Summary
Two different theories exist concerning the way in which the honeybee “queen substance” affects the ovaries of worker honeybees. One theory involves a humoral mechanism, the other an indirect effect through the neuro-endocrine system after chemoperception. 9-Oxo-decenoic acid, one of the components of the “queen substance”, was administered to stingless bee larvae, alone or in combination with juvenile hormone. The effect of this treatment on caste determination was studied. Since no effect was found on the worker/queen ratio nor on morphometric characteristics, these experiments do not favour a humoral effect of 9-oxo-decenoic acid on stingless bee caste determination. This makes a sensory mechanism in the honeybee itself more probable.
Resume
Il y a deux théories différentes sur les mécanismes d'action de la substance royale de l'Abeille domestique (Apis mellifera) sur le développement ovarien des ouvrières. L'une de ces théories propose un mécanisme humoral direct, l'autre une modulation du système neuro-endocrinien par la chémoréception.
Nous avons donné aux larves de Mélipones de l'acide 9-oxo-décène oïque, seul ou en association avec l'hormone juvénile, puis nous avons étudié l'effet éventuel de ces traitements sur la détermination des castes. Nous n'avons trouvé de modifications ni dans le pourcentage des reines par rapport aux ouvrières, ni dans la biométrie des caractères morphologiques. Nos résultats ne plaident donc pas en faveur d'un effet humoral de l'acide 9-oxo-décène oïque sur le déterminisme des castes chez les Mélipones. Ceci rend plus probable l'hypothèse d'un mécanisme neuro-endocrinien modulé par les organes des sens.
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Engel, M.S. Is caste determination inMelipona quadrifasciata, a stingless bee, influenced by 9-oxo-decenoic acid?. Ins. Soc 26, 273–278 (1979). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02223547
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02223547