 1971b. Adnexal gland of the sting apparatus of bees: anatomy and histology, II (Hymenoptera: Halictidae). Jour. Kansas Entomol. Soc. 44:14-20.
______. 1971c. Adnexal gland of the sting apparatus of bees: anatomy and histology, III (Hymenoptera: Megachilidae and Melitidae). Ciência Cultura 23:243-258.
______. 1971d. Glândulas anexas ao aparelho de ferrão das abelhas, anatomia e histologia (Hymenoptera: Anthophoridae). Ciência Cultura 23(6):765-772.

Publication Dates

Publication in this collection
30 Apr 2009
Date of issue
July 2001

History

Accepted
20 June 2001
Received
30 Mar 2000

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.

[1] Abdalla, F.C. & C. Cruz-Landim. 1996. Secretory cycle of the Dufour gland in the female castes of Apis mellifera L. (Hymenoptera: Apidae). Brazil. Jour. Morphol. Sci. 13(1):119.

[2] ______. 1997. Characterization of Dufour gland secretion and its possible origin in workers of Apis mellifera L. (Hymenoptera: Apidae) with different functions. Acta Microscopica 6(b):588-589.

[3] ______. 2001. Behavioral responses evoked in honey bee workers by Dufour gland extracts (Hymenoptera, Apidae). Sociobiology 37(3B):673-678.

[4] Abdalla, F.C; H.H.W. Velthuis; C. Cruz-Landim & M.J. Duchateau. 1999a. Changes in the morphology and ultrastructure of the Dufour's gland during the life cycle of the bumble bee queen, Bombus tetrestris L. (Hymenoptera: Bombini). Neth. Jour. Zool. 49(4):251-261.

[5] Abdalla, F.C.; H.H.W. Velthuis; M.J. Duchateau & C. Cruz-Landim. 1999b. Secretory cycle of the Dufour's gland in workers of the bumble bee Bombus terrestris L. (Hymenoptera:Bombini). Neth. Jour. Zool. 49(3):139-156.

[6] Billen, J.P.J. 1986. Comparative morphology and ultrastructure of the Dufour's gland in ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Entomol. Gener. 11(3/4):165-181.

[7] Hefetz, A. 1987. The role of Dufour's gland secretions in bees. Physiol. Entomol. 12:243-253.

[8] Hefetz, A.; J. Tengö; G. Lübke & W. Francke. 1993. Inter-colonial and intra-colonial variation in Dufour's gland secretion in the bumble bee species Bombus hypnorum (Hymenoptera: Apidae), p. 469-480. In: K. Wiese; F.G. Gribakin & G. Renninger (Eds). Advances in life sciences. Sensory system of Arthropods. Basel, Birkhause Verlag, Vol. 11, 682p.

[9] Katzav-Gozansky, T.; V. Soroker; A. Hefetz; M. Cojocaru; D.H. Erdmann & W. Francke. 1997. Plasticity of caste-specific Dufour's gland secretion in the honey bee (Apis mellifera L.). Naturwissenschaften 84: 38-241.

[10] Kerr, E.W. & E. Lello. 1962. Sting glands in stingless bees. A vestigial character (Hymenoptera: Apidae). Jour. N. Y. Entomol. Soc. 70:190-214.

[11] Lello, E. 1971a. Adnexal gland of the sting apparatus of bees: anatomy and histology, I (Hymenoptera: Colletidae and Andrenidae). Jour. Kansas Entomol. Soc. 44:5-13.

[12] ______. 1971b. Adnexal gland of the sting apparatus of bees: anatomy and histology, II (Hymenoptera: Halictidae). Jour. Kansas Entomol. Soc. 44:14-20.

[13] ______. 1971c. Adnexal gland of the sting apparatus of bees: anatomy and histology, III (Hymenoptera: Megachilidae and Melitidae). Ciência Cultura 23:243-258.

[14] ______. 1971d. Glândulas anexas ao aparelho de ferrão das abelhas, anatomia e histologia (Hymenoptera: Anthophoridae). Ciência Cultura 23(6):765-772.